Ils étaient près de 10000 ce matin à prendre le départ de cette magnifique course qui se déroule en skating au milieu des superbes paysages de l'Engadin. 

Tous les meilleurs spécialistes longues distances, dans ce style, étaient au départ ce matin à Maloja pour rejoindre S-Chanf 42km plus loin.

Anouk Faivre-Picon a remporté l'épreuve féminine en 1'36"24. La Jurassienne a forgé son succès dans les derniers hectomètres de la course lorsque son finish a fait plier ses rivales Suisses Seraina Boner, deuxième à 1.3sec et Natascia Leonardi-Cortesi, troisième à 4.1sec. Voilà un superbe succès qui va garnir le palmarès d'Anouk Faivre-Picon.

Coraline Hugue prend la 12e place, Marine Dusser se classe 18e. Voir le classement complet en bas de page ainsi que les réactions.

Le top 10 :

 1. Faivre Picon Anouk, 1986, FR-Pontarlier              1:36.28,4 (18)    

2. Boner Seraina, 1982, Davos Platz                     1:36.29,7 (3)     
 
3. Leonardi Cortesi Natascia, 1971, Poschiavo           1:36.32,5 (12)    
 
4. Santer Stephanie, 1981, IT-Toblach (BZ)              1:36.32,6 (4)     
5. Confortola Antonella, 1975, IT-Ziano di Fiemme (TN)  1:36.33,5 (1)     
6. Imoberdorf Rahel, 1986, Münster VS                   1:37.06,7 (70)    
7. Trachsel Doris, 1984, Plasselb                       1:38.56,9 (5)     
8. Brooks Holly, 1982, US-Anchorage/Alaska              1:38.58,1 (9)     
9. Shaidurova Larisa, 1987, RU-Moscow                   1:38.59,4 (23)    
10. Gruber Bettina, 1985, Chur                          1:40.27,8 (17) 

 Podium

La course masculine s'est jouée également au sprint et c'est le plus jeune du groupe de tête qui est parvenu à s'imposer. 

Roman Furger, âgé de seulement 21ans et grand espoir du fond Helvète, passe la ligne en vainqueur avec un chrono de 1'31"21. Son coéquipier et régional de l'étape Curdin Perl se classe deuxième à 0.3sec suivi à deux secondes par l'Italien Cristian Zorzi.

Robin Duvillard prend la 7e place à 5.6sec. Benoit Chauvet se classe 18e à 9.5sec juste derrière le vainqueur de la Transju Aliaksei Ivanou. Renaud Jay se classe 23e, Clément Arnault 28e, Louis Deschamps 33e, Baptiste Gros 36e et Lois Habert 42e.

Le top 10 :

 1. Furger Roman, 1990, Schattdorf                  1:31.21,1 (331)   

2. Perl Curdin, 1984, Pontresina                   1:31.21,4 (224)   

3. Zorzi Cristian, 1972, IT-Moena (TN)             1:31.23,4 (345)   

4. Santus Fabio, 1976, IT-Gromo (BG)               1:31.24,6 (343)   
5. Fischer Remo, 1981, Magglingen/Macolin          1:31.25,3 (330)   
6. Livers Toni, 1983, Davos Platz                  1:31.25,4 (340)   
7. Duvillard Robin, 1983, FR-Lans en Vercors       1:31.26,7 (201)   
8. Eberharter Michael, 1983, AT-Tux                1:31.26,8 (327)   
9. Carrara Bruno, 1977, IT-Serina (BG)             1:31.27,1 (321)   
10. Bonaldi Sergio, 1978, IT-Courmayeur (AO)       1:31.28,0 (319)  

Les classements complets ICI

Les réactions (source FIS) :

Roman Furger (SUI):
It's unbelievable! I still haven't realised it! I really won the Engadin Skimarathon!! It's a dream since I was a child as the Engadin Skimarathon is THE race for a Suisse to win, that's for sure! From St.Moritz on I even didn't feel very well and I had heavy legs. So I just stayed behind some guys and tried to recover. That worked pretty well and since I was still in the leading group I thought I will then also have to push as there might be a good place for me still. But I never thought that I could win!!! The way to the finish was very long...and hard since the wind blew pretty heavy. Curdin fought pretty hard, too and I was just lucky to get my binding over the finish line first. Well, I am just so happy!!
 
Curdin Perl (SUI): 
I didn't feel well at all at the start. I abandoned the 50km classic at Holmenkollen yesterday because I just couldn't go any further. After the long trip here, I would not have put 5 Euros on me and a podium place today!!! But somehow I felt better and better during the race, however, my head was still not sure about the whole thing. Only in the stadium I thought that a podium was maybe possible. . The Engadin Skimarathon is always a very special race. If you ski thoughtfully, you can save a lot of energy and might be able to finish on a very nice spot! As my season didn't go as planned, I am happy to finish it now on a good note!
 
Cristian Zorzi (ITA):
I am very happy and satisfied! To be back on the podium is great! It's the first one for me this season, so it feels very good!! We were a large group until the end and I didn't think that I would be able to make it to the podium but suddenly I found myself just behind the two Swiss guys and here we go...I was third!
 
Anouk Faivre-Picon (FRA): 
I am soooo happy!! For sure, I came here to win – if you start somewhere not wanting to win, there is something wrong. But you cannot plan a victory! I broke a pole just after the first big lake but luckily I got a new one straight away as I was on the side of the pack. This victory was surely very important for me and will definitely stay in my memories for ever! I really like skating races and the Engadin Skimarathon is a special race with a special race track. When I saw the track yesterday when driving by by car, it looked so long, but today, I was in St.Moritz before I even realised it. The hard bit came around 5km before the finishwhen the other girls were suddenly pretty close and I had to push really hard! But the victory pays for all efforts!!!
 
Seraina Boner (SUI): 
The speed of the race was not very high during most of the race, therefore we girls were in a huge group with a lot of men and you had to be focused all the time. You had no time to relax as you had the react immediately when a racer before you did a move you did not expect. Before the finish we were five girls, but with all the men around, a real finish sprint was very difficult. Therefore I am happy about my second place. I was pretty tired at the beginning of the week as the Vasaloppet was pretty exhausting, but now I felt good again and ready to attack. I am now looking forward to the Birkebeinerrennet next week. 
 
Natascia Leonardi Cortesi (SUI): 
I am very happy with my third place. Sure, when you have won the Engadin Skimarathon already, you want to win it again, but one race is never as the other and so I am very satisfied. It was hard as with the wind, the whole group stayed together and with all the men around, it was sometimes not easy to race. I fought hard on the last metres and was lucky to win the photo finish against Stephanie Santer!

Photos : Nordic Focus