Toni Livers and Sigrid Mutscheller win 38th Planoiras Folk Cross-Country Skiing Race

After 2009, 2010 and 2012, former World Cup athlete Toni Livers won the Planoiras Folk Cross-Country Skiing Race for the fourth time. Sigrid Mutscheller from Germany won the women's race for the first time. A total of 239 participants took part in the event, which was held in a new mode due to the scarce snow conditions.

The 38th Planoiras Folk Cross-Country Skiing Race took place on Saturday, 4 March 2023, on a 5-kilometre course and the Planoirino on a 4-kilometre course in the Roland Arena in Lantsch/Lenz. First, the prologue took place in the individual start. The participants of the Planoirino had to run two 5-kilometre races on the selective course. Based on the overall ranking, the finals were held in a block start (10 participants) and with a one-minute start interval.

Toni Livers won the men's race
In the prologue, Curdin Räz from the Engadine won the men's race with a lead of 15 seconds over Toni Livers and 17 seconds over Kevin Marc Camathias. Severin Bässler, Livio Bieler, Mario Bässler, Sven Buholzer, Swiss-Loppet leader Ricky Steinauer, Yannick Bässler and Ilan Pittier came in second. The top ten of the prologue then battled it out for the day's victory. Toni Livers' years of competition experience prevailed and he was able to keep the two 17-year younger Curdin Räz and Ricky Steinauer at bay. So the Grisons celebrated a double victory. Kevin Marc Camathias, who won the St. Cassian race a week ago in fifth place, and Livio Bieler from Bonaduz in ninth place, were two more Graubünden runners in the top ten. The 17-year-old Robin Bläsi from Heidner did very well, finishing in an excellent 12th place.

Sigrid Mutscheller wins the women's race
The women's race was won by Sigrid Mutscheller of Germany, who finished second a year ago and third in 2020. Daisy Kudre-Schnyder, who belongs to the Estonian Ski-O team, was second, 39 seconds behind, and Bianca Buholzer from Lucerne was third. The two biathletes Ladina Meier-Ruge and Flavia Barmettler followed in fourth and fifth place.

The Planoirino over four kilometres was decided in favour of the 16-year-old young skier Pablo Baselgia (Lantsch/Lenz) by an extremely narrow margin. He took two tenths of a second off Mario Fröhlich from Chur. Third place went to 15-year-old Tylan Michel (Volketswil). The women's race was won by 20-year-old Sarah Meisser from Davos, ahead of the two young Melanie Zala (Chur) and Otavia Vonplon (Castrisch).

The 39th edition of the Planoiras Folk Cross-Country Skiing Race will take place on 14 January 2024.