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Florian Reiterberger wins 500 km distance

Copyright: Callum Jolliffe

At the beginning of the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra 2024, German biker Florian Reiterberger was struggling. The trails were soft and he was forced to push his bike over long distance. Florian had already won the MLAU 500 km in 2022. This time, it looked like he may not finish at all. However, as the temperatures dropped and the surface got more solid, Florian was able to gain speed. Add to that his ability to go for days with very short breaks, it meant he soon was in the lead. And the Bavarian kept that lead until the end, arriving in Överkalix March 8th at 11:47. He looked a bit more tired than normal – mostly because those first couple of days took a lot of strength out of him. Also, he was not feeling 100% to begin with. Hard to imagine what crazy fast time he could do feeling perfect and having perfect trails … Now Florian is recovering and enjoying some free time in Överkalix, joining us whenever he can to welcome other finishers. As a matter of fact, when Peter Felten reached the finish line today, Florian was on the phone, giving Pat Cooke-Rogers advice on how to fix a problem with her bike on her way to Nattavaara. Amongst other things, Florian runs a bike shop (www.radlgarage-eggstaett.de). If you plan on doing a fatbike race in winter and want to talk to an expert, Florian Reiterberger is your man!

At 08:17 today (March 9th), our next two 500 km athletes reached Överkalix. Mathieu Bonnier and Thierry Corbarieu crossed the finish line togehter. Mathieu on skis and Thierry on foot. Both are from France and have a lot of experience. Mathieu was very happy about how it went for him and his skis. However, he had a rough day, not feeling great and having major back pain. So, it was good that he did not have to go back out. Thierry looked 100% fine. He still had enough strength in him to lift his pulk over his head – for that special finishing photo. They are now also resting here in Överkalix.

Next up, March 9th at 15:17, was Peter Felten, another fatbiker from Germany. Like Florian and all others on bike or foot, he had a tough couple of days at the beginning. But he found his rhythm and once the trails were hard, he had no more problems.

Last but not least, Taiwanese runner Tommy Chen arrived. Like Florian, Mathieu, Thierry and Peter, he is a veteran of our Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra race. Coming here with this kind of experience is of course incredibly valuable. Tommy is an elite marathon runner who also loves extreme races. He just goes and goes, always very happy when we see him and grateful for the experience, even if it involves some occasional suffering. Tommy came in March 9th at 17:05.

Congratulations to you all!

Copyright: Callum Jolliffe

Guy Belchier wins 185 km race

Copyright: John Summerton

Guy Belchier (UK), our first place winner in the 2024 Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra 185km distance, arrived at the finish line March 5th at 07:55 this morning.

Looking fresh, accomplished, and proud, Guy crossed the finish line next to the Grand Arctic Resort in Överkalix, the same spot from which he set off less than two days ago.

Well done for an incredibly well paced race in some very challenging conditions!

Congratulations also to all other finishers. Rank 2 went to Steve Bentley (UK) who reached Överkalix at 13:28 and 3rd place is Mark Frantzen (Germany) who came in at 20:02. Ludovic Seuillot (France) who was the fastest skier in the 185km came in before Mark but received a 6 hour time penalty for going the wrong way and requiring our assistance to be put back on track.

For the full results, please check out our results table.

Early morning update from Day 2

Copyright: Jonas Palsson

Before anything else, our updates on instagram and facebook are more frequent. So, please check out our channels there.

An early morning update from our Race Headquarter at Jockfall:

It is 4am here and very quiet now. We had a busy afternoon yesterday, both at our checkpoints here in Jockfall and Polar Circle Cabin #1 but also out on the trail. Every day our snowmobile guides do one more check before the front runners. Today they had to discover that the unseasonably warm temperatures caused a dangerous situation on some of the lakes ahead of us. So, the decision was made to find a way around these problem areas. Time for some serious re-marking … And we had to make sure all athletes understand what is going on because the GPS track they have – if they use it to check their position – would at some point tell them they are not on the trail, even though they are following the markers. They are all briefed that the markers are what matters but it’s still a confusing situation. We were able to tell the athletes in time, especially the ones in the lead who were closest to the problem.

Instead of lakes with overflow, a section of the trail leading to Överkalix further south, is now on a ploughed backcountry road. The runners and bikers will LOVE that. Of course that stretch won’t last forever and they will soon enough face softer trails again.
Overall, we are now seeing more scratches – just that it’s not so much because of the cold and the distance. Instead it’s soft trail and the distance. Athletes who decided not to continue are Jens Klinkhammer (Germany), Thomas Werner (Germany), Vedangi Kulkarni (India), Daniel Gruber (Germany) and Stefan Zahlten (Germany). Each had different reasons. They are all resting and recovering.

A group of athletes are still here in Jockfall. Everyone else is on their way or resting further south, on the way to Överkalix.
Our 185 km finish line is ready for Guy Belchier (UK) who should rank first in this distance if nothing unexpected happens. Currently leading in the 500 km is German biker Florian Reiterberger, with a number of participants on his heel.

It’s still not very cold but it does feel a bit colder tonight. At least that will help “cool down the engines” as the athletes work their way along the trails. Hopefully, it’s also enough to firm up the surface at least a little bit.

