Year 1996
The year started with bushwalks in Victorian Alps. I spent few days with friend walking and camping along Dargo River. Temperatures were close to +40C. And then, I flew to Frankfurt and further on, to Estonia. After some 34 hours of travel I landed in Tartu, had dinner, returned to the hotel.
Minus 25C - greeted me the receptionist.
I did not feel cold. In my room, I looked through the window at the snow covered park. Snow gently lit by the park lanterns looked so tempting. I quickly ran downstairs.
- Can I ski in this park?
- Ski? It is after 10 pm. There is - 25C. Are you serious?
- Yes, I am. I feel so stiff after this travel, and I am not sleepy at all. Some action in fresh air would be good for me.
- Well. You cannot ski in this park, but not so far from here, there is Tahtvere Park. There is a short ski trail, which should be lit at night.
I was there in half an hour. Yes, there was ski trail and snow and even few skiers. After one hour I returned to the hotel and slept like a baby. The jet lag was over. Next day, I looked at the park from my window and felt chill on my back. There was fog so thick and cold, you could cut it with a knife. I waited till noon when the air cleared a bit and pale sun showed its face. Snow cover was very thin, snow hard and frozen. I found a track with better snow cover somewhere in the woods.
Where to leads this trail? - I asked some local person. You may ski to Russia , as far as Novgorod, but beware of wolves.
So I skied carefully. Not because of wolves but of cold. I dressed in all possible clothes and carried some food and spare clothes in a backpack. I was aware that any unexpected stop or delay could be dangerous. I met Pat and Allan Miller, who had most ambitious plan - do all European Worldloppet races in one season and win Master titles and medals. So I will meet them at all my races.
On Saturday there was on opening ceremony, more about it is HERE.
Sunday - The Race. It was extremely cold. I learned that there was a dispute with elite skiers. They questioned early start pointing to FIS regulation, which forbids to race if temperature is below -20C. Elite skiers suggested to delay start to at least 10 am. But what about finish time? It will be OK for champions, who complete race in 2.5 hours. But what about citizen skiers who need over 6 hours to complete? They would finish in total darkness and very severe cold. Race started as scheduled, at 8 am. We still had to wait over 1 hour in open area, trying to catch some warmth from bonfires while elite skiers were delivered to the start much later and could stay in warm buses to the last minute. Start area was very interesting. What a variety of gear and dresses? From latest models to old wooden skis and heavy woollen pants and coats. Some people wore long coats. They dropped them behind when they warmed up enough. I noticed a group of young soldiers. Heavy wooden skis, army uniforms.
- Are you in the race? - I asked.
- Of course! We are your rear guard. To protect you from wolves.
Finally the race started. What a beautiful trail. And what a disappointment with my waxless skis. They were slow and made noise on the frozen snow. I finished at the dusk. Finish was in the middle of dense forest. We were warned that there was a long wait for buses. Again cuddling as close as possible to the fire. Finally I arrived in my hotel. It was not so easy to find a place offering good meal. Sunday night, all restaurants were crowded. Many of them offered very average food. I ended in MacDonald - what a shame.
At night I realised, that I lost feeling in tips of may large toes. They looked OK so I did not worry. The feeling returned 2 months later. Next day train to Tallin and flight to Frankfurt, then train to France. I thought what a confusing itinerary I had: Frankfurt - Tallin and return, and then, a week later, Franfurt - Helsinki, which was a stone throw from Estonia. And then Stockholm - Frankfurt to ski in Switzerland, just over the border from France where I skied 2 week earlier. Few years later I participated in work of IAWLS - International Association of Worldloppet Skiers. One of our first actions was to simplify this. We managed to swap around races in Estonia and France thus eliminating one transcontinental flight and return.
Thanks to priceless advice of Rob Hill, I and Pat and Allan, arranged accommodation in a Ecole Nationale de Ski de Fond in Premanon. School of ski instructors. What an excellent place it was. Located on ski trails, with good waxing room, and food which deserves a separate chapter.
There was one table of international skiers. Our companion were Bob Attila from USA and a couple from Japan - Kenichi and Toshiko Shindoh. Three times a day we experienced smell and taste of glorious food with a pleasant background noise of French conversations. And our menu on .. lets say Thursday was: Petit dejeuner - omelette au jambon, fromage ou yaourt.
Dejeuner - salade compose, poisson, broccolis, haricote, yaourt, fromage.
Diner - potage, escalope, tomates cultes, salade, fromage, yaourt.
Yum!!!
Weather was excellent, sun, great cover of snow. We could ski twice a day. On the race day, the change came. It was overcast and very windy. After some 20 km I got strong wind in my back. I put one ski in a classical track, spread my arms wide and pushed on with Siitonen step. What a fun! Then there was a short visit to Switzerland and we turned against the wind. It was paralysing. Some 15 km of it. Luckily, some part of the race went through the forest. It was hilly but protected from wind. Still a very hard race, and what a distance - 76 km.
Next day all country was under a very deep snow cover. We had trouble to get a taxi. Long train ride to Frankfurt. Millers continued train journey to Finland, I jumped into a plane.
I travelled from Helsinki to Lahti by train and stayed in a Youth Hostel in the centre of the town. It was a bit disorderly but very friendly place. They served us very substantial breakfasts and were bit disappointed when we preferred porridge over fat ham. You have to eat lots of fat in winter in Finland - they said.
Every day I skied on very extensive network of ski trails, not far from the famous stadium with three ski jumps. Everyday I met my Australian friends - Pat and Allan and also Brian and Sue. I felt so well, that somehow I got convinced, it will be my best race.
On the race day, it was snowing heavily from the morning. We were driven to Hameenlinna, to the start of the 75 km.
