First athlete to complete 472km ultramarathon in the Arctic

The Montane Arctic Spine Race is considered one of the world's toughest races because it takes place in harsh weather conditions and icy terrain in Northern Europe. It takes place on Sweden's legendary Kungsleden route, from Abisko, in the Arctic, to the southern town of Hemavan. Temperatures on the course can drop to -40 degrees Celsius, accompanied by winds of up to 65 km/h.

While ultramarathons typically have food and water stations, the Montane Arctic Spine Race does not. Runners must carry all their supplies on sleds weighing about 30 kg, while also adapting to changing snow conditions.

Despite the hardships he endured to reach his goal, the 53-year-old athlete viewed the experience as more of an adventure than a race. He shared that one of his most memorable moments was running along the mountainside under a full moon with the aurora borealis lighting up the sky.

The Montane Arctic Spine Race was first held in 2024, but no runners had completed the race then. With his achievement on February 17, Abrahamsen not only became the first person to do so, but also set a course record.

After Abrahamsen, two athletes Joe Barrs and Ulf Nore finished with a time of 208 hours and 19 minutes, sharing second place.