DABUDYK & PERRILLAT WIN FIS WORLDLOPPET CUP 2018

PERRILLAT DEFENDS RED BIB WITH 10TH PLACE IN TODAY'S ENGADIN SKIMARATHON

With a tight difference of 15 points Ivan-Perrillat Boiteux & Gerard Agnellet (both FRA, Haute-Savoie Nordic Team) went to the starting line of the 50th Engadin Skimarathon, the final stage of the FIS Worldloppet Cup 2018. Same counts for the female athletes: Aurelie Dabudyk (FRA, Haute-Savoie Nordic Team) had 14 points advantage over Maria Gräfnings from Sweden (SAS Pro Team). So it was clear, those 4 athletes are going to fight for the victory.

In the men's competition the cup skiers had very strong company from Norway. Petter Northug yesterday decided to ski the Engadin Skimarathon, took the last plane, arrived in the night & started. Also from Norway, Anders Gloersen, was standing in Maloja at 8:30 for the start. With Ilija Chernousov (RUS), Roman Furger (SUI) & Curdin Perl (SUI) we saw more potential winners for today's Engadin Skimarathon. As in the last years it was a big leading group of aproximately 30 skiers coming to the finish lane together after some minor attacks during the race. With them, Perrillat & Gerard who were fighting for the overall ranking of the FIS Worldloppet Cup. The winner of the final sprint is Roman Furger (SUI), who now has won the Engadin Skimarathon for the 3rd time. Collet Martin from France finished 2nd, Louis Schwartz also France, 3rd.

"In the beginning the snow was quite wet, so my ski was not that fast, but then in the end it became colder and the ski was perfect. I knew I have to ski with the leading group as easy as possible as long as possible and then enter the positioning fights at the right time. My tactics worked out! ", says Roman Furger at the press conference.

And in the end it was Ivan Perrillat-Boiteux who finished 10th, two places in front of Agnellet Gerard, winning the FIS Worldloppet Cup 2018. Gerard becomes second, Loic Guigonnet 3rd.

**Engadin Skimarathon 2018 Results

Men:**
1. Roman Furger (SUI)
2. Martin Collet (FRA)
3. Louis Schwartz (FRA)
4. Jay Renaud (FRA)
5. Jean Tiberghien (FRA)
6. Thomas Chambellant (FRA)
**
FÄHNDRICH WINS TODAY, DABUDYK DEFEATS TITLE**

The ladie's Engadin Skimarathon today was dominated by the young swiss athlete Nadine Fähndrich. From the beginning on the Olympian skiers, who skied the Engadiner for the first time, was skiing in the leading position and never stopped. In the end she reached the finish 1st with 1:20 advantage to second placed Rahel Imoberdorf.

"To win as a Swiss skier here in Engadin is just great. I had a good group of skiers around me and I was able to follow this group. I was very focussed and the race was over very quick, so I was able to enjoy it only on the finish lane.", sums Nadine Fähndrich up.

The 3rd place today goes to USA: Chelsea Holmes. She was fighting very hard on the finish lane with Maria Gräfnings from Sweden. The reason for this hard fight was the close standings in the FIS Worldloppet Cup overall ranking. Gräfnings only missed 14 points to the leader Aurelie Dabudyk, who finished the race 7th. Only 0,2 seconds missed Gräfnings to the podium today & the victory in the FIS Worldloppet Cup overall 2018. But Aurelie Dabudyk did what was required to defend her title for the second time now.

**Engadin Skimarathon 2018 Results

Women:**
1. Nadine Fähndrich (SUI)
2. Rahel Imoberdorf (SUI)
3. Chelsea Holmes (USA)
4. Maria Gräfnings (SWE)
5. Monique Siegel (GER)
6. Mari Eide (NOR)

DABUDYK & PERRILLAT WORLDLOPPET CUP 2018 KING & QUEEN

After seasons with challenging weather conditions, shortened races, alternative race courses & also cancellations, in 2018 we finally had a great winter again. Every race venue of the FIS Worldloppet Cup 2018 was presented in winter wonderland conditions. Already the opening stage in Austria, the Dolomitenlauf, was a great winter weekend, with hot battles. They continued in Germany at the König Ludwig Lauf & in France, at La Transjurasienne. The 5th stage the Tartu Maraton/EST could finally be held on the original course again & the American Birkebeiner presented itself as a great addition to the cup. Last weekend the athletes collected the last points before the final stage, the Engadin Skimarathon, in Russia at the Demino Skimarathon. And today we followed a great race at the 50th anniversary of the Engadin Skimarathon, with perfect tracks.

Ivan Perrillat-Boiteux was the most constant skier. With one victory (La Transjurasienne), two second places and a 3rd place the French marathon skier collected enough points to finally win the FIS Worldloppet Cup for the first time. He decided the cup only in the last stage today in Engadin. His team mate from Team Haute Savoie Nordic, Gerard Agnellet, who skied in the red bib almost the whole season, finished the cup season only 25 points behind Perrillat as 2nd. Also the 3rd place in the overall ranking goes to France & to Team Haute Savoie Nordic, to Loic Guigonnet.

"I am very happy. This season was so hard with Gerard (Agnellet) as opponent but it was a very good season for me in total. And to be FIS Worldloppet Cup Champion of course is feeling good. It is a good motivation for the French Championships coming up!", says Ivan Perrillat-Boiteux.

In the ladie's FIS Worldloppet Cup 2018 Aurelie Dabudyk (FRA, Haute Savoie Nordic Team) wrote history in 2018. For the first skier she won the cup 3 times in a row. This season she imediately started where she stopped last season, with winning. The first 3 stages were won by her & the other stages she always skied around the podium places. In the end it couldn't get closer since Maria Gräfnings (SWE, SAS Pro Team) was getting stronger and stronger throughout the season, won the Tartu Maraton & finished 3 races second. Finally both ladies gained 486 points in total, but Dabudyk wins the title because of 3 victories while Gräfnings has one victory. The 3rd position in the overall ranking goes to Switzerland, to Rahel Imoberdorf (SAS Pro Team).

"I am so happy with my 3rd overall victory in a row. But this year it was very close. Maria (Gräfnings) she was so strong over the last races and almost got me, so I am glad to win this 3rd cup in a row this close. Now I have to focus one more time for the French National Championships in 3 weeks.", explains Dabudyk.

FIS Worldloppet Cup Overall Ranking (men and ladies)

Men:
1. Ivan Perrillat-Boiteux (FRA - Nordic Team Haute Savoie) - 378 points
2. Agnelle Gerard (FRA - Nordic Team Haute Savoie) - 353 points
3. Loic Guigonnet (FRA - Nordic Team Haute Savoie) - 254 points

Women:
1. Aurelie Dabudyk (FRA - Nordic - Team Haute Savoie) - 486 points (3 victories)
2. Maria Gräfnings (SWE - SAS Pro Team) - 486 points (1 victory)
3. Rahel Imoberdorf (SUI - SAS Pro Team) - 230 points