Day 1 at the MLAU 2024

Copyright: Callum Jolliffe

Yesterday morning, March 3rd, the participants of the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra 2024 started their adventure at our Grand Arctic Resort start line. Even though the weather was less than ideal, everyone was in a great mood and enjoying the superb atmosphere. It was really nice to see so many local visitors who were there to join us and also to have a great time in the “Lapland Arctic Ultra Arena” – an initiative by the Överkalix Kommun. Local businesses supported this project and there was a program for several hours that also included a kid’s race.

With temperatures above zero degrees it was no surprise that the trail turned soft. It was very challenging to walk, run or bike in conditions like this for hours on end. The only ones who were able to move fast, were our skiers. In the case of the locals Felix Granberg and Andreas Vennberg, it was actually very fast. I told them that I would look forward to seeing just how quick a good skier can be on the kind of trail our race can offer, and it felt like they were on a mission to do exactly that. Felix won the 20 km race, arriving in Rödupp at 11:15 and Andreas Vennberg finished the 50 km race at 14:31. Mind you, conditions were not perfect for them, either. With normal temperatures and better trails they would likely have been even faster.

We had two athletes who did not show for the 20km race but all others finished. Signe and Anders Malmer, both also from Sweden and on skis, placed 2nd. 2nd in rank after Andreas, in the 50 km race to Jockfall, was local biker David Frosman. 3rd came German Katharina Zirngibl on foot. Richard Weremiuk and Paula Cairey, both from the UK, had to scratch. All other 50 km athletes reached the finish line. For the full rankings, please check out our Results Table, which will be updated soon. Congratulations to you all and a big THANK YOU for having joined us in the premier of the 20 and 50 km race distances. I also want to thank all helpers at the aid stations that were in place to support us for these race distances!

In the meantime, the athletes in the 185 and 500 km races were also challenged by the soft trail. Way ahead was and is skier Mathieu Bonnier from France. However, other athletes who normally would make us work hard to be able to keep up, amongst them fatbiker Florian Reiterberger from Germany – who had previously won the 500 km distance – were suffering. Biking was almost impossible, which meant these participants had to push their bikes a lot. Most athletes on foot used snowshoes. I saw many of them at the 20 km mark in Rödupp. Since we all know that we can’t change the weather, our athletes kept their spirits high. Some of them were clearly suffering and I am sure using a swearword or two on the way. When we met them they still were able to make jokes about it.

Overnight, all athletes have kept moving and a few are now (it is 3:30am) taking some rest time. Mathieu reached the Jockfall checkpoint, where he plans to have an early breakfast. Others will soon arrive here, too. Further back, our participants are fine, too. They are doing the right thing, which is to not go over their respective limits on the first day.

The Jockfall crew is ready for more arrivals and our crew at Polar Circle Cabin #1 is also in place. We do not expect it to be significantly easier today but hopefully slightly colder temperatures tomorrow night help to compact the trail a bit more.

Welcome to our new sponsor Wrightsock!

Ideally, as an event organiser you get to work with sponsors that make products you like. I have always been a big fan of Montane, I have known and used Kahtoola products for more than 15 years, I love the way Firepot expedition meals taste and I think SOTO make incredible stoves. Now I am super happy that we can add another brand to the list of our sponsors that is absolutely amazing:

Wrightsock is a US company that makes double layer socks. We get supported by their German distributor.

Over the years, I have used all of their socks. From thin to thick, low-cut and crew lengths. No other socks I have ever used, match their performance when it comes to the perfect climate for my feet.
They use a recycled Polyester inner layer that wicks moisture off the skin. Making sure your feet stay dry. Staying dry means staying cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter and ensuring your feet are more comfortable. Interaction between the inner and outer sock layers absorbs friction that is normally transferred to the skin. If you have not tried a Wrightsock, I really recommend you give them a chance. You will love it!

So, a big welcome to Wrightsock as our official partner for socks and supporting sponsor!

Early trail work

It takes a lot of work to prepare a good winter trail. As soon as the first snow hits the ground you need to go out and create a base. This winter cold temperatures and snow have arrived early in Swedish Lapland. Therefore, trail grooming already started some weeks ago. A big part of the trail breaking is done by the many regional snowmobile clubs in the Överkalix and Gällivare municipalities. Whenever and whereever possible, Robin Landin, Daniel Cedering, Henrik Drugge and Niclas Bentzer, who are part of the MLAU family and  have supported us much from day 1, join in the effort. So, a big THANK YOU to you and all the snowmobile clubs for being out there countless hours to make sure we and all other outdoor fans have a great trail – for snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, fatbiking and dog mushing.

 

A family affair

For Ida and Daniel Cedering and their kids Helga and Hilding, the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra has been a family affair pretty much from day 1. Daniel has been and still is very involved in anything that has to do with the trails we use. He has been part of our race crew for the first two editions and will be back in our team in 2024, too. He took along Hilding when a bridge needed to be constructed to improve the trail. And they all have been cheering on athletes from their home, which is right next to the trail.

