Incredible performances from Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2025

Another Winter Week has crossed the finish line. The weather conditions occasionally caused challenges for both participants and organizers, but thanks to hard work and determination from both skiers and functionaries, 44,000 participants managed to pass the iconic finish line in Mora. Some competed against others, while others competed against themselves – just as it should be. So many smiles and tears of joy. We have looked back and put together a summary of some of the amazing performances and highlights from Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2025. Press images are attached.

Who was the best 50-year-old? Who became the youngest participant ever in Vasaloppet? How many received a performance medal? Who was the best Gustav Vasa and who was the best Gustav Eriksson? Who was the best Svahn? Who used ski jumping skis, and who skied the longest distance? Here are the answers:

First to finish: Herman Paus from Norway and Madelene Nord from Mora were the first man and woman to cross the finish line in the first race, Vasaloppet 30. They also both placed 28th in the men’s and women’s classes in Vasaloppet!

Best woman in Tjejvasan: Jenny Larsson claimed her first victory. In Vasaloppet, she finished 15th.

Best Kranskulla in Tjejvasan: Vasaloppet’s Kranskulla Maja Heikki from Sälen finished 20th in Tjejvasan.

Tjejvasan completed 37 times (every race since 1988): Marianne Andersson, Mora, 3:24:28; Anna-Lena Karlsson, Borlänge, 3:31:03; Ingegerd Karlsson, Berghem, 4:56:39; Margareta Löfqvist, Västerås, 3:17:27; and Margareta Östensson Lindblom, Falun, 2:58:06.

Best in Försvarsmaktsvasan: Sebastian Jansson Saadio, Sälens IF and K 4, and Anna Lindgren, Råneå SK and MR Norr, won Försvarsmaktsvasan 2025, the Swedish defence forces race held in connection with Öppet Spår Sunday. Sebastian finished in 4:46:39 and Anna in 5:43:15.

Best Gustav Vasa: Nils Nyström, dressed as Gustav Vasa himself, skied back and forth on the finishing stretch in Mora for the 50th time.

Best Swede, best Dalarna man, best 18-year-old and youngest-ever Vasaloppet winner: Alvar Myhlback, 3:28:45. (The youngest to win Vasaloppet twice was Lars-Arne Bölling, who won his second title in 1972 at the age of 27. The youngest woman to win twice is Sofia Lind, who claimed her second official victory in 1999 at age 23.

Best Swedish woman, best Dalarna woman and best former biathlete in Vasaloppet: Stina Nilsson won in 3:54:00. (Only 104 men finished ahead of her.)

Best Norwegian man in Vasaloppet: Johan Tjelle finished fourth in 3:28:48. It was the first time since 2012 that no Norwegian placed in the top three.

Best Norwegian woman in Vasaloppet: Anikken Gjerde Alnes placed second at 3:59:11 and retained the yellow leader’s vest in Ski Classics.

Best 41-year-old in Vasaloppet (H40): Tord Asle Gjerdalen (Vasaloppet winner and record holder from 2021), 62nd place, 3:45:48.

Best 43-year-old (D40) and best female Finnish finish in Vasaloppet:Heli Heiskanen, 20th, 4:22:28.

Best 50-year-old man in Vasaloppet (H50): Frode Jermstad, Norway, 138th, 3:58:57.

Best 50-year-old woman in Vasaloppet (D50): Angela Johansson, Stockholm, 81st, 5:17:51.

Time required to be in the Vasaloppet top 100: Men: 3:52:34. Women: 5:31:32.

Time required to be in the Vasaloppet top 1000: Men: 4:59:26. Women: 10:10:22.

Achievement medal: 1,376 participants received an achievement medal in Vasaloppet 2025. The medal is awarded to those who finish within the winning time plus 50 percent. The medal time for 2025 was 5:13:08 for men (latest finishing time 13:13:08) and 5:51:00 for women (latest finishing time 13:51:00).

Best non-Swedish/non-Norwegian man in Vasaloppet: Mattia Armellini, Italy, 23rd, 3:34:10. (20 of the top 100 men were from countries other than Sweden or Norway.)

