Vasaloppet: the world’s oldest cross-country ski race
Hi! My name is Jessica Tovesson and I am the founder of Learn Swedish Now. I provide online classes in the Swedish language and culture with a live instructor and customized lessons tailored to your learning style and goals. My language lessons incorporate Swedish culture and social cues, which my customers find really entertaining and fun. In my experience people learn much faster and more efficiently if the content is engaging and interesting! In today’s blog I wanted to tell you about a popular sporting event in Sweden: Vasaloppet!
As you might know winter sports are huge in Sweden, which is perhaps not surprising considering the northern geographical location and access to snow covered mountains in parts of the country. In fact, despite the small population, Sweden typically is in the top 10 at the Winter Olympics when you count the total number of medals. Any sport that takes place on snow or ice is popular in Sweden, but cross-country skiing is a particular event of pride for Swedes. And the popularity of cross-country skiing is also fairly easy to understand; while there are mountains in Sweden most of the country is in fact rather flat. And let’s not forget the beautiful forests, flowery fields and historical buildings that can be enjoyed while gliding along on a pair of skis on a cold, clear day!
While many Swedes enjoy cross-country skiing as a pastime activity it is also popular as a competitive sport, and is a big spectator sport. The most famous race is Vasaloppet, which takes place every first Sunday in March, starting in the village of Sälen and ending in the town of Mora. The race track is 90 km long, and is located in a part of Sweden called Dalarna in the north. The event is the oldest cross-country race in the world, first held in 1922, and is now part of the World Cup in cross-country skiing as it’s longest race. And Vasaloppet is a lot more than just one race; it has actually grown to a full week long event, with multiple races held throughout. The best known is Tjejvasan, which is a race for female athletes, but there is also a youth race, a short race (30 km/19 mi), an open event, and more. It is truly an activity for the whole family!
So how did this race come about in the first place? It is actually a really interesting story dating back to the 16th century. During this time Sweden, Norway and Denmark were ruled by King Christian II of Denmark, in what was known as the Kalmar Union (Kalmar is my hometown, but I’ll save that story for another time). The Danish ruler was not very popular with the people in Sweden, and there was resistance brewing throughout the land. A young nobleman, Gustav Ericsson Vasa, ended up leading the resistance against the king after his father was killed by soldiers at a massacre known as the “Stockholm Bloodbath” in the year 1520. As he fled from Danish troops he traveled from Stockholm to Dalarna in the north, and once there he spoke to a group of men in the town of Mora in an attempt to convince them to join a rebellion against the King. When the men refused, Gustav left to seek refuge in Norway. However, the group later had a change of heart and sent their best skiers, two brothers, to catch up with Gustav, which they did in the village of Sälen. Long story short, Gustav Vasa led a successful resistance against the Danish troops and became the first ruler of the independent nation of Sweden, where he is often referred to as the Father of the Nation. A local man from Mora, Anders Pers, came up with the idea of holding a ski race to commemorate the historical events that led up Gustav Vasa winning independence for Sweden.
If you watch the Vasaloppet race on TV, or even better, in person, you might notice some of the many traditions that surround the event if you pay close attention. One such tradition is the unusual snack/drink served at the multiple stations along the race: blåbärssoppa (blueberry soup). This warm, sweet concoction is intended to keep the skiers warm and energized along the track and many Swedes associate cross-country skiing with the soup. Another tradition is for the winner to receive a laurel wreath hung around the neck from a woman dressed in the traditional folk dress of Dalarna.
I participated in Tjejvasan (the open race for women athletes) as a skier myself once and it was a great experience! While it took a lot of preparation and training in the months leading up to the event, it was definitely well worth it! I vividly remember the spectators along the way cheering us on with cow bells and encouraging words. Let me tell you, blueberry soup tastes amazing after a few hours on skis! If you ever want to be part of a Swedish tradition, enjoy the outdoors and get a serious workout all at the same time you should definitely sign up for the Vasaloppet!
And if you want to learn to speak Swedish and learn more about the country I suggest you sign up for one of my free trials today. With my online classes and one-on-one instruction you will be speaking Swedish with confidence in no time!
