How we're rebuilding Vasaloppet, part 1

”We are extremely happy and humbly grateful for all the help and support we have received. It is much needed, especially considering the time constraints, and work is progressing. Our winter events should be at least as good as in previous years, even though there is still a lot of work to do,” says Johan Eriksson, Vasaloppet’s CEO.

The first weeks after the fire were mainly spent on inventory and registering all the materials that were lost when the 1,000 square metre warehouse burned down. Some work could start quickly, like the search for new storage, the ordering of new signs and the logistics involved in harnessing public interest to help. But there is still much work remaining. Among other things, around 2,000 signs and many kilometres of fences burned up.
”We have two and a half months left until Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2023 and it’s a race against the clock. We have a new premises but lack, for example, tools and materials, which we are now gathering, and we’re in the middle of rebuilding fences among other things,” says Johan Eriksson.

The external support, locally, regionally and internationally from private individuals, clubs and companies has been – and still is – extensive. Over 2,200 private individuals and companies have contributed with financial means, and the money that has been donated will go a long way towards the speedy reconstruction that is necessary for the Winter Week 2023.

It’s too early to say how different these winter events will be but there should be no significant effect on the tens of thousands of participants out in the ski tracks.
”Maybe we won’t have time to paint all the fences or to make all the informational signs that we usually have. If so we’ll have to think hard and find other solutions. For example, if we don’t have signs we plan to support by assigning additional functionaries to act as information points. Our impression is that everyone will be understanding if things don’t look exactly the same as they usually do,” says Johan Eriksson.

More on the collection (in Swedish)
Metre by metre, we’re rebuilding Vasaloppet >

See the names of all individuals, companies and associations that have contributed financially (those who consented to having their names published)
Thank you for your support >