In a thriller finish to the 2012 Tartu Maraton, Madshus racer Jörgen Brink proves that he’s right on track for Vasaloppet on March 4.
Despite tough and windy conditions, Brink won the 63-kilometer classic marathon in 2:43:20. With 500 meters to go, there were still six racers fighting for the victory. Brink was one second ahead of second place, but looked confident all the way.
“I felt surprisingly fresh today,” Brink said to Swedish broadcasting news after the race.
Not only did Brink win, it was Sweden’s day at the races. Daniel Rickardsson was second and Jimmie Johnsson was third.
In the women’s race, Madshus racer Susanne Nyström from Team Xspirit beat teammate Jenny Hansson by less than one second, while Seraina Boner (SUI) was third. Nyström finished in 3:06:26.6. The three girls took turns leading throughout the race, but Nyström was the strongest, both at the preems and to the finish line.
“It was really hard, but I had amazing skis,” Nyström said after the race.
If Jörgen Brink wins Vasaloppet this year, it will be a true hat trick: he won also in 2010 and 2011. He will also be the first hat trick winner on fiber glass skis. Janne Stefansson won five years in a row from 1962 through 1966, and Nils “Mora-Nisse” Karlsson won seven years in a row from 1945 through 1951. Jan Ottosson won in 1989, 1991 and 1992, but nobody won in 1990 as the race was cancelled.
Tartu Maraton in Estonia was the fourth of the 2012 Ski Classics events. Next up is Vasaloppet in Sweden on March 4, followed by Birkebeinerrennet in Norway on March 17, and the season finale Norefjellrennet in Norway on March 31.