So, it’s only natural that, with the inauguration of our 20 km race distance, Ida, Helga and Hilding did not hesitate to sign up. We are super excited to have them with us and hope they inspire more families to give the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra 20 km race a go!

AnmälMigNu! service for Swedish citizens

This message is for all athletes from Sweden who are interested in signing up for our new 20 and 50 km distance races!

In order to make it easy for Swedish citizens to sign up and pay online in SEK we are cooperating with AnmälMigNu! This service has got some great features, like multiple entries for companies or clubs. To make use of this service, please go to the AnmälMigNu! website:

Please note that, after signing up on AnmälMigNu!, we will contact you via email as we then still have some extra forms that need signing.

We have extended the entry deadline for the 20 and 50 km race, as we realise that (local) Swedish athletes are used to being able to sign up very late. However, you do help us a lot if you do not wait until the last minute 😉.

A special thank you to Johan from AnmälMigNu! and also Niclas Bentzer for their help with setting this up. We could not have done it without you!

An interview with Florian Reiterberger

Copyright: Follow the Sun Photography

Florian Reiterberger from Germany won both the MYAU 300 mile and the MLAU 500 km race on his bright green MAXX fatbike. Since 2009 he has done many long distance bike races – also the warmer kind. It seems, the harder it gets, the better Florian performs. He definitely likes to be challenged. His Bavarian humor and capability to go for days without stopping, are legendary. Florian also pushes his bike faster than some athletes can hike. Not sure how he does that.

In January this year he started his Radlgarage Eggstätt, which is a bike shop. Florian’s specialty is, helping his customers, with all his experience, to find the perfect bike and setup for their next challenge. He also happily helps anyone interested with advise on winter fatbiking. If you want to ask him any questions, please just email him at florian-reiterberger@gmx.de.

In 2024 Florian will return to Swedish Lapland, doing the MLAU 500 km race for a second time. So, we thought, we should ask him some questions:

MLAU: You have already been in many races, also MTB and Bikepacking. What fascninates you about winter ultras with a fatbike?

Florian: Winter races are special. The cold, the isolation, the crunching noise of the tires in the snow and the wilderness. So, there are many reasons why I like these kinds of challenges. To understand it, you just have to do it, be it in the Yukon or Swedish Lapland. Afterwards, you will either like it or not. I really love the tranquility and loneliness of being out there in the cold.

MLAU: You already won the MYAU (300 miles) and also the MLAU (500 km). What would you say is the difference between the two?

Florian: The MYAU is very difficult. The temperatures and the remoteness are extreme. In the Yukon you often are far away from any signs of civilization. In Sweden you have more contact with the world you are used to. In other words, you see more houses or lights in the distance. But I loved both races. One thing I consider amazing about the MLAU, is the family like atmosphere that Robin and his parents have created for us at the headquarter in Jockfall.

MLAU: What are typical mistakes that athletes make when they start at a winter fatbike race for the first time?

Florian: Being too motivated or too fearful. In a race I did in Finland, I saw a lot of highly motivated fatbikers at the start, speeding of into the distance. But quickly they had to pay for the consequences. Wet clothes, lack of energy quickly took their toll. However, I have also seen insecure bikers who suffered from lack of confidence, continuously doubting if they were trained and prepared well enough.

MLAU: From your point of view, what makes up the perfect preparation?

Florian: That’s difficult to answer. I would say there is no such thing as THE perfect preparation. Every athlete is different – be it mentally or physically. Facing a challenge like this, everyone needs to carefully analyze themselves and decide what they need to work on. This should help finding the right focus areas and the best way forward. My personal motto since an expedition I did in India is “Looking forward to the great things and preparing for the worst …”

MLAU: What are you top #3 pieces of kit?

Florian: Neoprene overshoes, a thermometer that goes down to – 50 degrees Celsius and a hub dynamo with handlebar light and USB charger – for me as a biker the best source for light and energy.

MLAU: You will start at the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra again this winter. Can you already say what bike you will use?

Florian: Very likely it will be my MAXX Jagamoasta Yukon Arctic Ultra edition again. However, MAXX are not making this type of bike anymore. So, I am contemplating if I should come up with something new. If I do, it my new bike may premiere in Sweden.

MLAU: What did you really enjoy in your first Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra and where do you think we have room for improvement?

Florian: After my great time in the Yukon, my expectations for Sweden were very high. Like the other Yukon veterans, I expected a perfect race. And I think it’s fair to say that even though in 2022 we were all still struggling with the effects of the Pandemic, it was really a superb experience. All was well organized and when there was a problem, it was solved immediately. The only thing that was a bit of a setback, the mild temperatures. It was too warm for my liking. But nobody can be blamed for the weather. I particularly enjoyed my time in Jockfall, with the relaxed atmosphere and beautiful surroundings. What can you still improve? I can’t think of anything major. Getting to Jockfall from Lulea airport requires some logistics but in the end it’s well worth it.

MLAU: Would you recommend the MLAU to rookies?

Florian: Most certainly. The entire crew is very experienced and safety standards are high. It’s a less extreme than the Yukon or Alaska but you still get the wilderness feeling with beautiful winter landscapes, northern lights and you can learn some important lessons before going more remote.