2018-03-01 17:35

Whole or half Nattvasan, and delayed start in Stafettvasan

LATEST NEWS ABOUT NATTVASAN:
The race will start, as planned, in Sälen at 20:00 tonight. Weather forecast is that it will be minus 20 degrees at the starting area but it will slowly get warmer during the race. All seven official checkpoints will serve warm beverages and there will be buses on site if you need to warm yourself. Make sure to bring extra batteries, keep them close to your body, and make sure you have warm beverages in your rucksack.
And stay safe, make sure that you and your partner stay warm during the race. Bring extra and warm clothes.

Cold weather has characterized the Vasaloppet Winter Week 2018 and it will affect both Stafettvasan and Nattvasan, held tomorrow, Friday, March 2. The Stafettvasan start will be delayed and for Nattvasan it has been decided that the race will take place, either over 90 km as planned, with extra security measures, or it will run over half the distance, 45 km, starting in Oxberg.

Participant safety will always be Vasaloppet’s top priority. Before Nattvasan starts on Friday, at 20:00, the world’s biggest ski relay race, Stafettvasan, will take place with 2,400 registered teams. The weather forecast currently claims that temperatures may sink to minus 25 degrees at the start in Sälen on Friday morning and Stafettvasan’s original starting times, 07:00 and 09:00, will therefore be postponed to 8:30 and 10:30.
”The forecast tells us that temperatures will rise over the course of the day and we judge that by postponing the start we will not submit participants on the first section to any more severe temperatures than necessary,” says Tommy Höglund, Vasaloppet’s Sport Manager.

Regarding Nattvasan it’s been decided that the race will take place but it’s not yet certain if it will be over the whole or half the distance. The current forecast says that Nattvasan temperatures will be around 15–20 minus. If that forecast is correct then the entire 90-kilometre Nattvasan will take place, but with extra security measures.

”For example we will ensure it’s possible to get inside, heat up and get some warm drink at all seven traditional checkpoints, and we will have additional medical staff,” says Tommy Höglund.

If a later forecast shows that temperatures may sink even lower then the Nattvasan start will be moved to Oxberg and the race will run over half the course, 45 km instead of 90 km. A final decision will be made no later than Friday morning.
”Shortening the race would mean participants would spend less time on the course, exposing them to less risk. Moving the start to Oxberg would also exclude the open marshes and colder sections of the track, such as the start in Sälen, Tennäng, as well as the long downhill slope directly after Evertsberg,” says Tommy Höglund.

Right now we’re working on informing all registered participants via Vasaloppet’s website and social channels as well as relaying safety precautions that participants should take.
”Regardless of what we, the organizers, decide, we want to emphasize that each individual has a responsibility to look to their own conditions, and those of their teammate, both based on physique and experience, and decide whether or not to participate in Nattvasan. We are right now working on supplementing our advice on how participants should equip themselves and how to approach the race,” says Tommy Höglund.

Race information

STAFETTVASAN

NATTVASAN

Events in the Vasaloppet Arena

Vasaloppet Winter Week 2018
Fri 23 Feb: Kortvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 24 Feb: Tjejvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 25 Feb: Ungdomsvasan. 9/19 km Start Eldris/Hökberg
Sun 25 Feb: Öppet Spår Sunday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Mon 26 Feb: Öppet Spår Monday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Tue 27 Feb: Halvvasan. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 2 Mar: Stafettvasan. 9–24 km. Five-person teams. Start Sälen. (FULL 171220)
Fri 2 Mar: Nattvasan. 90 km. Two-person teams. Start Sälen. (FULL 170319)
Sat 3 Mar: Blåbärsloppet. 9 km. Start Eldris.(FULL 180228)
Sun 4 Mar: Vasaloppet. 90 km. Start Sälen. (FULL 170319)

Vasaloppet Summer Week 2018
Fri 10 Aug: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen.
Fri 10 Aug: Cykelvasasprinten. 1 km. Lindvallen, Sälen.
Sat 11 Aug: Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen.
Sun 12 Aug: Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 12 Aug: Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 12 Aug: Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 18 Aug: Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 18 Aug: Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 18 Aug: Vasastafetten. 4,5–15 km. Running relay for ten-person teams. Start Sälen.
Sat 18 Aug: Vasakvartetten. 19.1–24.2 km. Running relay for four-person teams. Start Sälen.

 

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