Best non-Swedish/non-Norwegian, and best Czech woman in Vasaloppet: Tereza Hujerova, Czech Republic, 18th, 4:20:59. (25 of the top 100 women were from countries other than Sweden or Norway.)

Best Czech man in Vasaloppet: Vaclav Cedlacek, 56th, 3:43:47.

Best cheque: 141,000 SEK. Stina Nilsson won Vasaloppet and all seven sprint prizes.

Best Gustav Eriksson in Vasaloppet: Gustav Eriksson, Mora, 38th, 3:38:17.

Best Olympic biathlon gold medallist in Vasaloppet: Peppe Femling, Sweden, 112th, 3:55:51.

Best biathlon world champion in Vasaloppet: Lars Berger, Norway, 146th, 3:59:53.

Youngest man (or boy) to finish Vasaloppet 2025: Sixten Österman, Örebro, 16 years old (born 2008-12-29). 7:46:38. He is now the youngest skier ever to complete Vasaloppet!

Youngest woman (or girl) to finish Vasaloppet 2025: Sophia Larsson, Stockholm, (born 2008-10-12) 11:18:43. (Ester Borg, born 2007-11-23, who skied Vasaloppet 2024, remains the youngest ever female participant.)

Best veteran (raced at least 30 years) in Vasaloppet: Anders Sörensson, Munkedal, 286th, 4:16:40

Best Svahn in Vasaloppet: Per-Olov Svahn, Boxholm, 147th, 4:00:29. This 57-year-old started in the elite group for the 30th year!! This means he became a veteran this year, and his placement ensures that he will start in the elite group next year as well – in an orange veteran's number bib.

Best placement by a Svensson in Vasaloppet: Sofia Svensson, Dponly Ski Club, 51st, 4:46:46.

Most experienced sitski skier: Adventurer Aron Anderson competes in a sitski and finished Vasaloppet for the 11th time in 2025, 7:32:15.

Best male Finnish finish in Vasaloppet: Miro Karppanen, 26th, 3:34:11.

Best Åland participant: Isac Holmström, 39th, 3:38:27. (27 participants from Åland skied Vasaloppet 2025).

Best from Oceania and best placement by a participant from a continent other than Europe in Vasaloppet: Katerina Paul, Australia, 59th, 4:57:16.

Best overtaking performance from last place: Harald Kveseth, Norway, 6:27:21, whose binding malfunctioned at the start. He was in start group 1, but after fixing his binding, he reached the first hill in last place. From there, he overtook 9,776 skiers (both men and women) on his way to Mora. That means he overtook someone every nine metres over 90 km!

Best daughters of a Vasaloppet winner: Anna Aukland, second in Tjejvasan's junior class, and Ella Aukland, third in Ungdomsvasan (daughters of two-time Vasaloppet winner Jörgen Aukland, after whom the Aukland bridge is named).

Best former Ungdomsvasan winner in Vasaloppet: Alvar Myhlback won Ungdomsvasan in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. This year, he won Vasaloppet…

Best former Ungdomscykelvasan winner in Tjejvasan and Vasaloppet: Louise Lindström won Ungdomscykelvasan in 2015. This year, she finished second in Tjejvasan and fifth in Vasaloppet…

Best man in both Tjejvasan and Vasaloppet: SVT’s skiing photographer Adam Karlsson, the only man to ski both Tjejvasan and Vasaloppet. With only one ski pole and camera equipment weighing around 10 kg! 12:11:55.

Best (and first ever) astronaut (with start number 21000 after 21 days in space): Marcus Wandt, 6:51:24. (Average speed on the ISS: 28,000 km/h, average speed in Vasaloppet: 17 km/h).

Best third-place finisher from Vasaloppet 1982 in Vasaloppet 2025: Franz Gattermann, Austria, 2735th, 6:21:53.

Best Vasaloppet participant on ski jumping skis: Tõnu Hendrikson, Estonia, skied Vasaloppet for the ninth time, but as far as we know, for the first time on long and wide Janne Boklöv-style skis and wearing a ski jumping helmet. He crossed the finish line with a telemark landing! 10:56:19.

