WORLD'S BEST SKIERS IN THE BARENTS REGION

Tour de Barents is a new and exciting event the world’s cross-country skiing enthusiasts cannot afford to miss!

The 2009 Tour de Barents will gather the world’s best skiers to the Barents region in the height of the very best skiing season of the North. The programme consists of five different stages in three countries. The Tour springs into action amidst the 75th Anniversary celebrations of the traditional Festival of the North (Prazdnik Severa) in Murmansk, North-West Russia. After the first day’s prologue the athletes are challenged by the 50-km Murmansk Ski Marathon, which since 1999 has been part of the European long-distance ski race series “Euroloppet”.

The third Stage of the Tour will take place in Vadsø, a fascinating multicultural town by the Varanger Fjord in the far north-eastern corner of Norway. After Vadsø the Tour continues with sprint races in the fell highland resort of Saariselkä-Inari in Finnish Lapland.

The winner of the overall Tour de Barents will be determined in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland and home to Santa Claus. The final will be a pursuit race never before witnessed. After the first 5 kilometres, athletes will ascend the 520-metre slope twice up the Ounasvaara Fell (altitude climb of 140 m). Only after this exciting double ascent can the athletes continue along the home straight to the finishing line. The first female and male skier to cross the line will be called the winners of the first Tour de Barents!


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