Engadin Skimarathon
The Engadin Skimarathon is an annual cross-country ski race (ski marathon) held on the second Sunday of March in the upper Engadine valley (Switzerland), between Maloja and S-chanf. It is part of the Worldloppet-Tour and by far the biggest cross-country skiing event in the Alps. Between 11,000 and 13,000 skiers participate each year. The total distance covered is 42 km, although it is also possible to complete the half-marathon of 21 km (finishing in Pontresina) or the 17 km Womans Race (Samedan to S-chanf) . While it is a freestyle race, there are separate tracks for skiers practicing classic style for all but the narrowest parts of the race. Participation is open to anyone from the age of 16, no licence is required to sign up.
Tha track record of 1:16:10h was set by Hervé Balland in 1994. In the same year, Silvia Honegger completed the race with the female track record of 1:22:08. As the race was extended by 2 km in 1998 to match the distance of a full marathon and the track was changed slightly in the Stazerwald section, resulting in a more difficult topography, longer racetimes are now standard.
The start of the race takes place at the Maloja Palace Hotel with an elevation of 1,820 metres (5,970 ft). The track than leads over both Lake Sils and Lake Silvaplana (which are frozen at this time of year). After passing St. Moritz there is a forested climb in the Stazerwald. The proceeding descent to Pontresina is regarded by many as the most spectacular part of the race for spectators, due to the high number of falls and crashes by skiers. The race then follows the runway of Samedan Airport and afterwards continues on the right side of the Engadin valley, passing several small communities before reaching the Finish in S-chanf at an elevation of 1,670 metres (5,480 ft).
Winners
| Year | Men's | Time | Women's | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 |  Karl Wagenführ (SUI) |
2:19:38 h | Rita Czech (SUI) |
2:54:26 h |
| 1970 | Werner Bösch (SUI) |
2:24:28 h | Ursula Geeser (SUI) |
3:13:00 h |
| 1971 | Albert Giger (SUI) |
2:02:58 h |  Ingrid Hadler (NOR) |
2:37:54 h |
| 1972 | Flury Koch (SUI) |
2:01:30 h | Rosmarie Kurz (SUI) |
2:34:45 h |
| 1973 | Albert Giger -2- Edy Hauser (SUI) |
1:59:58 h | Rosmarie Kurz -2- |
2:33:51 h |
| 1974 | Alfred Kälin (SUI) |
1:53:15 h | Rosmarie Kurz -3- |
2:24:26 h |
| 1975 | August Broger (SUI) |
1:42:44 h | Rosmarie Kurz -4- |
2:08:42 h |
| 1976 | Albert Giger -3- |
1:55:39 h | Rosmarie Kurz -5- Ursula Bösch (SUI) |
2:21:06 h |
| 1977 | Albert Giger -4- |
1:45:16 h | Rosmarie Kurz -6- |
2:11:11 h |
| 1978 | Albert Giger -5- |
1:38:25 h | Christine Brügger (SUI) |
1:58:03 h |
| 1979 | Alois Oberholzer (SUI) |
2:03:01 h | Christine Brügger -2- |
2:17:39 h |
| 1980 |  Ola Hassis (SWE) |
1:57:07 h | Evi Kratzer (SUI) |
2:12:23 h |
| 1981 |  Bill Koch (USA) |
2:00:18 h | Cornelia Thomas (SUI) |