Tandem skiers in Vasaloppet: Joe Dubay and Chris Parr, Minnesota, USA, skied on tandem skis, 8:42:13.

Tandem skiers in Vasaloppet: Karl Rydberg and Rasmus Gustafsson, Ulricehamn, also skied on tandem skis, 11:22:11.

Best tandem classic: Couple Kim and Nathalie Björnsen Åklint tackled En Svensk Klassiker Korta together, cycling Vätternrundan 100 km on a tandem bike, swimming Vansbro Kortsim side by side, running the Rosa Bandet race with one leg tied together, and skiing Vasaloppet 30 on tandem skis.

Longest distance skied this year by a male participant: 435 km! Tomas Hajek, Czech Republic, skied six races: Vasaloppet 30, Öppet Spår Sunday, Öppet Spår Monday 90, Vasaloppet 45, Nattvasan 90, and Vasaloppet.

Longest distance skied this year by a female participant: 294 km! Carina Hammarstrand, Munka-Ljungby, skied six races: Vasaloppet 30, Tjejvasan, Öppet Spår Monday 90, Stafettvasan, Nattvasan 45, and Vasaloppet.

Fastest relay team in Stafettvasan 2025: Team Torsby Skidtunnel, 3:41:07, with Oscar Persson, Bill Impola, Edwin Franzén, Martin Rosvall, and Bob Impola on the team.

Ski wedding: 9 couples got married in Mora Church’s ski-in wedding after finishing during the Winter Week – and there was also one blessing ceremony! In total, over 100 couples have now married after crossing the finish line!

Subject to possible corrections.

Start lists, results, statistics and media reports
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Events in the Vasaloppet Arena:

Vasaloppet’s Summer Week 2025 – biking and running
Friday, August 8, Ungdomscykelvasan, start Oxberg, 32 km
Friday, August 8, Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, start Sälen, 96 km
Friday, August 8, Cykelvasan 30, start Oxberg, 32 km
Friday, August 8, Cykelvasan 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Saturday, August 9, Cykelvasan 90, start Sälen, 96 km
Friday, August 15, Funkisvasan, start Mora, 4 km
Friday, August 15, Trailvasan 10, start Mora, 10 km
Saturday, August 16, Ultravasan 90, start Sälen, 92 km
Saturday, August 16, Vasastafetten, running relay, ten legs, start Sälen, 92 km
Saturday, August 16, Ultravasan 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Saturday, August 16, Trailvasan 30, start Oxberg, 30 km

Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2026 and the 102nd Vasaloppet – cross country skiing
Friday, February 20, Vasaloppet 30, start Oxberg, 30 km
Saturday, February 21, Tjejvasan, start Oxberg, 30 km
Sunday, February 22, Öppet Spår Sunday, start Sälen, 90 km
Sunday, February 22, Ungdomsvasan, start Eldris, 9 km, start Hökberg, 19 km
Monday, February 23, Öppet Spår Monday 90, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Monday, February 23, Öppet Spår Monday 45, freestyle, start Oxberg, 45 km
Monday, February 23, Öppet Spår Monday 30, freestyle, start Oxberg, 28 km
Tuesday, February 24, Vasaloppet 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 27, Stafettvasan, ski relay, five sections, start Sälen, 90 km
Friday, February 27, Nattvasan 30, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Friday, February 27, Nattvasan 45, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 27, Nattvasan 90, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Saturday, February 28, Vasaloppet 10, freestyle, start Eldris, 9 km
Sunday, March 1, The 102nd Vasaloppet, start Sälen, 90 km

Vasaloppstrippeln – ski, bike and run, all in one year
Vasaloppstrippeln is a challenge where you complete three races – skiing, cycling and running – during one and the same calendar year. Choose between 30, 45 or 90 kilometres.

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For more information
Camilla Sandy, Press Manager Vasaloppet
+46 (0)70-384 95 00
camilla.sandy@vasaloppet.se

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