Andreas Nygaard, World’s Most Unusual Marathon Winner

If you ever wanted proof that today’s cross country skiing is not your dad’s skiing – look no further than the towering figure of Andreas Nygaard. This 26-year-old Norwegian made a bit of history this month – making redundant a lot of preconceived notions about skiing.

Standing at an impressive 1.93cm (6 ft 3 in) and weighing in at 92kg (205 lb), Nygaard hardly looks like a marathoner – yet it was him who was the first to cross the finish line at the most challenging skiing marathon of them all – the Red Bull Nordenskiöldsloppet.

It took Nygaard a whopping 11 hours, 45 minutes and 07 seconds to ski 220 km through Arctic wilderness , beating the other 240 participants from 15 nations at Jokkmokk, Sweden, that lies beyond the Arctic Circle.

http://www.instagram.com/p/BS8VKLwD1vB/

Russia’s skiing portal Openski.ru caught up with Nygaard after the race to discuss his performance.

Here are the excerpts:

• You’re probably the most muscular, heaviest skier since Mieto and Smirre-Smirnov. How could such a muscular, physical guy like you run and win super-marathon? Are you unique in that way?

• Hard to say, but yeah. Definitely the biggest guy in the circus atm ( at the moment). Kein Einaste is also big. I am 1.93cm and 92kg. I guess good vo2 max and strength is the reason. Super-marathon is made for me, especially when most of it are on flat parts.

• 220k must be a race like no other, What do you eat the day before and on the day of the race?

• Normal eating with extra focus on carbohydrates and no fibre days before gels, bars, cinnamon buns and snickers on the race day.

• Lots of people would like to know “how do they pee on that 220km distance???”

• At the start you stop. The last half you piss in the downhills in speed, like in cycling.

• You all looked extremely tired standing on the podium after the race – describe how your body feels? That evening after the race – can you even fall asleep?

• Tired and happy. Not so bad actually. Slept like a baby.

• Could you race the next day? What do you think of multi stage races like Tour de France on skis? Maybe just 3 day at the beggining?

• Hehe probably Yes. I think that would have been really really cool.

• In your opinion, what needs to be done for marathons and super-marathons to compete for attention of viewers and readers? When would millions, tens of millions tune up to watch you guys compete?

• Professional broadcasting, competitions on well-picked resorts, and a lot of snow. We need more international stars – good marathon skiers from Germany, Russia, Italia, France etc. Perhaps join the FIS, and cooperate with the FIS marathon skiers.