The 2nd Oberhof Roller Ski Marathon marked the start of the DSV Roller Ski Marathon Series – and the favorites delivered on the roller ski course at the Lotto Thuringia Arena am Rennsteig.

On the 3.6-kilometer loop, which had to be completed ten times in a criterium format, Thomas Bing and Melina Schöttes came out on top in the main races.

In the men’s 36-kilometer race, Thomas Bing controlled the competition from the very beginning and secured a convincing overall victory in 1:25:54.0, finishing 57.4 seconds ahead of his closest challenger.

Behind the winner, a tight battle unfolded for the remaining podium places. Maxim Haddou claimed second place overall in 1:26:49.5. Till Hartmann, who races for the German Ski Classics Pro Team Bruse Sauerland Ski Team during the winter season, followed in third with a time of 1:26:51.4, just five tenths of a second ahead of Jurij Propp, who finished in 1:26:51.9.

There was also a clear winner in the women’s race in Oberhof. Melina Schöttes from SC Oberhundem took victory over 36 kilometers in 1:41:30.3.

Runner-up Luisa Grießbaum from Skiclub Mühlenbach, who competes for Cibes Lift Ski-Willy Marathon Team in winter, was clearly beaten by both her rival and training partner.

Schöttes secures World Championships qualification

Schöttes has made significant progress in roller skiing recently and has already shown her class at a higher level. Last year, she claimed her first-ever Roller Ski World Cup podium, making a strong statement with silver in the sprint in Val di Fiemme. She also finished sixth overall in the Roller Ski World Cup standings last season.

With her victory in Oberhof, she has now secured qualification for the World Championships in Latvia.

Speaking about her goals for this year’s roller ski season, she said:

“My goal is to achieve consistently strong results across all races at the three World Cup venues. In the sprint events, the aim is to finish in the top 6, both at the World Championships in Latvia and at the World Cup in Italy.”

Next stop in the DSV Marathon Series

The next event in the DSV Marathon Series will take place in Grebenhain-Oberwald on July 19, 2026. The 6th Vogelsberger Roller Ski Marathon will again offer points for the marathon series.

In that race, women will cover a total of 42 kilometers over 4 laps, while men will complete the same total distance over 7 laps, all in classic technique.

The official race announcement can be found on the DSV homepage – roller skiing department.

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