Over 50,000 reached their goal during Vasaloppet’s Week!

Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2010 can now be summed up. There was a record number of entries registered, a record number who started, and also a record number who made it to the finish. When the finish in Mora was closed on Sunday evening, 50,553 skiers had reached the finish.

Nine races in ten days attracted 57,578 entries, a 20% increase compared with 2009 when 48,184 had entered. Last year 43,635 skiers started and 42,263 reached the finish. This year there were 52,481 who started and 50,553 who reached the finish (including StafettVasan’s five distances). As for Vasaloppet itself, 15,702 started and 14,934 finished, which was a further two records. 

Jonas Bauer, Vasaloppet’s CEO, comments on Vasaloppet’s Week 2010:
“It’s been a fantastic week! Nobody could have imagined that we would get so many entries. But it is terrific, and shows what an enormous interest in skiing there is, and what powerful attraction Vasaloppet has. Nevertheless, we are completely fascinated that there were so very many that entered.

It’s also extremely gratifying to note both that so many started and that so many made it to the finish. It shows that, despite the rather difficult circumstances over the first weekend, our track patrols succeeded in creating good conditions. And I also believe that people were better prepared this year. 

If we look at the logistics, there is no doubt that this enormous interest makes very high demands both on our organisation and on our region.  The Vasaloppet road in not designed for Vasaloppet’s Week nor indeed for all the other traffic which goes up to the Sälen fells today. We believe that something must be done with the Vasaloppet road. Until then, we must continue to work with these traffic issues, together with the police. We regret the problems that arose, but we had a pragmatic solution which meant that the vast majority still managed to get an enjoyable day out on the ski tracks. The competition organisation also made sure that the late skiers got a time from Sälen to Mora.

It’s extremely positive that interest in physical exercise and training is so great in our country; for us just now, our main concern is not to grow even more in the winter, but to focus on ways to improve and refine the overall experience for both our participants and our public,” concludes Jonas Bauer.

The next big event in Vasalopps Arena is Vasaloppet’s Summer Week in August, with CykelVasan, VasaStafetten and StavgångsVasan.