Hanna Eriksson will be Kranskulla and Johan Wellert Kransmas in Vasaloppet and Tjejvasan 2016

Vasaloppet's competition management has appointed Hanna Eriksson from IFK Mora to be the 92nd Kranskulla in history, and management for Tjejvasan has appointed Johan Wellert from Sälens IF to be the 28th Kransmas. These two have been given what is often called the most prestigious assignment among the thousands of functionaries who make Vasaloppet's events possible.

Right now there are 78,000 participants registered for Vasaloppet's Winter Week in February/March 2016 and Vasaloppet's Summer Week in August 2016.

Competition management's motivation for the appointment of Hanna Eriksson as Vasaloppet's Kranskulla 2016:
"This year's Kranskulla grew up in a genuine sporting family in Mora and has made herself known as a team player who, in success and adversity alike, cares as much for the well-being of the group as for herself. Alongside her own elite experience she has always worked hard for the Vasaloppet organization with the motto to always do her very best! Hanna Eriksson is the obvious choice for Kranskulla and she will be an excellent ambassador for Vasaloppet in the coming year."
Bo Johansson and Johan Eriksson, Competition Managers Vasaloppet

Kranskulla facts: Hanna Eriksson (Kranskulla #92). Active within IFK Mora SK and IFK Mora OK.
Age: 20 years (born February 2, 1995).
Lives: In Falun, but raised in Mora.
Family: Her mother Maria (Kranskulla 1992), father Ulf, little sister Sara.
Occupation: Studying sociology at Dalarna University and attending Dala Sports Academy in Falun, which allows her to combine elite sports and studies.
Sports: Cross-country skiing, ski orienteering, and orienteering during the summer.
Merits: 1 Junior World Championship bronze and 2 Junior Swedish Championship golds 2015 in ski orienteering. A second placement in Piteå for 5 km free, cross-country Junior Cup 2014–15.
Interests: Hanging out with friends, fika.
Describes herself as: Happy, forward, ambitious and stubborn.

Hanna Eriksson is a first year senior and, from this season, a member of the national development team in ski orienteering. She has just been selected for the World Cup competitions in ski orienteering in Ylläs, Finland, from November 26 to December 1. Hanna has a sporting heritage in her family; her mother Maria Gustafsson was Kranskulla 1992, skied the cross-country Junior World Championship and is now part of the competition management for Tjejvasan. Her father Ulf Eriksson has been a hockey player in Mora and is a accomplished golfer; today he is a devoted ski waxer.
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Competition management's motivation for the appointment of Johan Wellert as Vasaloppet's Kransmas 2016:
"Johan Wellert has been appointed as 2016's Kransmas. His upbringing has been marked by the joy he found in testing his limits on snow.
A young sport requires young leaders.
Freeskiing is a relatively young sport that is growing and capturing the attention of more and more young people. Interest is high and in 2014 freeskiing appeared on the Olympic programme. When Sälens IF started its "Actionsport" section, Johan quickly became a leader within the club. Two days a week, Johan gives circa 30 youths the courage needed to playfully challenge themselves on the snow. Johan loves skiing and showed signs of good leadership early on when he as a 15–16-year-old spontaneously shared his experience and knowledge with younger skiers.

Johan is a humble, ambitious guy who is very organized; a well-liked and appreciated leader in his sports club. Johan was a pioneer within freeskiing, a respected name in these circles. He has recently had the opportunity to join the national freeskiing team as an assistant coach, broadening his leadership skills even more. Johan's personal qualities make him especially appropriate since he is a humble guy who shows great commitment to Sälens IF and to his adepts. Johan will be an excellent ambassador for Vasaloppet and Tjejvasan in particular.
Maria Gustafsson and Karin Ersson, Competition Managers Tjejvasan

Kransmas facts: Johan Wellert (Kransmas #28). Freeskiing leader in Sälens IF .
Age: 27 years (born April 15, 1988).
Lives: Fiskarheden, Transtrand, a few kilometres south of the Vasaloppet start.
Family: His mother Karin, father Joel, brother Martin.
Occupation: Working full time, three-shift, at Fiskarheden's saw mill.
Sports: Freeskiing. Johan coaches Sälens IF Actionsport.
Interests: Skiing alone, fishing, wakeboarding, downhill mountain biking.
Describes himself as: Calm and honest.

Footnote: Vasaloppet's Kranskulla made her debut in connection with the first race in 1922, while the first Kransmas appeared when the first Tjejvasan took place in 1988. Since 2005, the Kransmas also crowns the ladies' class winner in Vasaloppet with her victory wreath. The Kranskulla and Kransmas are, of course, also part of the increasingly popular Vasaloppet Summer Week that started in 2009.

Learn the history behind the Kranskulla and Kransmas, criteria and much more

Complete lists of all Vasaloppet victors, Kranskullor and Kransmasar, are available here

Upcoming events in the Vasaloppet Arena

Vasaloppet Winter Week 2016
Fri 26 Feb: Kortvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 27 Feb: Tjejvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 28 Feb: Ungdomsvasan. 3, 5, 7 or 9 km. Start Mora Ski Stadium.
Sun 28 Feb: Öppet Spår Sunday. 90 km. Start Sälen. (10,000 entries, FULL 26/9/2015)
Mon 29 Feb: Öppet Spår Monday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Tue 1 Mar: Halvvasan. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 4 Mar: Stafettvasan. 9–24 km. Relay race for five-person teams. Start Sälen.
Sun 6 Mar: Vasaloppet. 90 km. Start Sälen. (15,800 entries. FULL 22/3/2015.)

Vasaloppet Summer Week 2016
Fri 12 aug: Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 12 aug: Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 12 aug: Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 12 aug: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 13 aug: Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 20 aug: Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 20 aug: Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Sat 20 aug: Vasastafetten. 4.5–15 km. Running relay race for ten-person teams. Start Sälen.

High resolution pictures of 2016's Kranskulla and Kransmas, photographed in Mora.
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/vasaloppet/image/list

Text and photos may be freely published. If you have questions on this topic feel free to contact:

Bo Johansson, Competition Manager Vasaloppet
Mobile: +46 (0)70-681 13 58

Karin Ersson, Competition Manager Tjejvasan
Mobile: +46 (0)72-566 60 21

For more information

Ola Granfeldt, PR Manager
Phone: +46 (0)250-392 77
Mobile: +46 (0)733-550 620
Email: ola.granfeldt@vasaloppet.se

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