Engadin Skimarathon, or: how to photograph one of the three biggest cross-country skiing races in the world.

The 51st Engadin Skimarathon on 10.03.2019 was our first one and for us 'new' events are always a special challenge, because without any experience everything has to work perfectly! So how does a photo agency prepare for such a big event with over 14000 starters? Beside bookings for overnight stays many months in advance: Of course a site visit prior to the event is best! There's no substitute for inspecting the route and finding the best photo spots.

Apart from that, we are sports crazy and never miss an opportunity to face the sporting challenge ourselves during a 'spotcheck'. Each spot is marked in the mobile phone and documented with photos and videos.

But if large parts of the track run on frozen lakes, what then?
The answer is simple: Wait until the lakes are frozen and enough snow has fallen!
So we waited until January 2019, the lakes of the Engadine were frozen and covered with snow, the track existed now. For us that meant: Off to the spotcheck!

A spotcheck is not planned long in advance, because what's the use if you drive into the most beautiful high alpine landscape to look for photo motives, if the view is taken away from you by a snowstorm?

"So, Wednesday to the Engadine?"
- "No, there's heavy snowfall!"
"How about Tuesday?"
- "Tuesday is perfect!"

Tuesday morning we reached the parking lot at the finish area with great nervousness: the thermometer in the car showed: -27° C. Sportograf founder Tom has already finished the famous Cape Epic and didn't let a snow storm deter him at the legendary Grand Raid at Pas de Lona, I had already conquered the Col du Galibier in the snow rain, but we've never been to such temperatures on the bike!

But now there was no turning back: Dress warmly, unload our  e-bikes and off we go!

First good news: the Ebikes worked despite the cold! We immediately found some nice spots just before the finish. 

The first bad news: after 15min the displays of our bicycle computers were frozen, another 5min later I heard the unspeakable beeping of the battery which was full 20min ago: battery empty. 
We marked another spot on the mobile phone, wanted to take a video, in order to send it  to the photographer, who will stand here during the race, but also the mobile phone had to fight with the temperatures.
Okay, then how about the the camera? 
"You can rely on a good camera", we said relieved when we finally took the photos for the spot.

After 50min it was clear to us that -27°C are not made for biking: I had once breathed out wrong and suddenly ice crystals covered glasses. Tom rode his bike with one hand, the other hand was clenched in the glove to the fist and every 5 minutes he had to change, despite warm cushions inside his gloves! 

We came back with many good spots and impressions. Now the real work was waiting: selecting the best of the marked spots, assigning photographers and planning how the photographers would best get to their spots on the big day.

The "dress rehearsal" one week before the Engadin Skimarathon is running perfectly: the pictures from the anniversary women's run are simply great in bright sunshine. The atmosphere is fantastic, too.

Thursday evening we also take pictures of the Engadin night run, where the participants have to brave a snow storm in addition to the night.

The big day is getting closer, but on Friday there is more excitement: a photographer got sick, but we find a replacement at the last minute.

And then the big day has come. Every photographer knows their  job, all accreditations are distributed, the weather is great and at 8:25 a.m. the women start on time! The crowds of people who enthusiastically start their races on the huge cross-country trails of the frozen lakes is a picture that I won't forget anytime soon. 

Dario Cologna reaches the finish with a new track record and 6h later, at 16h, even the last one reaches the finish line in S-Chanfs and our finish photographers are also off! At that time 3 laptops and a big bunch of cardreaders have been working hard for hours in the press center. From now on every second counts to copy all pictures as fast as possible, sort them by numbers, edit them and make them available for download.

Around 18:00h our Bestof is online, almost at the same time Bestofs from London and Paris are put online. Already now it is clear: more than 1.5 million pictures from the weekend are waiting to go online as fast as possible to inspire athletes from all possible countries. On Tuesday at 11:00h, exactly 45h after the last participant crossed the finish line, all 250000 pictures of our first Engadin Skimarathon are online and searchable by start number.

Foto: Sportograf, ZVG