Facts, statistics, news and broadcast times for the 97th Vasaloppet

Vasaloppet 2020 saw the 600,000th finish in Vasaloppet (90 km). But this year only 300 elite men and 100 elite women have the chance to ski Vasaloppet.

VASALOPPET QUICK FACTS
DATE: Sunday, March 7, 2021
START: Tjärnhedens Idrottsplats, Sälen
START TIMES: Women 07:40, Men 08:00
FINISH: At the new finish line portal by the belfry in Mora.
DISTNACE: 90 km, classic technique
NO SPECTATORS: During Vasaloppet 2021, the Vasaloppet Arena is closed both for training and spectators, as opposed to Vasaåket when the whole Arena is open.
LIVE BROADCAST: Via radio, TV, SVT Play and Vasaloppet.TV
FIRST RACE: 1922
CANCELLED: 1932, 1934 and 1990
THIS IS VASALOPPET NUMBER: 97
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Petter Eliassen, Norway, and Lina Korsgren, Sweden
MAX REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS 2021: 300 men, 100 women
MAX REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS 2022: 15,800
RECORD NUMBER OF STARTING PARTICIPANTS: 15,709 set off in Vasaloppet 2010
HILL PRIZE: Evertsberg 47 km
ADDITIONAL SPURT PRIZES: Smågan 10 km, Mångsbodarna 24 km, Risberg 36 km, Oxberg 62 km, Hökberg 71 km, Eldris 81 km
VISMA SKI CLASSIC CLIMB: Vasaloppet’s highest point (528 metres above sea level) 3 km
VISMA SKI CLASSICS SPRINT: Mångsbodarna 24 km, Evertsberg 47 km
VASALOPPET’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY: 2022 (Registration for Vasaloppet 2022 opens on March 21, 2021)
WEBSITE: vasaloppet.se

Victors
Petter Eliassen from Norway won among the men in Vasaloppet 2020 and Swedish Lina Korsgren won the women’s class. The male winners have all been from Norway these past eight years while the latest four women who won were all from Sweden. The latest Swedish men’s class winner was Jörgen Brink in 2012.

Three former Vasaloppet winners are registered in this year’s men’s class: Anders Aukland, who won in 2004, Andreas Nygaard, 2018, and Petter Eliassen, 2015 and 2020. Four women’s class winners of recent years are on the start list again this year: Laila Kveli, 2013 and 2014, Katerina Smutná, 2016, Britta Johansson Norgren, 2017 and 2019, and Lina Korsgren, 2018 and 2020.
The whole start list >

Last year’s results
Vasaloppet 2020, men
1 Petter Eliassen, (NOR), 4.25.14
2 Stian Hoelgaard, (NOR), 4.25.15
3 Torleif Syrstad, (NOR), 4.25.57
4 Tord Asle Gjerdalen, (NOR), 4.26.02
5 Klas Nilsson, (SWE), Skellefteå XC Club, 4.26.13
6 Andreas Nygaard, (NOR), 4.28.31
7 Nils Persson, (SWE), Östersunds SK, 4.28.32
8 Anders Aukland, (NOR), 4.28.34
9 Max Novak, (SWE), Offerdals SK, 4.28.34
10 Simen Engebretsen Nordli, (NOR), 4.28.35

Vasaloppet 2020, women
1 Lina Korsgren, (SWE), Åre Längdskidklubb, 4.41.02
2 Britta Johansson Norgren, (SWE), Sollefteå Skidor IF, 4.47.11
3 Katerina Smutná, (CZE), 4.49.25
4 Ida Dahl, (SWE), IFK Mora SK, 4.50.50
5 Kari Vikhagen Gjeitnes, (NOR), 4.51.25
6 Laila Kveli, (NOR), 4.53.19
7 Thea Krokan Murud, (NOR), 4.53.25
8 Jenny Larsson, (SWE), Östersunds SK, 4.57.57
9 Emilie Fleten, (NOR), 4.58.33
10 Heli Heiskanen, (FIN), 5.08.54

Cross-country cup
The international cross-country cup Visma Ski Classics is running for its eleventh season. Visma Ski Classics now has professional teams from eleven different nations. Vasaloppet is the season’s fifth race out of nine.

