The Australian National Anthem playing in Greenland.
Wait, what?!
Yes. Much to everyone’s surprise, Phillip Bellingham (a fellow Aussie from Victoria) beat local legend Martin Møller to the finish line of the 2019 Arctic Circle Race by a mere 3 minutes and 18 seconds.
This 160km, 3-day event near Sisimiut is widely renowned as the toughest ski race in the world. Greenlander Martin Møller has won it for the past several years and it was a very close race to be beaten by such a short margin over this distance!
Phillip explains his strategy for the race at breakfast on Day 2.
And it proved to be a good plan, as the deciding factor ended up being a sprint to the finish line between Phillip and Martin.
One of the reasons the Arctic Circle Race is so tough is because Sisimiut is surrounded by very mountainous terrain. Another is because participants have to camp out with minimal equipment for 2 nights, preparing their own food and taking care of themselves. You need a strong mental attitude to be able to cope with this on top of a grueling day on skis in cold temperatures!
Unfortunately I wasn’t in Sisimiut to see the race for myself. However, I do know the terrain around Greenland’s second largest city as I spent over a week there last year hiking and exploring the area during the Summer. It is a spectacularly beautiful part of the world as the following drone footage courtesy of Mads Fridolin Vejlby shows.
Music: Nanook
Congratulations Phillip!
Are you coming back next year to defend your title?
Discover more about Greenland
I have a large number of blog posts about Greenland, so feel free to read more about my experiences here on my blog.
Or, if this post has piqued your curiosity about Greenland in general, learn more about this amazing country by:
- reading my Greenland-specific blog at Guide to Greenland
- checking out the information and wide range of trips available at Guide to Greenland
- exploring the Government tourism site at Visit Greenland
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