Jan Rohrberg (GER) on the last stretch towards the finish line
From start to finish, Jan carried something that never seemed to fade – good spirits, a positive outlook, and a genuine warmth whenever he crossed paths with others on the trail.
We caught up with him not far from the finish, still smiling, still enjoying the journey, even after days of effort and fatigue. That attitude stayed with him all the way to the line.
Feb. 11th at 23:45, Jan arrived into Johnson’s Crossing to secure 4th place, closing out a strong and steady race run with consistency and heart.
Well done Jan – a pleasure to see you out there, and a race carried exactly as you started it: with positivity.
Magdalena Paschke (GER) greeted at the finish line by volunteer crew member Pat Cooke-Rogers
Feb. 12th at 16:58 in the afternoon, Magdalena crossed the line at Johnson’s Crossing, completing the 645km Yukon Arctic Ultra and bringing her long journey south to a close.
Returning to the Yukon after her time here in 2019, Magdalena once again immersed herself in the vastness of the trail. She relishes being outside in this landscape – perhaps not every single moment, but certainly most of them – and that connection to place carried her steadily forward.
Rumour has it she may also have had the best cared-for feet in the entire race – a quiet but crucial skill over 645km. And like several athletes fortunate enough to benefit from this year’s terrain, she enjoyed more than a little sledding on the final downhill stretch into the finish.
A composed, determined performance across a demanding and ever-changing course.
Well done Magdalena – welcome back to Johnson’s Crossing.
Thomas Miller (CAN) at the Johnson’s Crossing finish line
Feb. 12th at 21:33 in the evening, Thomas arrived into Johnson’s Crossing, completing his 600km journey the hard way – on a fat bike.
Choosing a bike is never the easy option. Hard, road-like trail that lets you make quick headway? It’s probably -40°C and punishing both rider and machine. Warmer conditions? You’ll be walking and pushing more than riding. And in any year, mechanical issues are simply more likely than on foot.
This year offered everything. Soft, resistance-heavy snow. Wet conditions. A metre of snowfall in a single day… twice. For a fat biker, it was relentless.
And yet, Thomas truly earned his nickname: Thomas the Tank Engine.
Soft trail? He trudged through it. Wet feet? He managed them. Fresh snowfall burying the route? He found a way.
Steady. Relentless. Uncomplaining. Just keep moving forward. Once you make the decision to do something, you’ve made it. Thomas decided to get to Johnson’s Crossing.
In one of the toughest years for bikes, Thomas didn’t just survive the course – he forged through it.
Well done, Thomas. A hard-earned, thoroughly deserved finish.
