Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2015 sets new record – but there are still places left!
Just like last year, Vasaloppet's Summer Week, August 14–22, attracts a record number of registered participants. Right now there are already more than 25,500 registered for the various races, which is an increase of ten percent compared to the same time in 2014. Part of the Summer Week are the three Cykelvasan distances, as well as the running races Ultravasan and Vasastafetten. It is still possible to register for these races. Only Cykelvasan 90 is fully booked.
Vasaloppet’s Summer Week was first held in 2009 and the number of registered participants has increased with every year.
Cykelvasan, which in 2015 runs for the seventh year in a row, has now grown into the largest Nordic mountain bike race. New for this year is Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, a race identical to Cykelvasan 90, except intended for those who only wish to compete against themselves. To the various Cykelvasan races there have been 19,000 registrants, of which 2,500 have registered for the premiere edition of Cykelvasan Öppet Spår.
Vasaloppet works continuously to improve the Cykelvasan track. This summer, there will be a large change around Oxberg. Now the participants, just like in Vasaloppet during the winter, will use the tunnel in Vasslan and follow the winter track via Björnarvet and Lundbäcksbackarna to the checkpoint in Oxberg. In total, approximately 9 km out of Cykelvasan’s 94 km have been re-routed this year. This will also lead to the asphalt section of the track being reduced by about four kilometres. Cykelvasan 45 on the Friday will, thanks to this, be completely car-free for the first time. Of course, Cykelvasan 30 and Ungdomscykelvasan are also car-free. The goal is to run the whole Cykelvasan from Sälen to Mora off roads with traffic by 2018.
Friday, August 14 at 15:00, Cykelvasasprinten will be held in the middle of the trade fair area in Lindvallen, Sälen. Here, the audience will have an opportunity to see Sweden’s best mountain bikers compete in a prologue to Cykelvasan. Roberto Vacchi entertains on stage.
Running in forefathers’ tracks
During the Summer Week’s second weekend, thousands of runners will take to the Vasaloppet Arena. The Ultravasan challenge was a great success in its premiere year 2014, and the number registered to run the whole distance between Sälen and Mora has increased by 33 percent this year. Put together with the participants in Ultravasan 45, that makes a total of about 1,700 ultra runners.
Vasastafetten for ten-person teams, which, just like Ultravasan, will be held on Saturday August 22, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and the number of registered teams is approaching 500, which means close to 5,000 runners.
There are races that even the very youngest can participate in during Vasaloppet’s Summer Week 2015. The children’s races Barnens Cykelvasa and Barnens Springvasa will be held both in Mora and in Sälen. Participation in these races is completely free (read more through the events programme link below).
Registration
For Cykelvasan it is possible to register online at vasaloppet.se up until midnight August 12, while online registration for Ultravasan and Vasastafetten closes at midnight August 20. After that you can only register on location.
The whole events programme for Vasaloppet’s Summer Week 2015 is available here.
Upcoming events in the Vasaloppet Arena:
Vasaloppet Summer Week 2015
Fri 14 Aug: Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 14 Aug: Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 14 Aug: Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 14 Aug: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 15 Aug: Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen. (12,000 entries. FULL 1/10/2014)
Sat 22 Aug: Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 22 Aug: Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 22 Aug: Vasastafetten. 4.5–15 km. Running relay race for ten-person teams. Start Sälen.
Vasaloppet Winter Week 2016
Fri 26 Feb: Kortvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 27 Feb: Tjejvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 28 Feb: Ungdomsvasan. 3, 5, 7 or 9 km. Start Mora Ski Stadium.
Sun 28 Feb: Öppet Spår Sunday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Mon 29 Feb: Öppet Spår Monday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Tue 1 Mar: Halvvasan. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 4 Mar: Stafettvasan. 9–24 km. Relay race for five-person teams. Start Sälen. (9,000 entries. FULL 22/3/2015.)
Sun 6 Mar: Vasaloppet. 90 km. Start Sälen. (15,800 entries. FULL 22/3/2015.)