It was snowing, but the snow was frozen and fast. I started in great spirit. At 20 km mark I realised that I was probably skiing too fast and slowed a bit. But it was too late. Skis were heavier and heavier. After another 20 km we were hit by opposite wind. I hid behind other skiers back but I could not keep their pace for very long. I was really suffering, which shows on the official photo.
Finally I reached familiar ski trails near Lahti. They were protected from wind but they were quite hilly. Pure pain. Finish at the famous stadium. I could see my name on the display but I did not feel much joy. Only pain.
On my way to the hostel, I called into an Italian restaurant and ordered good serving of pasta for dinner. I was munching terribly slowly each spoon of pasta. It took so long that waiter asked me few times if I was OK. I was not but I forced myself to finish my meal. I could not sleep all night, was too tired for sleep. I drank one cup of tea after another, eventually sweat like a melting snowman and fell into sleep. I woke up around noon feeling weak but OK. Packed and took train to Turku to travel to Stockholm by ferry.
My cabin was located some 6 levels under the main deck. I was curious about number of steel gates I had to pass. A Russian member of the crew explained to me, that in the case of a serious catastrophe, they shut those gates to avoid too much crowd and panic of low fare passengers on the main deck. Maybe it was this joke or maybe noise of ice hitting the walls of the ship, that I had no sleep that night. Then Stockholm. few hours on the train and I reached Mora around noon.
My host was Majte Andersson - gentle lady living in a very cosy house. I felt bit embarrassed unpacking my sport clothes in a room full of memories of her daughter. Majte drove me immediately to Vasaloppet trails
Sorry, I am not fit at all - she said - I had no chance to ski this winter. And she kicked off with such energy and speed that I could not keep up with her. Next day, familiar faces around me - John and Jenny Sheahan shared accommodation with me, Pat and Allan, Brian and Sue stayed somewhere else.
Jenny made the history. She did not feel like skiing 90 km course, but there was a half distance race for women only. It was a internal event of a big water company with no international skiers. Jenny convinced organizers to let her do this race. Guess what? Few years later it evolved into Tjejvasan - international, women only event. I think it should be named - Jennyvasan.
I hired proper classical skis and waxed them under John's supervision. As a holder of WL passport, I got a good number, in the first half of 15,000 skiers. Start! Great inflated Dalarna horse flew over skiers but there was no time for watching. The hell broke around me. Everybody sprinted like crazy. People shouting at me to ski faster, stepping on my skis, pushing me. I skied as fast as I could and felt that any second I will get a heart attack. I raised my head for a second and saw a rescue just ahead of me. There was a dramatic narrowing of the track and big crowd of people grinding snow and barely moving forward. So everybody was hurrying to get the best place in the queue and there we had a half an our of well deserved rest. The rest of the race was easy. Sometimes I thought it was a dream - some reflection is HERE. We had peacefull celebration at home and next day I hit the road - train to Stockholm and plane to .. where else if not Frankfurt.
Flight to Frankfurt, night in Youth Hostel and all day extremely spectacular train ride to Pontresina. I arrived just in time for dinner...
I stayed in Youth Hostel. It had small and crowded rooms, but apart from that it was excellent place - good food, waxing room and located just on the ski trail. Pat and Allan stayed in the same place. We skied everyday in beautiful weather, on great cover of snow. I could not resist temptation and had one day of downhill skiing in St Moritz.
Race reception was held in St Moritz, in luxurious Kempinski Hotel. But we felt equally well in our accommodation with half board for royal price $40 a day.
And the race? It was like Disneyland. Live colours of clothes, mind-boggling views, loud music around numerous drink stations. And so easy course. Only last few kilometres were bit uphill and in soft snow. Time well under 3 hours. What a fun!
I was driven to Zurich by my cousin who came from France to see me. Train to Frankfurt. In the airport, I had enough time to visit a post office and mail my Worldloppet passport with ten stamps to the office. Mission accomplished!!!
Worldloppet Master.
In June my diploma and gold medal arrived. I organised a little ceremony at home inviting people who inspired me most in my Worldpoppet efforts:
Judy Herkes, Hughes Little, Sheahans, Kevin Sheehy, John and Kai Hunt and of course Pat and Allan,
my most constant companion in 1996 Worldloppet adventure.
On a Hoppet day, we had impossible fog and blizzard. Impossible? Not for Hoppet organizers. They ran the race as 4 loops along the Sun Valley, back to Nordic Bowl, aqueduct, up Aitkens trail and around again and again. Conditions were very testing for competitors and marshals. It was difficult to avoid some confussion. And it happened at the highest level. On the last loop, Johann Muellegg got some 2 minutes advantage over the leading group and arrived unchallenged at the Nordic Bowl. Marshals directed him for another loop.
He was quite surprised but obeyed. Couple minutes later, the pack of skiers crossed the finish line.
- Where is Mulleg? - they asked.
Mulleg arrived some 20 minutes later and lodged a protest. It was accepted and he was declared a winner. But some people raised brows - how can somebody, who did not cross finish line as the first, be a winner? Fortunately none of other skiers opposed. Fair play was more important than ruthless rules. Unfortunately, Johann Mulleg did not reciprocate this fairness, he had his Olympic gold medals (2002) taken away for doping.
As for me, I finished the race in good shape. Michael finished good few minutes ahead of me, Ania completed Birkebeiner - 2 loops only, in very good position. My Japanese friends, who shared with me food in France, were stopped after 3 loops and classified as DNF. Same happened to many, many skiers. Do not worry, next time will be better. In the meantime, together with a group of Melbourne Nordic skiers, we enjoyed spa in Snowview Apartments.
