Dolomitenlauf, January 20 and 21

Race finish5,4,3,2,1,Go! The skiers who participated in the Classic Guest Race in Obertilliach on Saturday, felt like competing in the Olympic Games. Starts were individual with 15 second intervals. While a technician took care of the start gate and made the countdown, Dolomitenlauf's big boss Franz Theurl stood on the other side, announcing each participant's name and country and giving encouragement in several languages.

The skating race on the Sunday followed the same format and course.

There was no seeding except for a few elite skiers. However, the start format ensured that there were no traffic jams in the beginning. The track was narrow but the skiers in general were courteous and gave way to faster skiers making the race atmosphere friendly and pleasant.

Even in Obertilliach the weather had been so warm and rainy that the organizers had to settle for a 12 km race, the longest feasible. It went up from Untertilliach to Obertilliach along the river. From the biathlon stadium the track continued 2 km further up the valley and back to the stadium. Every link of the organization, including of course the volunteers, worked efficiently and friendly; the bus service from/to Lienz was impeccable as usual.

The same degree of satisfaction does not apply to the contradictory announcements about the validity of the race for the stamps in WL passports. When on January 11 the organizers announced that Dolomitenlauf and all other events were cancelled, they told that they will organize a 15 km classic race for guests on Saturday and a 15 km FT race on Sunday, both in Obertilliach and not counting as WL races. This was confirmed on January 13. A few days later, however, the DL web site gave the detailed program and stated that these Guest races will be valid for stamps in the passports. The WL web site did not provide any information about this. Several competitors were clearly left with the impression, weather stated or not, that gold stamps would be given. After the race stamps were given, but only with validity for the Silver Master. Nobody will claim that a 12 km (or a 15 km) race should qualify as a WL gold race. But the announcements should be clear.

Classic race

Some results of IAWLS members:

242 skiers finished the race. The winner's time was 29.38.

Skating race

Some results of IAWLS members:

199 skiers finished the race. The winner's time was 25:18. [January 26, 2007]

 

This page was last revised on September 8, 2007