By Vasaloppet's CEO Eva-Lena Frick: It's Saturday morning, time for a winter premiere. One that's been delayed far too long due to broken bones and troubled knees. Conditions have been excellent this whole winter. Masses of snow and nice, cold weather. Firm, fine ski tracks run through the arena from Sälen to Mora.
Several participants had a penalty of 15 minutes added to their time after littering where not allowed during their participation in a 2017 Vasaloppet race. This rule also applies in 2018 and monitoring has now been strengthened with an increased number of inspectors, using better equipment.
Vasaloppet is now launching Vasaloppstrippeln 45, where the goal is to ski Halvvasan, bike Cykelvasan 45 and walk, run or jog Ultravasan 45. Ever since Vasaloppet introduced the individual running race Ultravasan in 2014 participants have been able to take on the challenge of completing three types of races – skiing, mountain biking and running. It's an achievement that, since 2016, goes under the official name Vasaloppstrippeln. In 2017 there were 121 participants who completed the three 90-kilometre races in forefathers' tracks.
Want to try skiing a Vasaloppet Winter Week race but not as far as the other races? Then you should register for Blåbärsloppet, held on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Blåbärsloppet is 9 kilometres long, starting in Eldris and finishing in Mora. Anyone can participate. Registering is completely free and there are free buses to the start. And everyone who finishes gets a medal!
With six weeks to go before Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2018, there is plenty of snow on the Vasaloppet course, and ski tracks drawn all the way from Sälen to Mora. The tracks are groomed before every weekend for those who want to get out and train.
In connection with Christmas and New Year, Vasaloppet’s staff will take some time off in order to recharge before Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2018. The Vasaloppet Office will be closed and reopen again Monday January 8. The Office open at 08.00 am and Our phone lines at 10:00 – 14:00 and closed for lunch between 12:00 – 13:00. NOTE! Emails sent during this period will not be stored.
12,000 skiers are now registered for Stafettvasan on Friday, March 2, 2018, making it the world's largest skiing relay race, and the third biggest race in Vasaloppet's Winter Week. Only Vasaloppet and Öppet Spår are bigger. Once again Stafettvasan has teams registered from all 21 Swedish counties this year.
This is Vasaloppet! From one ski race in 1922, with 119 participants, to 20 races for skiers, cyclists and runners with near 100,000 participants in 2017. Join us on this historic journey in forefathers' tracks, from Sälen to Mora, now with a race for everyone; beginners, athletes, children, youths as well as the foremost elite. Give us eight minutes and we'll show you everything between Gustav Vasa and Mora-Nisse to the premiere of the very first Nattvasan this year!
The 94th Kranskulla for Vasaloppet is named Sara Wadman, IFK Mora Skidklubb, and 30th anniversary Kransmas for Tjejvasan is Joakim Kullberg, IFK Mora Fotbollsklubb. ”This feels so fantastic,” says Sara Wadman. ”The question gave me a slight shock,” says Joakim Kullberg.
Snow has begun to fall and the freezing weather is here. 53,000 skiers are now registered for Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2018. Here is an update summarizing, in English, the most interesting news items from Vasaloppet’s Swedish website over the past months.
