Ice Ultra Race Report 2017 - The Finish!

It’s easy to assume that 15km is an easy day compared to the other stages. We even call it The Sprint! Nobody was in a sprinting mood this morning though...

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The Finish

It’s easy to assume that 15km is an easy day compared to the other stages.  We even call it The Sprint!  Nobody was in a sprinting mood this morning.  It is unsurprising that the runners had each put their all into the mammoth Stage Four.  Their packs are lighter today but they and their supplies are exhausted.  It is easy to underestimate this last 15km stretch but this is still the Arctic.  The medics had to keep a few people back this morning who they don’t feel are ready to risk another few hours in the cold.

The race finishes in Jokkmokk and if the race team found it an incongruous experience being back in civilisation again after 5 days we can only imagine what it feel like for the runners.  Still, they seem to have embraced their reacquaintance with normality, a few of them have already wandered off to raid the local supermarkets for supplies.

The tired but ecstatic runners cross the line in the centre of the town are greeted with hearty hug from their Race Director, a small snowy mountain filled with cans of beer and coca cola, a rotisserie chicken, cookies and a roaring fire to sit and eat them around whilst they wait for the others to arrive.  The atmosphere at the finish is one of relief, happiness and comradery.  A few have already made emotional phone calls back home.

They’ll have a few hours to recuperate, take a hot shower and sleep in a real bed before the evening’s festivities.  Tonight we will all get together for some local cuisine, a medal ceremony and almost certainly a few local beverages as well!  If previous year’s are anything to go by the runners will defy their tiredness and trade stories long into the night.  It’s their night and they have earned it!

Final Results

NameRace NoTotal Time
1Vicente Garcia13028:40
2Karl Reigl12935:49
3Takao Kitada11137:19
4Taco Jongman10939:24
5Maritz Theron12241:30
6Will Roberts12043:20
7Eric Chan10545:46
8Joey Patrolia11746:52
9Ewan Dryburgh10646:54
10Paul Bowker10347:33
11Paul Chan10447:36
12Carolin Botterill10247:58
13Matt Zadzrozny12649:13
14Ann Marie Larkin11250:48
15Emma Zadrozny12552:43
16Phil Snowden12154:45
ShortAndrew Barber10135:19
ShortJames Mowbray11637:53
ShortKari Mcdonald11538:22
Aaron Trindall124DNF
Jane Lightfoot114DNF
Andrew Wicking128DNF
David Harris108DNF
Saul Treherne123DNF
Andreas Lledo127DNF
Jon Richardson119DNF


About the Author

Will Roberts

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Ice 2017