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New Worldloppet President and New Race for 2017 Announced

by skitrax.com

June 18, 2016 – Once a year all representatives of Worldloppet are gathering to evaluate the past season and to discuss the future of our Worldloppet. This year the OC of Finlandia Hiihto around the President Juha Viljamaa invited the 20 Worldloppet nations to Lahti, the venue of Finlandia Hiihto and also of the Nordic World Championships 2017 for the Worldloppet Annual General Meeting 2016. From Thursday (16th of June) to Saturday evening the delegates worked hard on the future of Worldloppet and the world of marathonskiing.

Angelo Corradini (l) and Juha Viljamaa [P] Worldloppet
Angelo Corradini (l) and Juha Viljamaa © Worldloppet
Without any doubts, the biggest news from this year’s Worldloppet Congress is the new President. After 12  years of leading the Worldloppet family, Angelo Corradini from the Marcialonga handed his duties over to Finland. Juha Viljamaa from this day on is not only the OC President of Finlandia Hiihto but also President of Worldloppet.

“Worldloppet is a family for its members. Family, where we together can make something better. Together we are stronger, and can spread the word of marathon skiing wider and louder.”, he quotes. 

Juha Viljamaa got elected by the delegates of the 20 Worldloppet nations and lost not even one single vote. Beside his new responsibility Viljamaa is chairman of the Lahti Ski Club, the host of the nordic World Championships 2017 in Lahti, where the new head of Worldloppet is also Vice President. But his main focus will be on Worldloppet:

“For me, the election as President of Worldloppet is a beginning of a new and interesting period in my life. I will focus on my new challenge.”
Juha Viljamaa [P] Worldloppet
Juha Viljamaa © Worldloppet
 
Viljamaa gets support from the new Worldloppet CEO, Epp Paal from Estonia. She is the former Race Coordinator and now focuses on the whole federation. With Gunnar Zlöbl from Austria beeing the Press & Media Manager the Worldloppet team for the next years is complete.

The meeting had not even officially begun on Thursday, but had already brought one of the biggest news of the whole AGM: There is a new (old) race for the FIS Worldloppet Cup 2017! It is one of the Worldloppet founding members and was part of the Cup the last time in 2013. Now in 2017 it returns into the official FIS world cup of marathonskiing and brings beside Tartu Maraton and Marcialonga another classic style race. Worldloppet is proud to announce, that the historical German race in Oberammergau, the König Ludwig Lauf will enrich the FIS Worldloppet Cup in 2017!

With the commitment of the French Fouleé Blanche the cup will start again like last year in Autrans, continue in Austria with the Dolomitenlauf, the Italian Marcialonga, ski the König Ludwig Lauf, return to France again to last year cancelled La Transjurasienne, move to Tartu Maraton in Estonia, then to the Engadin Skimarathon and conclude again in Russia with the Russialoppet UgraXCski-Marathon.

More information here.

Visit also the official FB page here.





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