Vasaloppet introduces new start procedure for Öppet Spår

When Öppet Spår Sunday and Öppet Spår Monday run on February 24 and 25, 2019, it will be the 39th year of Öppet Spår. The race was created in 1979 after several years of Vasaloppet being fully booked, leaving many out who wanted to participate. The need for Öppet Spår is as great now as it was then. With less than four months left there are about 5,500 registered for Sunday and 2,500 for Monday.

In previous years, participants have had the choice to start in Berga by in Sälen at any time between 07:00 and 08:30, but in practice most people have chosen to start at 07:00, which has contributed to crowding both before and after the start.

Seven start groups will therefore be introduced in 2019, with the first start at 07:00. (The pens to all the start groups will open as early as 05:00 for those who arrive in good time.) Groups will then start every ten minutes, with about 1,000–1,500 participants per group. Your start position in Öppet Spår will be based on the estimated finishing time you entered when registering.

Why is Vasaloppet implementing this change?
”Over the years we’ve seen the tracks get crowded, with lots of people overtaking one another, even though the point of picking your own start time was to avoid this. Now everyone will know what time they’re starting, which will reduce queueing,” says Tommy Höglund, Vasaloppet’s Sport Manager.

How has this news been received by the participants?
”Some have perhaps not registered this change for 2019, and some have gotten in touch to ask why we’re asking for their estimated finishing time when registering,” says Marianne Arvidsson, Sport Administrator at Vasaloppet.

If you do a lot of training this winter and want to change your estimated finishing time, is that possible?
”Yes, you can alter it up until the middle of January. After that we will assign the skiers their start groups,” Marianne Arvidsson explains.

FACTS/ Öppet Spår
Distance: 90 km from Sälen to Mora
Start times:
Start group 1 at 07:00
Start group 2 at 07:10
Start group 3 at 07:20
Start group 4 at 07:30
Start group 5 at 07:40
Start group 6 at 07:50
Start group 7 at 08:00–08:15. (If the race is not fully booked there will be fewer start groups, and an earlier start for the final group.)
Total start places on Sunday, February 24: 10,000
Total start places on Monday, February 25: 8,000

Watch the Öppet Spår start from this past winter on Vasaloppet’s streaming service Vasaloppet.TV