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It is time for the final countdown! Tomorrow the FIS Worldloppet Cup will be decided. A perfect winter landscape supported by the warm spring sun welcomes the international skiers from all over the world in Russia’s Khanty-Mansiysk, the venue of the Ugra Ski Marathon this weekend. Tomorrow, Saturday the 2nd of April, 1200 skiers are going to ski the 50 km, among them Russia’s best cross-country skiers and Worldcup stars and of course the red group of the FIS Worldloppet Cup. 

The world’s best marathon skiers in Ugra

1200 skiers between 4 years and 91 years in total, 450 in the main race – the 50 km, the rest in the two other distances, 5km and 25km. The skiers are coming besides Russia from France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus. But the victory will most likely either stay in Russia or go to France or Switzerland: 

For their home race the Russian Worldcup elite takes on their skies and poles one more time this season. Olympic gold medalists Alexander Legkov and Dementiev Eugeniy, this year’s Tour de Ski 3rd and Ski Tour Canada 2nd, Sergey Ustiugov, Shapovalova Eugenia who is Worldcup red group skier and Rotcheva Olga, 37 years old, mother of three children and Russian Champion and winner of this year’s Worldloppet race, Demino Skimarathon. These athletes will be the crowd’s favourite since they are the local heros, but there are some more skiers who want to claim gold: Toni Livers (SUI), Ivan Perrillat-Boiteaux, Bastien Poirrier – both France, Candide Pralong (SUI), Sergio Bonaldi (ITA) and the rest of the men’s FIS Worldloppet Cup red group want to show who is the strongest long distance skier in the world. 

In the ladies race, almost unbeatable Aurelie Dabudyk (FRA), Moravcova Klara (CZE), Brocard Elisa (ITA), Imoberdorf Rahel (SUI) and many other international top long distance skiers will fight against the russian local heros.

Find the whole elite startlist here: men and women

The FIS Worldloppet Cup is not decided yet

Since the Ugra Ski Marathon is the 8th and final stage of the FIS Worldloppet Cup almost the whole red group travelled to Khanty-Mansiysk to fight for the last points. In the men competition nothing is decided yet. Even Candide Pralong, the 5th overall rank, could still win the cup. Toni Livers, the Swiss Tour de Ski 2016 starter and team member of Team Rossignol Gel Interim, of course is the biggest favourite to raise the cup in the end. He won stage 6 – Bieg Piastow – and jumped on the podium at Foulee Blanche and the Engadin Skimarathon. Additionally Livers skied the Tour de Ski, some Worldcups and other competitions, but still feels fit and motivated he qouted. He also already has won in Ugra, in 2015. His biggest opponent for the overall victory comes from his own camp: Bastien Poirrier. He misses only 20 points to the first positition, means if he wins he at least catches up with Livers. But the same counts for another French skier, for Ivan Perrillat-Boiteaux. He has the same points like Poirrier. If there would be a team competition, it would definitely go to Team Rossignol Gel Interim. With 5 skiers among the first 8 and in total six podiums the French team dominated the season. 

In the ladies overall ranking the gold medal is already fixed. Aurelie Dabudyk has dominated the whole season. Two victories in the first to stages, followed by two second places in America and Poland creating a gap of 121 points between her and second Elisa Brocard. But Dabudyk still wants to go for the victory also in the last stage, there is no point for her to ski a race, without trying to win, she said. The fight for position 2 and 3 will be decided between Brocard and only 25 points behind her, Klara Moravcova. 

So tomorrow officially the worlds best marathon skiers will be awarded with the FIS Worldloppet Cup – The International Ski Federation’s Worldcup of long distance skiing!