Quick guide to Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2023

Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2023

Friday, February 24: Vasaloppet 30, 30 km, start Oxberg
First out in the Winter Week is an exercise race for the whole family. The race used to be called Kortvasan but the more universal name Vasaloppet 30 has applied since 2020. The ski style is classic and everyone from the age of 11 is welcome to participate. It is not unusual to see three generations skiing the race together. Bring your grandma, brother, mother or grandpa. The start in Oxberg is followed by 30 kilometres of wonderful skiing down towards Mora. Fortify yourself with blueberry soup at the Vasaloppet checkpoints in Hökberg and Eldris before you reach the finish line portal and receive your well-deserved medals. Because everyone who completes a race during our Winter Week gets a medal!

Saturday, February 25: Tjejvasan, 30 km, start Oxberg
Tjejvasan is a true classic. The world’s largest ski race exclusively for women runs this year for the 35th time, and almost 200,000 have crossed the finish line in Mora over the years. Elite and recreational athletes ski together in the same race. There are competition classes (senior and junior) and an exercise class. The Ski Classics cross-country cup has now made Tjejvasan a ”Challenger” race within Ski Classics, giving the race even higher status. Tjejvasan will be broadcast live this year by SVT, and we already know that the race will have a brand new winner in 2023, as all those who have won in recent years have hung up their skis. The atmosphere is great and the track is lined with live music and fun activities.

Sunday, February 26: Ungdomsvasan, 9 km start Eldris, 19 km start Hökberg
This is the race that puts the skiers of the future in forefathers’ tracks. What do today’s young national team skiers Johanna Hagström, Emma Ribom and Edvin Anger have in common? Well, they all started their skiing careers in Ungdomsvasan, a race that manifests the breadth of Swedish skiing in the same way as Vasaloppet. All young people, whether they compete for a ski club or not, are welcome to participate. The race has three age classes for boys and girls respectively. The 11–12 and 13–14-year-olds start in Eldris and ski 9 km while 15–16-year-olds start in Hökberg and ski 19 km.

Sunday, February 26: Öppet Spår Sunday, 90 km, start Sälen
For those who want to ski the world’s biggest cross-country ski race, going from Sälen to Mora and only competing against yourself. The race follows the same course and passes the same checkpoints as Vasaloppet. The challenge is the same, as is the nature experience. Unlike Öppet Spår Monday, only classic style is allowed in Öppet Spår Sunday. The race counts as a seeding race for Vasaloppet. Försvarsmaktsvasan also runs on this day, a race where Swedish defence forces run their own Vasaloppet from Sälen to Mora. Their start time is ten minutes before the first start group in Öppet Spår Sunday.

Monday, February 27: Öppet Spår Monday, 90 km, start Sälen
Since 2022 Öppet Spår Monday is freestyle, which means that both skate and classic style are allowed, unlike Öppet Spår Sunday where you can only ski classic style. The Vasaloppet Arena is prepared with both a skate surface and a ski track. The race counts as a seeding race for Vasaloppet’s start groups 2–10.

Tuesday, February 28: Vasaloppet 45, 45 km, start Oxberg
Vasaloppet 45 was previously called Halvvasan and, as the name implies, it’s about half the length of Vasaloppet. Despite that, the start place is in Oxberg. The track starts with a loop around the beautiful Oxberg lake before rejoining the Vasaloppet Arena. Enjoy the Vasaloppet atmosphere as you pass the checkpoints in Oxberg, Hökberg and Eldris on your way to Mora. Vasaloppet 45 counts as a seeding race for Vasaloppet and those also registered to ski Vasaloppet on Sunday start in the first group.

Friday, March 3: Stafettvasan, 90 km, start Sälen
The world’s largest ski relay celebrates its 20th anniversary this year – with teams from clubs, companies, families and groups of friends sharing the classic route from Sälen to Mora. The sections for the five team members are 24 km, 24 km, 14 km, 9 km and 19 km. Exchanges take place in Mångsbodarna, Evertsberg, Oxberg and Hökberg. Team members are permitted to take on more than one section per person. Meet your teammates at the finish line and celebrate together when you receive your well-deserved medals. Expect a party atmosphere!

Friday, March 3: Nattvasan 30, 30 km, start Oxberg
Nattvasan had its premiere in 2017, but Nattvasan 30 ran for the first time in 2022. Just like in Vasaloppet 30, you can ski Nattvasan as early as the year you turn 11. The route is also the same, with one big difference: When the race starts in Oxberg at 19:00, it’s dark outside and all participants have headlamps. An adventure awaits here, a journey lined with torches and fires that lead you to Mora. You can participate as an individual or in teams of two – or even more people – and skate and classic ski style are both allowed.

