Vasaloppet
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Vasaloppet is a long distance cross-country ski race (ski marathon) held in Dalarna, Sweden, annually on the first Sunday of March. It is one of the oldest, the longest, and the biggest cross-country ski race in the world. In the 80th race held on March 7, 2004 some 15,500 skiers competed in the main event, which is held over a distance of 90 kilometres between the village of Sälen and town of Mora. A total of more than 40,000 participated in one of the seven different races held during the first week of March. The race was started in 1922 being inspired by the run that the future King Gustav Vasa had made in 1520. Winner of the first race was Ernst Alm from Norsjö, who until 2002 was the youngest winner ever of the race.
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[edit] History
In 1520 the young nobleman Gustav Ericsson Vasa was escaping from the troops of Christian II, king of Denmark, Sweden and Norway (the Kalmar Union). A large part of the Swedish nobility was in opposition to the king, even having nicknamed him Christian the Tyrant. In a move to silence the opposition Christian invited the Swedish aristocracy to a reconciliation party in Stockholm, only to have them, including Gustav's parents, massacred in what came to be known as the Stockholm Bloodbath. Danish and Swedish kings have at a few occasions ordered murders on their opponents, but that has never been tolerated.
Gustav was escaping through Dalecarlia, fearing for his life and discovery by the kings troops, when he spoke to the assembled men of Mora, trying to convince them to raise a levy and start a rebellion against king Christian. The men were not convinced and by ski, Gustav Vasa started to make his way towards Norway, to find refuge there, when he was caught up at Sälen, by two ski runners. The men in Mora had changed their minds after getting confirmation on the Stockholm events, and wanted Gustav to lead the rebellion. On June 6, 1523 Gustav Vasa was crowned king of Sweden, having beaten the Danish king Christian and dissolved the Kalmar Union. Sweden has been fully independent ever since.
[edit] Sister Races
A sister race to the Swedish Vasaloppet is held annually on the 2nd Sunday of February in Mora, Minnesota, USA. The American Vasaloppet features a 35 km and 58 km skate, a 42 km classical race, and many other events in and around the town of Mora. The first place male and female racers in the American Vasaloppet win a trip to compete in the Swedish Vasaloppet.
The Chinese Vasaloppet has been held in Changchun since 2003.
[edit] World cup race
- The Swedish Vasaloppet is a member race of the Worldloppet Ski Federation, a series of long distance cross country ski races.
- The Swedish Vasaloppet is a member race of the Cross-country skiing World Cup.
[edit] Vasaloppet week
The week preceding Vasaloppet is known as Vasaloppet week. Races held during this week include:
- KortVasan (short - 30 km)
- TjejVasan (ladies - 30 km)
- HalvVasan (half - 45 km)
- Öppet spår (non-competitive 90 km)
- StafettVasan (relay 90 km)
- SkejtVasan (free technique 30 km and 45 km).
[edit] Winners
| Year | Name | Club/Nation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Ernst Alm |  IFK Norsjö, Sweden |
7:32:49 |
| 1923 | Oskar Lindberg | IFK Norsjö, Sweden |
6:32:41 |
| 1924 | John Lindgren | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
6:53:26 |
| 1925 | Sven Utterström | Bodens BK, Sweden |
6:03:55 |
| 1926 | Per-Erik Hedlund | Malungs IF, Sweden |
5:36:07 |
| 1927 | Konrad Pettersson | Luleå SK, Sweden |
6:19:32 |
| 1928 | Per-Erik Hedlund Sven Utterström |
Särna SK, Sweden Bodens BK, Sweden |
5:33:23 |
| 1929 | J A Persson | Arjeplogs SK, Sweden |
6:38:22 |
| 1930 | Verner Lundström | Arvidsjaurs IF, Sweden |
6:56:30 |
| 1931 | Anders Ström | IFK Mora, Sweden |
6:37:47 |
| 1932 | Cancelled | ||
| 1933 | Arthur Häggblad | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
5:57:09 |
| 1934 | Cancelled | ||
| 1935 | Arthur Häggblad | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
6:08:55 |
| 1936 | Sven Hansson | Lima IF, Sweden |
6:31:55 |
| 1937 | Arthur Häggblad | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
6:05:56 |
| 1938 | Elias Nilsson | Östersunds SK, Sweden |
5:48:28 |
| 1939 | Alfred Lif | Orsa IF, Sweden |
5:35:59 |
| 1940 | Arthur Häggblad | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
6:23:57 |
| 1941 | Mauritz Brännström | IFK Norsjö, Sweden |
6:51:12 |
| 1942 | Olle Wiklund | IFK Bergvik, Sweden |
