March 09, 2015 (Switzerland) – The USA’s Caitlin Gregg continues her hot streak as she landed 3rd on the women’s podium at at 42km Engadin Skimarathon on Sunday with fellow American and series leader, Holly Brooks, in 5th. Gregg made history with Jessie Diggins claiming a double-US podium at the 2015 FIS Nordic Worlds in Falun taking the bronze in the women’s 10km FR individual while Diggins took home the silver – read more here.

As usual, the sun showed up and shown brightly on the over 13..0000 participants of this year’s Engadin Skimarathon 42km FT but it stayed cold and instead of a nice tail wind, a slight wind from the North came around, not bothering the racers too much though. This year, it was an “international local” who could win the race: Ilia Chernousov (RUS) lives with his wife, the former biathlete Selina Gasparin, and their doughter in S-chanf, the village where the finish of the marathon is situated.

Women's podium at Engadine Skimarathon (l-r) Roponen 2nd, Faivre-Picon 1st, Gregg 3rd © Worldloppet

However, it was not an easy victory for him: The French Robin Duvillard, just recently crowned with a bronze medal in the relay, fought hard in the finish sprint and the Russion only beat him by a tenth of a second. Chernousov who had broken a pole early on in the race, managed to stay with the leading group depite this problem and got into the finish straight with Duvillard and Roman Furger (SUI). Just before the entry in the finish straight, there was a mass crash in which the first three weren’t involved, however, those who were, couldn’t play there role in the finish sprint anymore.

On the women’s side, it was also a close finish sprint which the French Anouk Faivre-Picon could win. With four starts in the Engadin, she now has two victories to her account. Riitta-Liisa Roponen (FIN) and Caitlin Gregg (USA), who just recently won an unexpected silver medal in the 10km FT at the Nordic World Ski Championships, tried hard to hinder the Fench to win another pair of horns, but Faivre-Picon showed her teeth and put her foot over the finish line first – and that with a broken pole plate! The accident occured about 15km before the finish “…but I simply didn’t have the time to change the pole in this tight group of three girls“, said the girl from Pontarlier after the race.

Novak (CZE) continues continues as leader of the overall FIS Marathon Cup on the men’s side, on the women’s side, the red bib goes back to Brooks (USA)

Despite his 29th place today, Petr Novak (CZE) continous to lead the overall FIS Marathon Cup, now with 406 points in front of Benoit Chauvet (FRA, 347 points) and Sergio Bonaldi (ITA, 229 points). Even though it looks kind of comfortable for Novak, the victory is not yet fully in his pocket. The last FIS Marathon Cup in April, the Ugra Skimarahon will be the decisive race. On the women’s side, the leader bib changes the owner once again: With her 5th place today, Holly Brooks (USA) reclaimed the red bib back from Tatjana Mannima (EST) who got 11th today. Brooks now leads with 455 points in front of Mannima (451 points) and Aurelie Dabudyk (FRA, 404 points). Everything is still possible for these three women. The last race will be the deciding one: The Ugra Skimarathon awaits the racers with a 50km FT race in April.

The complete result list from today’s race & the actual overall FIS Marathon Cup standings here.

Quotes from the podium finishers.

Men

1st – Ilia Chernousov (RUS)
It is a special victory for me as Switzerland is now my second home. I have my wife and daughter here and we are living just 5 min away from the finish. It is such a good atmosphere here. I knew that it is one of the biggest races in the world and I wanted to participate once in one of these races. It was a first time experience for me. It was a hard competition as many World Cup athletes participated in it. The tracks in Engadin are always well prepared and it is great to ski here. I broke a pole at the start but nevertheless I managed to stayed in the first group as the speed was not so high. Only 5 km before the finish the speed started to rise and I fighted hard to keep a good position for the final stretch.

2nd – Robin Duvillard (FRA)
I always like to come here, it is my 4th time. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and I always hope to finally win it as well of course. I tried to make a gap 2 km before the finish because I wanted to be in front – I know the sharp turn after the last bridge. This was the right decision because behind me there was a crash. At the finish line I still hoped to be the winner but in te end Ilia was just a  tiny bit faster today.

3rd – Roman Furger (SUI)
Of course I wanted to win but the main goal was to stay in the top 6 and I am therefore very happy with the result. There was crach right behind me before turning to the finish, so I was lucky, too. 300m before the finishline there was one more crash in front to me and then I could not close the gap with leader anymore.

Women

1st – Anouk Faivre-Picon (FRA)
It is my 4th time in Engadin. The first time, I won the race but the next time I was not so lucky because of health problems. It was important for me to win this time. I like this race, I like St. Moritz. Until St.Moritz all ladies skied together. Between St.Moritz and Pontresina I had a hard time, but finally got back to the group and kept my position. When the last 10km started, I knew that the decision would be made in a finish sprint. I am really happy that I could win this one!

2nd – Riitta-Liisa Roponen (FIN)
I had lot of bad luck today. 7 km after the start I broke a pole and it took al long time to get a new one. Finally, when I received it, it was too long for me and I lost a lot of energy. So I did not have enough power left to make a move and to break away. Then, I broke another pole about 200m before the finish and therefore a 2nd place feels now like victory for me.

3rd – Caitlin Gregg (USA)
It was a beautiful but very aggressive race with all the men around trying to overtake the ladies. I felt very good at the uphills because I like to ski at altitude. I have been training at 3000m so it is my strength. My skis were perfect. We hired a Swiss ski tech who had local knowledge and knew about the conditions and it was perfect. Now I am definately ready for the WC in Oslo and maybe will join Holly in the Ugra Skimarathon in Siberia in April.