Olympic gold medallists in Vasaloppet

28 January 2026

Did you know that at least 24 Olympic gold medallists from other sports have skied the iconic 90 km in Vasaloppet or Öppet Spår?

John Albrechtson (Sweden) – Sailing, Tempest class, 1976 Montreal
Chris Brasher (Great Britain) – Athletics, 3000 metre steeplechase, 1956 Melbourne
Andreas Dackell (Sweden) – Ice Hockey, 1994 Lillehammer
Sigvard Ericsson (Sweden) – Speed Skating, 10,000 metre, 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo
Peppe Femling (Sweden) – Biathlon, 4×7.5 km, 2018 PyeongChang
Michael Greis (Germany) – Biathlon, 20 km, 15 km, 4×7.5 km, 2006 Turin
Tomas Gustafson (Sweden) – Speed Skating, 5000 metre 1984 Sarajevo, 5000 metre & 10,000 metre 1988 Calgary
Alf Hansen (Norway) – Rowing, Double Sculls, 1976 Montreal
Stefan Holm (Sweden) – Athletics, High Jump, 2004 Athens
Johnny Höglin (Sweden) – Speed Skating, 10,000 metre, 1968 Grenoble
Darius Kasparaitis (Lithuania/Russia) – Ice Hockey, Unified Team, 1992 Albertville
Eirik Verås Larsen (Norway) – Canoe, K-1 1000 metre, 2004 Athens, 2012 London
John Ljunggren (Sweden) – Athletics, 50 km Race Walk, 1948 London
Franck Piccard (France) – Alpine Skiing, Super-G, 1988 Calgary
Anja Pärson (Sweden) – Alpine Skiing, Slalom, 2006 Turin
Bernhard Russi (Switzerland) – Alpine Skiing, Downhill, 1972 Sapporo
Tore Sjöstrand (Sweden) – Athletics, 3000 metre steeplechase, 1948 London
Ingemar Stenmark (Sweden) – Alpine Skiing, Slalom & Giant Slalom, 1980 Lake Placid
Ulf Sundelin (Sweden) – Sailing 5.5‑metre class, 1968 Mexico
Georg Thoma (Germany) – Nordic Combined, 1960 Squaw Valley
William Thoresson (Sweden) – Gymnastics Floor Exercise, 1952 Helsinki
Olaf Tufte (Norway) – Rowing, Single Sculls, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing
Kati Wilhelm (Germany) – Biathlon, 7.5 km sprint & 4×7.5 km relay, 2002 Salt Lake City, 10 km pursuit, 2006 Turin
Stefan Örnskog (Sweden) – Ice Hockey, 1994 Lillehammer

Naturally, many more Olympic participants and medallists have taken part in Vasaloppet throughout history. The list above does not include former elite cross-country skiers.

Olympic gold medallists who also WON Vasaloppet
Ten male and four female cross-country skiers have won both Vasaloppet and an Olympic gold in cross-country skiing. These athletes are Sven Utterström, Per Erik Hedlund, Nils Karlsson, Sixten Jernberg, Janne Stefansson, Assar Rönnlund, Ole Ellefsæter, Sven-Åke Lundbäck, Jan Ottosson, Anders Aukland, Svetlana Nagejkina, Vibeke Skofterud, Justyna Kowalczyk, and Stina Nilsson. Only Per Erik Hedlund in 1928 and Sixten Jernberg in 1960 managed to win Vasaloppet and an Olympic gold in the same year.

IOC patronage
In 1987, Vasaloppet received the patronage of the International Olympic Committee, as one of only five competitions worldwide.

Top photos: Nine‑time Olympic medallist Sixten Jernberg and six‑time Olympic medallist Anja Pärson.

This page was updated January 29, 2026.

Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2026 – cross country skiing

Friday, February 20, Vasaloppet 30, start Oxberg, 30 km
Saturday, February 21, Tjejvasan, start Oxberg, 30 km
Sunday, February 22, Öppet Spår Sunday, start Sälen, 90 km FULLY BOOKED
Sunday, February 22, Ungdomsvasan, start Eldris, 9 km, start Hökberg, 19 km
Monday, February 23, Öppet Spår Monday 90, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Monday, February 23, Öppet Spår Monday 45, freestyle, start Oxberg, 45 km
Monday, February 23, Öppet Spår Monday 30, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Tuesday, February 24, Vasaloppet 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 27, Stafettvasan, ski relay, five sections, start Sälen, 90 km
Friday, February 27, Nattvasan 30, individually or two-person teams, freestyle,
start Oxberg, 30 km
Friday, February 27, Nattvasan 45, individually or two-person teams, freestyle,
start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 27, Nattvasan 90, individually or two-person teams, freestyle,
start Sälen, 90 km
Saturday, February 28, Vasaloppet 10, freestyle, start Eldris, 9 km
Sunday, March 1, The 102nd Vasaloppet, start Sälen, 90 km