5:31:50 |
| 1943 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:47:10 |
| 1944 | Gösta Andersson | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
5:18:43 |
| 1945 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
6:27:59 |
| 1946 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
6:08:42 |
| 1947 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:59:35 |
| 1948 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:35:13 |
| 1949 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:44:09 |
| 1950 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
6:08:25 |
| 1951 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:27:20 |
| 1952 | Sigfrid Mattsson | Skarpnäcks IF, Sweden |
5:09:45 |
| 1953 | Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:01:55 |
| 1954 | Pekka Kuvaja |  Finland |
6:22:51 |
| 1955 | Sixten Jernberg | Lima IF, Sweden |
5:27:28 |
| 1956 | Sigvard Jonsson | Rossöns IK, Sweden |
5:23:36 |
| 1957 | Gunnar Larsson | Oxbergs IF, Sweden |
6:23:40 |
| 1958 | Gunnar Larsson | Oxbergs IF, Sweden |
5:31:50 |
| 1959 | Sune Larsson | Oxbergs IF, Sweden |
5:13:28 |
| 1960 | Sixten Jernberg | Lima IF, Sweden |
5:13:26 |
| 1961 | David Johansson | Delsbo IF, Sweden |
4:45:10 |
| 1962 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
5:07:46 |
| 1963 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
4:56:25 |
| 1964 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
5:32:07 |
| 1965 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
4:35:03 |
| 1966 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
5:52:38 |
| 1967 | Assar Rönnlund | IFK Umeå, Sweden |
5:20:22 |
| 1968 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
4:39:49 |
| 1969 | Janne Stefansson | Sälens IF, Sweden |
4:50:07 |
| 1970 | Lars-Arne Bölling | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:08:38 |
| 1971 | Ole Ellefsæter |  Norway |
5:12:56 |
| 1972 | Lars-Arne Bölling | IFK Mora, Sweden |
5:35:19 |
| 1973 | Pauli Siitonen | Finland |
4:42:11 |
| 1974 | Matti Kuosku | Högbo IF, Sweden |
5:06:23 |
| 1975 | Gert-Dietmar Klause |  East Germany |
4:20:29 |
| 1976 | Matti Kuosku | Högbo IF, Sweden |
4:09:07 |
| 1977 | Ivan Garanin |  Soviet Union |
4:30:34 |
| 1978 | Jean-Paul Pierrat |  France |
5:20:12 |
| 1979 | Ola Hassis | Orsa IF, Sweden |
4:05:58 |
| 1980 | Walter Mayer |  Austria |
4:08:02 |
| 1981 | Sven-Åke Lundbäck | IFK Råneå, Sweden |
4:29:32 |
| 1982 | Lasse Frykberg | IFK Mora, Sweden |
4:28:50 |
| 1983 | Konrad Hallenbarter |  Switzerland |
3:58:08 |
| 1984 | Hans Persson | Åsarna IK, Sweden |
4:14:14 |
| 1985 | Bengt Hassis | Orsa IF, Sweden |
4:45:43 |
| 1986 | Bengt Hassis | Orsa IF, Sweden |
3:48:55 |
| 1987 | Anders Larsson | Bondsjöhöjden, Sweden |
4:20:20 |
| 1988 | Anders Blomqvist Örjan Blomqvist |
IFK Lidingö, Sweden IFK Lidingö, Sweden |
4:47:04 |
| 1989 | Jan Ottosson | Åsarna IK, Sweden |
5:09:33 |
| 1990 | Cancelled | ||
| 1991 | Jan Ottosson | Åsarna IK, Sweden |
5:07:11 |
| 1992 | Jan Ottosson | Åsarna IK, Sweden |
3:57:04 |
| 1993 | Håkan Westin | Graningealliansen, Sweden |
4:02:10 |
| 1994 | Jan Ottosson | Åsarna IK, Sweden |
4:06:19 |
| 1995 | Sven-Erik Danielsson | Dala-Järna IK, Sweden |
4:11:09 |
| 1996 | Håkan Westin | Graningealliansen, Sweden |
4:01:15 |
| 1997 | Michail Botvinov | Austria |
4:11:41 |
| 1998 | Peter Göransson | Åsarna IK, Sweden |
3:38:57 |
| 1999 | Staffan Larsson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
4:31:37 |
| 2000 | Raul Olle |  Estonia |
4:14:38 |
| 2001 | Henrik Eriksson | IFK Mora, Sweden |
4:01:22 |
| 2002 | Daniel Tynell | Falun/Borlänge SK, Sweden |
3:58:52 |
| 2003 | Oskar Svärd | Sollefteå SK, Sweden |
3:58:23 |
| 2004 | Anders Aukland | Norway |
3:48:42 |
| 2005 | Oskar Svärd | Ulricehamns IF, Sweden |
3:51:47 |
| 2006 | Daniel Tynell | Grycksbo IF, Sweden |
4:34:09 |
| 2007 | Oskar Svärd | Ulricehamns IF, Sweden |
4:43:40 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Vasaloppet - Official Swedish Site
- American Vasaloppet - Mora, MN, USA Race Site
- Interactive Map
| En svensk klassiker |
|---|
| Vasaloppet | Vätternrundan | Vansbrosimmet | Lidingöloppet Öppet spår | Engelbrektsloppet |
| Worldloppet cross-country skiing races |
|---|
| Europe: Birkebeinerrennet | Dolomitenlauf | Engadin Skimarathon | Finlandia-hiihto | Jizerská padesátka | König Ludwig Lauf | Marcialonga | Tartu Maraton | La Transjurassienne | Vasaloppet America: American Birkebeiner | Keskinada Loppet | Asia: Sapporo International Ski Marathon | Australia: Kangaroo Hoppet |
