The Vasaloppet Risberg is an annual long distance cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March in Sweden.
The 56 mile race is the the oldest cross-country competition in the world and has the most annual participants. The father of the Vasaloppet is Anders Pers drew inspiration for the race from Gustav Eriksson Vasa’s flight on skis from Mora towards Norway in 1521.
The endurance challenge of completing a 56 mile course doesn’t need explaining but for the uninitiated the hazards of slight downhill can present when you’re on skinny cross country skis might not be obviously but will be after watching the video below.
The camera man set up a tripod on a mellow decline and just patiently waited for chaos to ensue. It should be noted that this is only small sampling of the racers as the Vasaloppet has drawn over 15,000 participants in recent years. Incredible.
Vasaloppet History:
Vasaloppet started in 1922, but really it is much older than that. The first Vasalopp was carried out as early as 1521 by Gustav Eriksson. During his flight from the Danish king he stopped in Sälen and returned to Mora to lead the uprising against the occupation forces. Gustav Eriksson eventually united the realm and became Sweden’s first king, better known under the name Gustav Vasa. In other words, Sälen is not only the starting point for the world’s largest exercise race; it is also the starting point for the history of our whole country.
