Tiberiu Useriu, the arctic hero

Tiberiu Useriu finished second the Yukon Arctic Ultra marathon

Leyla Cheamil, 07.02.2020, 13:50

On Thursday evening, the Romanian Tiberiu Useriu finished second the Yukon Arctic Ultra marathon, held in Canada, near the Polar Circle, covering a distance of 500 km in seven days and 33 minutes. The marathon is known as being one of the toughest in the world, because it is held in a wild area, in extreme conditions, difficult to bear by any human, at very low temperatures, which sometimes drop down to minus 50 degrees Celsius. The winner of the marathon is the Swiss Fabian Imfeld, who finished the race in six days, 18 hours and 2 minutes.

The two were the only ones who managed to finish the marathon. Tiberiu Useriu, aged 45, competed for the second time at the Yukon Arctic Ultra marathon. The harsh conditions affected his health and he got frostbite and stomach problems. Last year, he was forced to give up, because he walked 100 km in 24 hours, and, during the medical check-up, it was discovered that one of his toes was frostbitten, and that wouldve put him in danger.

During this years race, which started on January 30th, Tiberiu Useriu stayed in contact with his family and supporters over the phone and stated that the competition was harsher than the 6633 Arctic Ultra marathon, another competition held at the Polar Circle, which he managed to win three years in a row. According to the organizers, the first part of the race was the most difficult one, because it was snowing and it was very difficult for the athletes to advance, as they were also carrying sledges weighing some 30 kg. At the end of the race, Tiberiu Useriu posted a message on his Facebook page, which read in the end: “Lets not forget that our dreams, whether small or big, really matter. With no ideals, Im afraid we would all disappear. So, lets not give up on them, no matter what. Thank you and see you all back home!”

By participating in the marathon, Tiberiu Useriu wanted to promote the project Via Transilvanica – the road that unites, launched in 2018 on the Great Union Centennial. This is a theme road, some 1000 km long, which crosses ten counties in Romania. It is meant to promote the areas both from a tourist and a cultural point of view. The project was initiated by the Tasuleasca Social Association, headed by his brother, which is one of the most important NGOs in Romania in the field of environmental protection.