Friday, March 3: Nattvasan 45, 45 km, start Oxberg
Nattvasan 45 starts at 20:00 in Oxberg; stars and headlamps illuminate the track that goes around the beautiful Oxberg lake before rejoining the Vasaloppet Arena. It will be an adventure, a journey lined with torches and fires, leading to the finish. You can participate as an individual or in teams of two – or even more people – and skate and classic ski style are both allowed.

Friday, March 3: Nattvasan 90, 90 km, start Sälen
During the day, 90 kilometres is a challenge. At night it becomes an adventure. The moment you leave the start in Berga by at 20:00, darkness and silence descend around you. Stars and headlamps light the way to the finish line in Mora, which is open until 08:00 the next morning. Nattvasan has been described as a magical race, a 90-kilometre nocturnal journey lined with torches and fires. Participate as an individual or in teams of two; skate and classic ski style are both allowed.

Saturday, March 4: Vasaloppet 10, 9 km, start Eldris
Vasaloppet 10 is a race that’s more about trying out skiing than about competing. It gives you the chance to ski in the Vasaloppet track and finish under Vasaloppet’s classic finish line portal. Who doesn’t want to do that? The start is in Eldris, 9 km from the finish in Mora. It’s an easy route and the race was formerly called Blåbärsloppet (”the Blueberry Race”). At Vasaloppet’s 100th anniversary in 2022, the race was given the subtitle ”On skis through the ages”, and many participants dressed up in vintage clothes and skied using old equipment as a tribute to Vasaloppet’s 100-year history. Vasaloppet hopes that many participants will continue to do so and that this might become a fun tradition. Both skate and classic style are allowed in the race and dressing up is, of course, optional.

Sunday, March 5: Vasaloppet, 90 km, start Sälen
Vasaloppet is the world’s biggest cross-country ski race. This year marks the 99th Vasaloppet in sequence. Elite and recreational athletes ski together and the journey takes the 15,800 participants from the start in Berga by in Sälen at 08:00, through the seven classic Vasaloppet checkpoints Smågan, Mångsbodarna, Risberg, Evertsberg, Oxberg, Hökberg and Eldris before the race is decided, often on the final stretch in Mora. A fantastic sporting tradition, a ski festival, a test of strength. More than 600,000 skiers have made their way through Vasaloppet since its inception in 1922. And as it says on the skiers’ diplomas: ”Every finish is a victory”. Millions of television viewers in several countries watch the race. The reigning champions are Andreas Nygaard and Astrid Öyre Slind, both from Norway. After ten Norwegian men’s victories in a row, will there finally be a Swedish win? In 1923, Margit Nordin was the first woman to ski Vasaloppet. This year, the percentage of women in the track will be record high.
Read more: All TV channels broadcasting Vasaloppet 2023 >

Barnens Vasalopp on skis 2023
The children’s race Barnens Vasalopp is organized in Sälen and Mora during Vasaloppet’s Winter Week. The recommended age is 3–10 years. It is free to participate in the race, and all children receive a medal after finishing.
Saturday, February 25: Sälen, the Vasaloppet start – 90, 300 or 900 metres.
Saturday, March 4: Mora, starting at the Mora Park campsite. Finish at the Vasaloppet finish – 900 meters.

Hemmavasan on skis 2023
Hemmavasan on skis complements Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2023. While the regular races are held on location in Sälen and Mora, from Friday February 24 to Sunday March 5, participants can also ski a race in any location around Sweden – or the world. You ski in your local ski track and in the digital Vasaloppet Arena at the same time! Register and use the Vasaloppet app to register your time during the race, and afterwards you can see your results at vasaloppet.se.

Vasaloppstrippeln 2023
In order to complete Vasaloppstrippeln you have to, during one and the same calendar year, ski in Vasaloppet’s Winter Week, and then cycle and run in Vasaloppet’s Summer Week. You can choose between 30, 45 or 90 kilometres:
– Vasaloppstrippeln 30 means skiing Vasaloppet 30, Tjejvasan or Nattvasan 30, cycling in Cykelvasan 30, and walking, jogging or running in Trailvasan 30.
– Vasaloppstrippeln 45 means skiing in Vasaloppet 45 or Nattvasan 45, cycling in Cykelvasan 45 and walking, jogging or running in Ultravasan 45.
– Vasaloppstrippeln 90 means skiing in Vasaloppet, Öppet Spår or Nattvasan 90, cycling in Cykelvasan 90 or Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, and walking, jogging or running in Ultravasan 90.