Einar Hedegart won the Engadin Ski Marathon 2026. After a fall with a broken stick, he fought his way back to the lead and beat Jason Rüesch and the surprising Frenchman Sabin Coupat in the sprint. For women, the German Anna Endress beat the favorite Giuliana Werro from Zernez in a heartbeat final. Frenchwoman Clémence Didierlaurent finished third.
Norwegian top favorite Einar Hedegart (24) left his mark on the 56th Engadin ski marathon. In order to prevent tactical games between the Swiss and the French, the two-time Olympic champion from Milano-Cortina set a very high pace and repeatedly carried out leadership work. However, on the Stazerwald downhill near Pontresina, he fell and broke a stick. “The race was a rollercoaster: I had to change poles three times until I had my own equipment in my hands again. After that, I had to start all over again,” said the winner at the finish line in S-chanf.
Hedegart didn't notice anything and soon took over management work again. He kept stepping up the pace so that in the end only Jason Rüesch and the Frenchmen Sabin Coupat and Clément Parisse could keep up. On the home straight, the Norwegian then beat Rüesch from Davos razor-thin. Sabin Coupat was surprisingly third. “This race was unique, it was an experience of a lifetime!” , raved the winner at the finish line.
Among women, the German junior Anna Endress (18) surprisingly appeared in a leading role. She was half a minute ahead of Pontresina over the favorite Giuliana Werro (27) from Zernez. When the front men's field then picked up the pace, Endress had to drop back into the group with Werro. From then on, the two went head-to-head, which Endress won razor-thin on the home straight. The third-placed Frenchwoman Clémence Didierlaurent then arrived in S-chanf more than a minute behind.
Norwegian Sindre Bjørnestad Skar wrote a special racing story. He ran the World Cup sprint in Lahti on Saturday and traveled to Engadin during the night. Arriving only at three o'clock in the morning, he barely slept. Nevertheless, he was right at the front of the race and finished sixth in the end.
In bright sunshine and excellent snow conditions, a total of 12,765 runners started the 42 kilometers between Maloja and S-chanf or the 21 kilometers from Maloja to Pontresina.
Media release from the Engadin Ski Marathon dated March 8, 2026. Christian Gartmann has been Communications and Media Officer and a member of the Engadin Ski Marathon Crisis Team since 2014.