Ida Dahl won Tjejvasan 2023

More than 4,900 women and girls from around thirty different countries were registered to ski the 30 kilometres in the Vasaloppet Arena in the 35th Tjejvasan. Sunshine, minus five degrees Celsius at the start in Oxberg and excellent snow conditions guaranteed a fine day. With 15 of the top 25 in this year’s Ski Classics Pro Tour registered, a high-class race could be expected. And the speed was high from the very start.

Moa Lundgren, Moa Hansson and Ida Dahl were first to the checkpoint in Oxberg after a couple of kilometres. A tight leading group quickly crystallized with twelve skiers ahead of the rest. After six or seven kilometres, Emilie Fleten picked up the pace even more and after Gopshus the group turned into a long line.

After only 20 minutes of skiing, three of the favourites to win broke ahead of the rest. A Swede and two Norwegians: Ida Dahl, who came fourth last year, Magni Smedås, third place last year, and Emilie Fleten, skiing her first Tjejvasan.

In Hökberg, after 11 kilometres, Magni Smedås took the first sprint prize ahead of Dahl and Fleten. Thirty seconds later, six skiers arrived, led by Moa Lundgren and Hedda Bångman. But the leading trio was in no way threatened. However, there would be no new record time. Smedås’ time was 29.25, almost a minute slower than the Hökberg time when the current record was set in 2022.

Smedås turned out to have better skis, but it was mostly Fleten who led the group. Smedås won the sprint prize in Eldris, with 9 kilometres to go. With five kilometres to the finish line in Mora, the trio were still together, waiting.

Magni Smedås was first to turn onto the final stretch at the Zorn Museum, followed by Ida Dahl. Fleten had fallen behind. Smedås seemed to be heading for certain victory but, on level with the Mora church, Ida Dahl closed the distance and the two had the same finishing time. However, the finish line photo showed that Ida Dahl was a few centimetres ahead with her foot.

Ida Dahl said in SVT’s live broadcast:
”I felt that maybe I was a little ahead. My skis were better at the end but I had to work so hard for the first 15 kilometres. It was especially hard when Emilie, who was extremely strong, pushed on. I thought that if I’m going to have a chance, I have to save my energy as much as I can, so that’s when I decided to go for a sprint finish! I’ve been skiing a lot of 40/20 at home with my partner (Eddie Edström), so I just thought ‘I can take him’. It was him I saw ahead of me and I just had to push. The final stretch is long and it’s not over until it’s over. This win means so much and I’m super happy.”

Magni Smedås’ second place is the best Norwegian result in Tjejvasan since 2015, when Laila Kveli won. She said:
”I was a bit bad at reaching all the way to the end, so it’s good that I’ve got a week to practice. I saw Ida coming very fast on my left and I had an inkling that she got it. And in the finish photo you can see it quite clearly. I’ll have to wear some bigger shoes next weekend. It was a good run-through ahead of Vasaloppet, I had good skis and my body felt good. I’ve mostly been resting on the couch since last weekend.”

Emilie Fleten, third place:
”It was tough. I didn’t feel so good from the start, because it went so fast. But then, when things dragged out, I felt strong and decided to push hard. I might have pushed a little too hard for too long, so I didn’t have that much left to give at the end. But at the same time I wanted to have a good run at it ahead of next weekend.”

Moa Lundgren came fourth, almost two minutes behind the leading trio, and Linn Sömskar sprinted past Sandra Schützová from the Czech Republic in the battle for fifth place.

On Sunday, March 5, it’s time for a rematch in the 99th Vasaloppet.

Junior class
Evelina Crusell, Team Eksjöhus, led the junior class by almost a minute in Hökberg. In Eldris, she was two and a half minutes ahead of the second best junior. When Crusell won the junior class she was 18th across the finish line and more than three minutes ahead of runner-up Anja Stolpe, Lager 157 Ski Team. Elin Törnqvist, also of Lager 157 Ski Team, came third.