2:12:03 h |
| 1982 | Lars Frykberg (SWE) |
1:50:05 h | Evi Kratzer -2- |
2:06:02 h |
| 1983 | Lars Frykberg -2- |
1:34:08 h | Evi Kratzer -3- |
1:44:15 h |
| 1984 | Konrad Hallenbarter (SUI) |
1:42:09 h | Evi Kratzer -4- |
1:55:04 h |
| 1985 | Andreas Grünenfelder (SUI) |
1:37:15 h | Evi Kratzer -5- |
1:47:06 h |
| 1986 | Konrad Hallenbarter -2- |
1:43:39 h | Karin Thomas (SUI) |
1:55:51 h |
| 1987 | Daniel Sandoz (SUI) |
1:29:34 h | Christine Brügger -3- |
1:38:57 h |
| 1988 | Andreas Grünenfelder -2- |
1:35:55 h | Christine Brügger -4- |
1:38:11 h |
| 1989 |  Ladislav Svanda (CZE) |
1:25:02 h | Sandra Parpan (SUI) |
1:29:57 h |
| 1990 | Konrad Hallenbarter -3- |
1:24:54 h |  Guidina Dal Sasso (ITA) |
1:28:58 h |
| 1991 | Race cancelled due to warm weather | |||
| 1992 | Daniel Sandoz -2- Silvano Barco (ITA) |
1:21:06 h | Elvira Knecht (SUI) |
1:25:37 h |
| 1993 |  Hervé Balland (FRA) |
1:22:10 h | Silvia Honegger (SUI) |
1:26:56 h |
| 1994 | Hervé Balland -2- |
1:16:10 h | Silvia Honegger -2- |
1:22:08 h |
| 1995 | André Jungen (SUI) |
1:25:41 h |  Maria Theurl (AUT) |
1:32:24 h |
| 1996 | Hervé Balland -3- |
1:24:18 h | Maria Theurl -2- |
1:32:32 h |
| 1997 | Mikhail Botwinov (AUT) |
1:19:41 h | Anita Moen (NOR) |
1:25:15 h |
| 1998 | Christian Hoffmann (AUT) |
1:23:44 h | Maria Theurl -3- |
1:30:50 h |
| 1999 | Tor Arne Hetland (NOR) |
1:25:21 h | Brigitte Albrecht (SUI) |
1:29:19 h |
| 2000 | Gerhard Urain (AUT) |
1:25:29 h |  Yuliya Chepalova (RUS) |
1:28:19 h |
| 2001 |  Peter Schlickenrieder (GER) |
1:24:22 h | Brigitte Albrecht -2- |
1:29:19 h |
| 2002 |  Juan Jesús Gutiérrez (ESP) |
1:30:10 h | Brigitte Albrecht -3- |
1:34:48 h |
| 2003 | Patrik Mächler (SUI) |
1:28:00 h | Natascia Leonardi Cortesi (SUI) |
1:32:21 h |
| 2004 | Christophe Perrilat (FRA) |
1:32:40 h | Yuliya Chepalova -2- |
1:37:53 h |
| 2005 | Gion Andrea Bundi (SUI) |
1:34:01 h | Natascia Leonardi Cortesi -2- |
1:40:19 h |
| 2006 | Mikhail Botwinov -2- |
1:55:51 h | Natascia Leonardi Cortesi -3- |
2:01:22 h |
| 2007 | Dario Cologna (SUI) |
1:43:44 h | Laurence Rochat (SUI) |
1:50:33 h |
| 2008 | Tor Arne Hetland -2- |
1:24:30 h | Katrin Zeller (GER) |
1:33:27 h |
| 2009 | Fabio Santus (ITA) |
1:38:37 h | Seraina Mischol (SUI) |
1:43:32 h |
| 2010 | Dario Cologna -2- |
1:36:58 h | Susanne Nyström (SWE) |
1:43:02 h |
| 2011 | Remo Fischer (SUI) |
1:39:51 h | Antonella Confortola Wyatt (ITA) |
1:48:00 h |
| 2012 | Roman Furger (SUI) |
1:31:21 h | Anouk Faivre-Picon (FRA) |
1:36:28 h |
| 2013 | Pierre Guedon (FRA) |
1:28:19 h |  Riitta-Liisa Roponen (FIN) |
1:29:52 h |
See also
External links
- Engadin Skimarathon - Official Site
- Engadin Skimarathon (en) - Official Site (in English)
- Course map - from the official race site
- Engadin Skimarathon on Google Maps - View Track on Google Maps
- Maloja Palace Hotel - Official Site
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