Thursday 9 March was the premiere of the new TV series “Jens and Isak on thin ice”. The series follows the adventurer Jens Kvernmo and Isak Dreyer, known as a fisherman and winner of both “Norway’s Toughest” and “Farmer Celebrity”. At the same time that you can watch the first episode, the guys are embarking on a new adventure. This time, Jens will drive 600 kilometers with a dog sled through the wilderness in Finnmark on Europe’s longest dog race – Finnmarksløpet. – I am very excited, because it is the first time. Here I have only participated in the banquet before, but in the race itself I am an amateur, laughs Jens Kvernmo. JENS THE ADVENTURER: he is used to being out on long expeditions, but not as well used to competing. Although he does not have such a great competitive instinct, he admits that it will be felt if other teams drive out of the checkpoints before him. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news Saturday at The start is at 13.00, but just before Jens is very calm. He and the handler Ole Borgersen pack a little in the sled. They cut to some rope and chat. The pace is far from fast. Isak stands and jokes next to it. – I see people stressing around and being in a hurry, while I’m now buzzing with mine – so I wonder if I’ve forgotten something important, says Jens. Isak is only there to wish him luck just before the start, then he travels back home. His “rescue” through the tough competition is the dogs, which have become somewhat of a celebrity after Jørgine Vasstrand has started training them. “Dropped” Isak Although the friends are used to being out on a trip together and know each other well, it was not Isak Dreyer who became the handler – i.e. the helper during the race. – I tried to have him shop at the Femundløpet last year, so I went for something different this year, laughs Jens and adds: – Last year I was most worried about whether Isak would make it through the race and whether he would find his way to the various checkpoints. JENS AND ISAK ON THIN ICE: The two friends are used to being out on trips together. Last year they went on a trip to Greenland together where they learned the traditional way of hunting. You can see how it went in the new TV series on news. Photo: Øyvind Nordahl Næss / news For Isak, it was perfectly fine to be “wrecked”. – It must be much better to drive yourself, than to be a dealer – it’s a bit boring. It would have been cool to drive myself once. He has great faith that Jens will do well in the competition, despite it being his first time participating. – I think this is just going well. He has good dogs and a good handler, says Isak. ISAK DREYER: After the trip to Greenland, Isak himself has become fond of driving dogs, and could well imagine trying to run a race once. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news So the big question is – does adventurer Jens have the competitive instinct needed in a competition? – I have a bit of a competitive instinct, but at the same time I think that I should just take this as a trip. I actually considered taking fishing gear with me, maybe the stock to hunt some reef. The calmness he gets when he is out on long expeditions, he believes, will be a strength for him in the competition. – I have a little Sámi in me, a little Indian, Inuit and a little Mongolian – so time, for example, no longer exists for me. I only think one hour ahead in time, and I want to do that in the Finnmarksløpet as well. New dogs at the last minute It is not the first time that Jens Kvernmo has tried his hand at dog sports. From before, he has run the Femundløpet twice, in addition to a few shorter races. In Finnmark, however, he has not tried his hand before, and is a so-called “rookie” – i.e. a first-time driver. Still, he knows something about the challenges the race can offer. In the past, he has been handler for the seasoned and former winner of both the Femund and Finnmark races, Arnt Ola Skjerve. Although the new entrant is calm, there have been some shake-ups. According to the plan, Jens Kvernmo should have Arnt Ola Skjerve as handler and driver for his dogs this year. – Arnt Ola was actually supposed to run the Femundløpet and then I was supposed to take over his team afterwards and run it in Finnmark, but then he had to withdraw. JØRGINE VASSRAND: The Norwegian blogger, influencer and personal trainer Jørgine Vasstrand has started dog sledding. This season she ran her first races, a shorter local race and then the Femundløpet at the start of March. Photo: Erlend Lånke Solbu / news Thus Jens was left without dogs to take with him on races north. Then another experienced dog sled volunteered – Leif Tore Lie had a team he could drive. He is a mentor in dog sledding for Jørgine Vasstrand. – Now I get the opportunity to drive a team I drove at Femundløpet last year, which I know tolerably well. These dogs raced with Jørgine at the Femundløpet this year, so they have a perfect charge for the Finnmarksløpet this year. ALASKA HUSKY: Mummy is one of the lead dogs – i.e. one of the ones who go first in front of the sled, when Jens Kvernmo is going to run the Finnmark race. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news And she, who has trained the dogs for the past year, has no doubt that the dogs will perform well together with Jens. – It will only be based on personal experiences, but I think it is the world’s best dog team, laughs Jørgine Vasstrand. Jørgine believes he brings dogs that think smart along the trail. – That team helped me when I needed it most during the Femund race. When I stood on the grid and was about to throw up with nervousness for a 90-degree turn, they adjusted the speed so it went well. TRADER: – I have Ole with me as a trader, and he is a very skilled and experienced trader, so I am in safe hands here, says Jens. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news
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Jens ready for the Finnmark race – this time Isak is over, but Jørgine’s dogs are with them – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
