Assiduous Worldloppet Skiers

July 1, 2006

At least the following three members of IAWLS were particularly assiduous during the last WL season: Jacek Jaskowiak (POL), Joseph Luce (FRA) and Shoji Satsuma (JPN). All three participated in a race every week-end, sometimes two, and filled up a whole passport in one season. It is unnecessary to mention that IAWLS President Hannes and Secretary Robert obtained a new Master (Hannes two) this season after having obtained one also the previous season.

Jacek,

born in 1964, lives in Poznan, Poland, where he acts as legal advisor for businesses. He has practiced cycling for many years and ambitions to run some traditional marathons, and even the ironman. Jacek came very recently to XC skiing and got immediately the virus. The 2006 Nordic winter was a break-through year with races almost every week-end. Due to professional obligations he could not participate at König-Ludwig-Lauf but compensated for this by skiing the two Dolomitenlauf gold races and Lavazèloppet preceding Marcialonga. Jacek plans to ski Kangaroohoppet next August and with that he will realize all races of his first Master within eight months.

Jacek intends to improve his performances: he has established an ambitious training program that makes most of us look as beginners.

Joseph,

born in 1944 in Guadaloupe, French West Indies, works at the central medical imaging service of Paris hospitals; the autonomy of his job allows him to plan his vacation periods ad libitum (obviously he prefers the winter). You have very probably seen Joseph in some WL race, he is a distinguished, sympathetic gentleman. Joseph has been XC skiing for many years and participated in a number of races. But for the past season he decided to make an ambitious program: ski a WL gold race every week-end. He realized it successfully: Jizerská 50 CT, Dolomitenlauf 60 FT, Marcialonga 70 CT, König-Ludwig-Lauf 50 FT, Transjurassienne 76 FT, Keskinada 53 FT, Finlandia Hiihto 60 FT, Vasaloppet 90 CT, Engadin 42 FT and Birkebeiner rennet 54 CT. Joseph got his first Master within two and a half months! He told that he had decided not to pursue chronometrical performances but to finish the races without breaking his body or the material, in the spirit of courtesy, including with the volunteers at the food stations where he appreciated the service and the discussions, sometimes tainted by curiosity. Joseph was interviewed by the Czech TV at a food station and was followed by the Swedish TV at the Vasaloppet start where he arrived after the mass start, having missed the bus. The only mishap was a broken ski tip at König-Ludwig-Lauf. Joseph’s conclusion: “To be repeated, remaining courteous, increasing the pace, total happiness! I have still to improve considerably my classic waxing technique, I will try to do better next year!”

Shoji,

born in 1941, is a retired military living in Sapporo. It is astonishing how he can travel all around the world with very limited English. He started XC skiing many years ago and made his first WL race in 1996. Shoji’s first gold Master was in 2005, it included races over a period of nine years between 1997 and 2005. For the past season he made a huge leap forward: he obtained in one season his second gold Master plus a silver Master. Shoji spent 72 days in Europe during the 2006 winter and skied 10 gold races plus six silver races. The silver Master included seven “old” races between 1996 and 2004 and three of the six short races performed in 2006. For the gold Master he took the 2005 Kangaroohoppet plus nine of the ten European races performed in 2006. Shoji kept the 2006 Marcialonga in stock for his next gold Master, and the three remaining short races for his next silver Master!

This page was last revised on September 16, 2007