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The Tartu Maraton is back after a year of bad winter. In 2016 Tartu Maraton was canceled due to the lack of snow but this year it will certainly take place.

Almost 4000 skiers in Otepää

But unfortunately also this season the winter is not perfect, hence the race won’t take place on the original 63 km long Otepää-Elva course because also this year snow is missing. Instead, the 44th Tartu Maraton will take place in Otepää at Tehvandi’s Sports Center, on a six kilometers long course of artificial snow (a little part of it will be from the original course). This is also the reason why this year’s main events’ distances are shorter (34 km and 16 km).

Until now a total of 3863 skiers have registered for the race: 3175 for the 34 km race and 688 for the 16 km race (as of 22.02). From 25 countries the skiers are traveling to Oteppää: Estonia, Russia, Finland, Latvia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Great Britain, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Poland,  Slovakia, Belarus, Canada, USA, Australia, Spain, Denmark, Hungary, Israel, Austria.

Tartu Maraton is more than only the main races from 25th to 26th of February. The program hosts many different events that bring together thousands of skiing friends. The program was opened on 15th of January with celebrations of the FIS World Snow Day, where over 200 children took part. Next events took place on 19th of February when the 5th Tartu Ski Relay and the Open Track (also Worldloppet) races were hosted by Haanja due to the lack of snow on the original course. And one day before the main race, on 25th of February, the children’s races take place. This year the organizers are ready to serve up to 1500 children.

The world’s marathon skiing elite at the Tartu Maraton

Among the thousands of skiers, we will also see the world’s elite of marathon skiing in Otepää. The Tartu Maraton will host the 6th FIS Worldloppet Cup stage. Of course, both red bib holders are going to defend their lead: Candide Pralong and Aurelie Dabudyk. But not only their team colleagues from Team Rossignol Gel Interim and Team Haute-Savoie Nordic are going to chase them. Maria Graefnings from Sweden, for example, is going to try to reduce here gap to Dabudyk in the overall standings. And of course, the Estonian local hero Tatjana Mannima will have a double dose of motivation at home.

On the men’s side the Finn Kari Varis for sure is one of the heads we should look for. Toni Livers from Switzerland, last year’s overall winner, who had some bad luck so far in the season, will also try to achive his first victory in 2017. Find the whole elite start list here. 

The new course 

As said, this year’s start and finish will be in Otepää at Tehvandi’s Sports Center stadium. The races will take place on the 6-kilometer course, which is covered with artificial snow. The longer distance of the marathon will be 34 kilometers and the shorter distance 16 kilometers long. Therefore the skiers who chose or choose the longer track will ski five laps and the ones who prefer the shorter distance will ski two laps. Both races will have an extra four kilometers long lap at the end of the distance.  At the start, there will be 12 classic trails and most of the course will have at least four classic trails.

The course will not have an infamous Tehvandi hill and its difficulty level can be compared to the original course. “I think that the course isn’t too hard. I dare to say that this year’s 34 kilometers long distance in Tehvandi is easier than the first part of the original Otepää-Elva course,” said race director Indrek Kelk. “Basically, we only have one rapid hill – Kunimäe,” he added. On the course there are some points of interest:

• There is 1 service point (SP) (at 0,75 km)
• 1 coffee point (at 2,25 km) on the lap
• 1 intermediate sprint: on the first lap’s 4,5 km mark

Tartu Maraton and the FIS Worldloppet Cup broadcasted

The 44th Tartu Maraton and the 6th FIS Worldloppet Cup stage will be broadcasted live, both days, on Saturday and on Sunday. The live broadcast will be located on the website of Tartu Maraton. The highlights of the race you can watch on Sunday evening on Worldloppet-TV here, on the Worldloppet website. 

Saturday, 25.02

• Broadcast without  commentators: 8.45 am – 19.00 pm (or till the last finisher)
• Start groups at 9 am, 12 pm, 15 pm

Sunday, 26.02

• Broadcast with commentators EST/ENG:  8.45 am – 11.00 pm (elite group)
• 11 am – 18 pm (or till the last finisher)
• Start groups at 9 am (elite), 11 am and 14 pm