Results Tjejvasan 2023, 30 km senior class
1 Ida Dahl, (SWE), Team Engcon, 1.18.21
2 Magni Smedås, (NOR), Team Eksjöhus, 1.18.21
3 Emilie Fleten, (NOR), Team Ramudden, 1.18.23
4 Moa Lundgren, (SWE), Exsitec Ski Team, 1.20.11
5 Linn Sömskar, (SWE), Team Engcon, 1.20.17
6 Sandra Schützová, (CZE), Vltava Fund Ski Team, 1.20.18
7 Moa Hansson, (SWE), Ski Team Göhlins, 1.20.20
8 Hedda Bångman, (SWE), Team Nordic Experience, 1.20.23
9 Märta Rosenberg, (SWE), Trillevallens Sportklubb, 1.20.52
10 Sofie Elebro, (SWE), Team Eksjöhus, 1.20.53

Results Tjejvasan 2023, 30 km junior class (D17–20)
1 Evelina Crusell, (SWE), Team Eksjöhus, 1.23.23
2 Anja Stolpe, (SWE), Lager 157 Ski Team, 1.26.40
3 Elin Törnqvist, (SWE), Lager 157 Ski Team, 1.27.43
4 Alba Björnsdotter, (SWE), Team Ramudden, 1.28.19
5 Flisa Ravald, (SWE), Åsarna IK, 1.28.27
6 Matilda Bandefur, (SWE), Borås SK, 1.28.28
7 Alva Hedström, (SWE), Funäsdalens IF, 1.28.28
8 Sofi Holmberg, (SWE), Västerås Skidklubb, 1.28.45
9 Mira Perlerot Göransson, (SWE), Borås SK, 1.29.18
10 Moa Hedman, (SWE), Högbo GIF, 1.29.23

Results lists and statistics can be found here >

Prizes
The first prize in Tjejvasan 2023 is 50,000 SEK.
Sprint prize winner in Hökberg: Magni Smedås, Norway/Team Eksjöhus, 29.25,4
Sprint prize winner in Eldris: Magni Smedås, Norway/Team Eksjöhus, 55.41,6
The total combined value of the prizes (in the form of training scholarships) awarded in the senior and junior classes of Tjejvasan 2023 is 156,000 SEK.

Watch SVT’s live broadcast after the fact on SVT Play (only in Sweden) >

Vasaloppet.TV, Vasaloppet’s streaming service, is broadcasting all the finishes from Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2023 >

All Tjejvasan victors through the ages
1988 Karin Värnlund, IFK Mora
1989 Marie Johansson, Dala-Järna IK
1990 Cancelled
1991 Anna Frithioff, Kvarnsvedens GoIF
1992 Anna Frithioff, Kvarnsvedens GoIF
1993 Carina Görlin, Hudiksvalls IF
1994 Marie Helene Östlund, Hudiksvalls IF
1995 Marie Helene Östlund, Hudiksvalls IF
1996 Kerrin Petty, IFK Moras SK
1997 Karin Öhman, Stockviks Skidförening
1998 Bente Martinsen, Norway
1999 Elin Ek, Bergeforsens SK
2000 Annika Evaldsson, IFK Mora SK
2001 Anita Moen, Norway
2002 Emelie Öhrstig, Stockviks Skidförening
2003 Ulrica Persson, SK Bore
2004 Hilde G Pedersen, Norway
2005 Sofia Bleckur, IK Jarl
2006 Elin Ek, IFK Mora SK
2007 Susanne Nyström, Piteå Elit SK
2008 Susanne Nyström, Piteå Elit SK
2009 Susanne Nyström, Piteå Elit SK
2010 Susanne Nyström, IFK Mora SK
2011 Jenny Hansson, Östersunds SK
2012 Susanne Nyström, Laisvalls SK
2013 Susanne Nyström, Laisvalls SK
2014 Sofia Bleckur, IFK Mora SK
2015 Laila Kveli, Norway
2016 Britta Johansson Norgren, Sollefteå Skidor IF
2017 Britta Johansson Norgren, Sollefteå Skidor IF
2018 Katerina Smutná, Czech Republic
2019 Britta Johansson Norgren, Sollefteå Skidor IF
2020 Britta Johansson Norgren, Sollefteå Skidor IF
2021 Lina Korsgren, Åre Längdskidklubb
2022 Britta Johansson Norgren, Sollefteå Skidor IF
2023 Ida Dahl, IFK Mora SK/Team Engcon

Registration for Tjejvasan 2024 – train all year
Tjejvasan 2024 runs on February 24 and registration opens today, Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 16:00 on vasaloppet.se. Register on or before March 19th to get a lower registration fee.