The overall standings in Visma Ski Classics Champion are currently showing a Swedish lead for both the women and the men. There are a total of four Swedish men and five Swedish ladies in the respective top tens.

Visma Ski Classics Champion 2020–2021, men:
1) Emil Persson, (SWE), Lager 157 Ski Team, 870 points
2) Ermil Vokuev, (RUS), Russian Winter Team, 700
3) Tord Asle Gjerdalen, (NOR), Team XPND Fuel of Norway, 690
4) Oskar Kardin, (SWE), Team Ragde Eiendom, 625
5) Petter Eliassen, (NOR), Team Ragde Eiendom, 535
6) Morten Eide Pedersen, (NOR), Team Nordic Athlete, 410
7) Stian Hoelgaard, (NOR), Team Koteng, 360
8) Maxim Vylegzanin, (RUS), Russian Winter Team, 352
9) Max Novak, (SWE), Team Ramudden, 339
10) Johannes Eklöf, (SWE), Team Ramudden, 311

Visma Ski Classics Champion 2020–2021, women:
1) Lina Korsgren, (SWE), Team Ramudden, 970 points
2) Ida Dahl, (SWE),Team Ramudden, 750
3) Emelie Fleten, (NOR),Team Koteng, 680
4) Jenny Larsson, (SWE),Team Ramudden, 580
5) Katerina Smutná, (CZE), Ed System Bauer Team, 520
6) Elin Mohlin, (SWE), Lager 157 Ski Team, 430
7) Olga Tsareva, (RUS), Russian Winter Team, 415
8) Sofie Elebro, (SWE), Team Parkettpartner Sjusjøen, 375
9) Roxane Lacroix, (FRA), Team Décathlon Expérience, 324
9) Anastasia Rygalina, (RUS), Russian Winter Team, 324

Remaining races after Vasaloppet:
Saturday, March 20: Vålådalsrennet, 54 km, Vålådalen, Sweden (replacing Birkebeinerrennet, Norway)
Saturday, March 27: Årefjällsloppet, 100 km, Vålådalen, Sweden
Saturday, April 10: Reistadløpet, 50 km, Setermoen–Bardufoss, Norway
Saturday, April 17: Ylläs-Levi, 70 km, Ylläs–Levi, Finland
VISMA SKI CLASSICS >

The new start and finish
The start this year is at the Tjärnheden’s IP football field. There’s then an uphill slope to the floodlit trail, about a kilometre before the track connects to the Vasaloppet track. There’s then two kilometres left until Vasaloppet’s highest point where Visma Ski Classics Climb is awarded (Tjärnhedens IP was also used as the start for Cykelvasan the first two years, 2009 and 2010.)

The finish line has moved to a new finish line portal, a copy of the old one, at Mora Church’s belfry by the roundabout at Vasagatan. This is due to extensive infrastructure changes in Mora. The finishing stretch will be about 100 meters shorter than previously. The original finish line portal will remain in its place and during future events it will be part of a so-called medal square. The total distance of the race will not change significantly given that course adjustments are made almost annually depending on, among other things, conditions in the Vasaloppet Arena.

Comeback
At start number 538 we’re seeing this year’s comeback: Marit Bjørgen, with 41 Olympic and World Championship medals. Marit has won a race on the Vasaloppet course before – over half the distance. This was in 2006 when the World Cup ran a 45 km race and she arrived at the finish line long before her competitors.

Rewards
The first prize in Vasaloppet 2021 is a blown kiss this year, a gold medal, a green victory wreath, a 20 kg glass trophy and 75,000 crowns (for both women and men). The men’s class winner will also get the Kranskulla honorary award, a beautifully embroidered Vasaloppet cushion.

