MONTANE, the British outdoor clothing specialist, has agreed a title sponsorship partnership with Lapland Arctic Ultra, the new ultra-race for runners, bikers and skiers through the Heart of Lapland, which will see the 2022 event branded as the ‘Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra’ (MLAU).
Since 1993, Montane has been offering innovative, lightweight, and breathable clothing and equipment for endurance sports and activities in some of the world’s toughest, most extreme environments.
MLAU will be an annual event which is set to attract ultra-athletes from all corners of the globe. The race will start and finish in Överkalix, situated in the Swedish province of Norrbotten.
The event is scheduled to take place next month when temperatures drop on average to -3°C during the day and -25°C at night. The race organiser is Robert Pollhammer who also founded the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra (MYAU) in 2003, the world’s coldest and toughest ultra.
The racecourse consists of two separate trails. The first trail is 185km long and situated northeast of Överkalix, and the second trail is 315km long and based northwest of Överkalix. Participants can choose to enter either the 185km trail or the combined 500km trail.
Pollhammer said, “I am really looking forward to hosting a winter ultra in Europe. This area of Sweden is beautiful, but isn’t very well known, yet. With the MLAU we hope we can help change that and inspire more people to experience this great region. The MLAU will be one of the longest, if not THE longest, non-stop winter ultra in Europe and it will be tough.
“I am super excited to have Montane as a title sponsor. They simply have the right products for the challenge. In addition, there is a great relationship with the brand and its people because of the many years we have worked together on the MYAU.”
The race is open for men, women and teams of two or more athletes. Available disciplines are by foot, mountain bike, or XC-Ski with entrants crossing the Arctic Circle up to four times through the duration of the race.
Athletes will journey across frozen rivers and lakes, swamps and forests. The race format is non-stop, through night and day, allowing participants to decide themselves when and where to have a break.
Montane’s Global Marketing Manager, Matthew Hickman, said, “For over 25 years Montane has been synonymous with adventure and we take great pride in producing lightweight, breathable kit that allows you to break boundaries, by enabling you to go Further, Faster. We are always on the lookout for events and opportunities around the world that embody our mantra; stepping into the unknown and feeling truly alive, united by the fearless ambition to do more. MLAU encapsulates this perfectly, and we are proud be associated with it.”
Montane ambassador Katy Parrott will be competing in the event and added, “Excited doesn’t even come close to how I feel about competing in the MLAU. I am looking forward to doing it for so many reasons – to explore somewhere new with such epic landscapes, but also to get back into my love of endurance following a recent major knee injury.”
