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With 10 cm of fresh snow the night before race day, New Zealand’s Snow Farm appeared as wonderful winter landscape this morning. The organizers put a lot of effort into the race course, as lack of snow made this a tough job. In the end the hundreds of international participants skied the 30th edition of Merino Muster – first as full Worldloppet member – on a 3 km loop. But this couldn’t mess up the great international atmosphere when the start gut shot at 10:00.

“Several days before the race we were certain we could deliver a 2,9 km loop and fortunately we had light snowfalls in the two nights prior to the race that allowed the large groomer to prepare the tracks well before the heavy use it would receive from the loops being skied.”, says John Burridge from the organizing team.

Not surprisingly, the field was led by US American skistars Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern and New Zealand’s local hero Champbell Wright. Also not surprisingly, that the victory of the 30th Merino Muster goes to Wright. Japan’s Uda Takatsugu finishes 2nd with a gap of 1:04. Chip Freeman from the USA claims the third podium spot.

Merino Muster 2025 Results Men

1. Champbell Wright, NZL
2. Uda Takatsugu, JAP
3. Chip Freeman, USA

In ladies competition everyone knew, it will be a battle between the two US stars, Kern and Diggins. While Jessie Diggins has won this battle in the previous years, in 2025 it is Julia Kern standing on top of the Merino Muster podium. Third place goes to Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt from Canada.

Merino Muster 2025 Results Ladies

1. Julia Kern, USA
2. Jessie Diggins, USA
3. Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt, CAN

Beside several new Worldloppet Masters, a new title got introduced: The Antipode Award was handed over to Worldloppeters who have skied the Kangaroo Hoppet and the Merino Muster the same year. 36 skiers got it in the initial year of the award.