There are seven spurt prizes for both men and women: 10,000 SEK for the spurt prize in Evertsberg (Hill Prize) and 4,000 SEK at the other six checkpoints of Smågan, Mångsbodarna, Risberg, Oxberg, Hökberg and Eldris. (Visma Ski Classics also has prizes at Mångsbodarna and Evertsberg.) Vasaloppet’s total prize sum in 2021 is 410,000 SEK.

A winner who beats the current Vasaloppet record will, in addition to their first prize, also get a 50,000 record bonus. This applies to both women and men.

Kranskulla and Kransmas
This year’s Kranskulla is Emelie Brudin (Kranskulla no 97), active in IFK Mora Orienteringsklubb, while this year’s Kransmas is Gustaf Berglund (Kransmas no 33), active in IFK Mora Skidklubb.

History
It was 500 years ago, in the winter of 1520/21, that Gustav Eriksson’s adventure in Dalarna took place, now a mix of truth and myth. In 1523 he became king of Sweden. The first Vasaloppet ran on Sunday, March 19, 1922. This year sees the 97th Vasaloppet, which is the 25th with a competition class for ladies (started 1997). Since 1948 the race has always run on the first Sunday of March, except for 2015 when the race was moved to the second Sunday due to the World Championships in Falun.

The first live broadcast of Vasaloppet on TV took place in 1966. This year will be the 44th time there are live broadcasts (in whole or in part) from Vasaloppet and it’s the 39th Vasaloppet start that’s broadcast live on TV 1973 was the first live colour broadcast of Vasaloppet. Since 1992, Vasaloppet has been broadcast live every year by SVT.

The Veteran
Magnus Hedlund (start number 254) from Karlskoga will be the only veteran in Vasaloppet 2021. He skied Vasaloppet for the first time in 1991 when he was 18 years old and his 30th race was in 2020. He finished 223rd and is now among the elites as a veteran! Not the youngest veteran ever but the youngest veteran in the elite group.

To call yourself a veteran you need to complete Vasaloppet, Öppet Spår, Nattvasan 90 or Vasaåket 90 in accordance with Vasaloppet’s rules for 30 years (only one race per year counts). After the Winter Week 2020 there were 1,092 veterans (16 of whom are women) who have completed 30 years or more. 43 veterans have skied 50 races or more.

TV broadcasts across the world
In addition to Sweden, Vasaloppet 2021 will be broadcast on TV in the following 15 countries: Estland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, France, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Russia, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand. (”Season highlights” are broadcast in about 53 countries.) Vasaloppet 2021 is also broadcast live on Ski Classics Play globally, see below.

Here are times for TV and streaming on March 7:

Sveriges Television SVT1 and SVT Play.
07:30–13:00 Hosted by Yvette Hermundstad, commentary by Jacob Hård and Anders Blomquist. Ida Ingemarsdotter and three-time Vasaloppet winner Jörgen Brink are SVT’s elite skiing reporters.
svtplay.se >

Ski Classics Play
07:30 – SVT broadcasts can only be seen in Sweden but several other countries are also showing Vasaloppet live. The whole race can be followed from anywhere in the world with English commentary via your web browser or phone at Ski Classics Play (cost 8.99 EUR).
play.vismaskiclassics.com/visma-ski-classics >
vismaskiclassics.com/the-tour/events/vasaloppet >

Vasaloppet.TV
07:30 – Vasaloppet is also broadcast via Vasaloppet’s own streaming service. Commentary by Martin Sellberg and three-time Vasaloppet victor Daniel Tynell. (Can only be seen in Sweden.)
www.vasaloppet.tv >

Registration for Vasaloppet and other races in Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2022
Vasaloppet is celebrating 100 years in 2022. Registration opens on Sunday, March 21 at 09:00 on vasaloppet.se.

Results
Start lists, live results, result lists can be found here >