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The Swedish Classic Circuit – En Svensk Klassiker

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En Svensk Klassiker (also called The Swedish Classic) is quite a challenge to accomplish. Over a twelve-month period, the participants must complete four disciplines: Vasaloppet (cross-country skiing), Vätternrundan (cycling), Vansbronsimningen (swimming) and Lidingöloppet (walking).

Vasaloppet (or Engelbrektsloppet): 90 km of cross-country skiing between Sälen and Mora
Vätternrundan: 315 km cycling around Lake Vättern, start & finish in Motala
Vansbronsimningen: 3 km swimming in Vansbro (Dalarna)
Lidingöloppet: 30 km trail run on the island of Lidingö

It is one of the oldest, longest and largest competitions in the world. The Classic sounds familiar to every Swede. Thousands of participants register for En Svensk Klassiker every year, but not everyone makes it to the finish. When you do make it to the finish, you receive a certificate to be proud of.

You can also go for a half, a short or the “Tjej” Classic. En Svensk Klassiker originated in 1971 and in the meantime more than 100,000 people have succeeded in this challenge.

Perseverance

It is a real achievement to fully complete the 4 disciplines of En Svensk Klassiker. It takes a lot of time and training. In addition to a good condition, discipline, endurance and perseverance are also required. The satisfaction afterwards seems great.

I have already done half a Lidingöloppet myself but frankly no ambitions to take on the other challenges, haha.

Believe me, you really have to train hard to complete En Svensk Klassiker. It is not for everyone. Fortunately, the competition offers specialists and doctors to ensure that everything runs safely & smoothly.

Are you up for the challenge? Here is a link to register if you want to participate.

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20 January 2021

Vasaloppet, a popular cross-country race

Heidi

Vasaloppet is a popular cross-country ski race that is organised in Dalarna (Central Sweden). The event takes place on the first Sunday of March.

Cross-country skiing is a combination of ice skating and skiing. You have long, narrow skis at your feet, you slide your feet forward and make a specific cross-country movement. You can also use sticks to speed up movement by pushing your body forward on arm strength.

From Sälen to Mora

The cross-country skiers of Vasaloppet cover a ninety kilometer route. With a start in Sälen and a finish in Mora, it was the longest of its kind for a long time. It is also the oldest cross-country skiing race (since 1922) and the one with the most participants. It is a gigantic event and everyone can participate. Both top athletes and ordinary citizens can register. Every year there are also famous Swedes who participate, often for a good cause.

Thousands of people participate in the Vasaloppet or come to support the participants. Due to great success, the organizers created different variants. Nowadays you can also run and cycle the distance in a competition at the end of August. In Mora you can also visit the museum about the Vasalopp.

About kranskulla and blåbärsoppa

The lady and gentleman who may hand over the crown of victory to the winner are called kranskulla and kransmas. They are real ambassadors for the event.

No less than 50,000 liters of blåbärsoppa (blue currant juice) are served during the Vasaloppet week. The participants get this at the supply stations.

Gustav Vasa

With the Vasaloppet contest they commemorate the flee of the later Swedish king, Gustav Vasa, by the Danish king Christian II and his troops. In the winter of 1520-1521, Gustav Vasa made this same trip on skis, but in the opposite direction.

Stockholm bloodbath

Source Wikipedia

In 1520, the young nobleman Gustav Ericsson Vasa was fleeing from the troops of the Danish king Christian II. Much of the Swedish nobility was in opposition to the king, and had 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.

Gustav fled through Dalarna, fearing for his life if he were discovered by the king’s troops. He spoke to the men of Mora at a gathering and tried to convince them to raise a levy and start a rebellion against King Christian. The men refused to join the rebellion, and Gustav started out west, toward Norway to seek refuge.

Lars & Engelbrekt

However, the men in Mora changed their minds after hearing that the Danish rulers had decided to raise taxes, and now they wanted to join the rebellion with Gustav as their leader. They sent out the two best skiers in the county, two brothers from Mora, Lars and Engelbrekt, to search for him and they caught up with him at Sälen.

On June 6, 1523, Gustav Vasa was crowned King of Sweden, after defeating the Danish King Christian and dissolving the Kalmar Union. Since that day, Sweden has been an independent nation.

Although Gustav traveled from Mora to Sälen, the modern race is run in the opposite direction arriving in Mora. Vasaloppet is part of “En Svensk Klassiker”, about which more here.

Are you up for the challenge? You can register via this link.

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18 January 2021

Important dates and (school) holidays in Sweden 2021

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Heidi

Important holidays & festive days in Sweden

A new year, a new empty agenda! My agenda is never empty for very long as I begin to mark all the long weekends and vacations. Knowing when the holidays and vacations fall is so handy when planning a trip. That’s why I set up a list for you with the dates of the holidays in Sweden. This way you can not only avoid finding out many things closed during your stay, but you can also choose your travel dates in function of certain festivities.

Important! Be sure to check the travel advice of your government before traveling. Latest update on corona in Sweden can be found here.

Swedish Holidays 2021

The official Swedish holidays are röda dagen (red days) in Sweden. These are the days when most of Sweden do not have to work. I put them bold in the list below. Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve are in bold and italic. Although no official holidays in Sweden, most of the Swedish take the day off or stop working earlier.

1 January	Nyårsdagen	New year
6 January	Trettondedag Jul
13 January	Tjugondedag Jul (Knutsdagen)
16 February	Fettisdagen
14 February	Alla Hjärtans dag	Valentine’s day
1 April	Skärtorsdagen
2 April	Långfredagen
4 April	Påskdagen	Easter
5 April	Annandag Påsk	Easter monday
30 April	Valborgsmässoafton	Walpurgis
1 May	Första Maj
13 May	Kristi Himmelfärds dag
31 May	Mors dag	Mother’s day
6 June	Sveriges nationaldag	National holiday
23 May	Pingstdagen
24 May	Annandag Pingst
25 June	Midsommarafton	Midsummer eve
26 June	Midsommaren	Midsummer
2 November	Alla Helgons dag	All Saints
8 November	Fars dag	Father’s day
13 December	Luciadagen	St Lucia
24 December	Julafton	Christmas eve
25 December	Juldagen (Jul)	Christmas
26 December	Annandag Jul	Boxing Day

Swedish school holidays 2021

The Swedish school holidays are sometimes spread, depending on the region.

Christmas Holidays

The Christmas holidays in Sweden run for everyone from December 23, 2021, till January 10, 2022. Next year the Christmas holiday in Sweden will start on 26 December 2022, till January 9, 2023.

Visiting Stockholm during Christmas season? Read this article!

Winter Holidays

In Sweden, the winter holiday is called ‘sportlov‘ or sports holidays. This holiday is spread between weeks 7 and 10, depending on the region. In Göteborg it is week 7, in Malmö week 8 and Stockholm had week 9. You can find a detailed overview here.

If you would like to book a skiing holiday in Sweden, it may be useful to take these dates into account. Outside these periods, certain slopes can be closed or more (and cheaper) accommodation can be available.

Easter Holidays

Only Stockholm and Central Sweden have a full week of Easter Holidays. The other regions only have an extended Easter weekend.

Summer Holiday

The Summer Holidays in Sweden commence on June 8th (or 15th for Malmö), and last until August 17, 2021.

Autumn Holiday

The autumn vacation also depend on the region: from 31 October or 3 November to 4 November 2021.

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Important dates and (school) holidays in Sweden

14 January 2021

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