More women than ever registered for Vasaloppet 2024

Start places for Vasaloppet 2024 on Sunday, March 3, are sold out, and 15,800 participants have started preparing for this 100th race. 23 percent of those registered are women, which is the highest number ever.

"The figures are preliminary, as they can be affected right up until the race, but 23 percent at this stage feels very inspiring and gratifying," says Lena Hermansson, project manager at Vasaloppet.

In this year's Vasaloppet, which took place on Sunday, March 5, 2023, 18.4 percent of the registered participants were women, and the overall number for all races during the Winter Week was 35.5 percent. Around 30,000 participants are now registered to participate in a race during Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2024, and the total of female participants is currently 36 percent. Generally, the shorter races of 30 and 45 kilometres have a more even gender distribution than the 90-kilometre races.

In August 2022, Vasaloppet launched the project "More women on the track" with the aim of getting more female participants to the various races during Vasaloppet's Winter Week and Summer Week. Since then, several initiatives and measures have been implemented. Among other things, a development group has been formed with people outside the organization to help Vasaloppet achieve a more even gender distribution in the races. A local inspirational meeting focused on cross-country skiing has been arranged, targeted emails with information and offers have been sent out, and the staff at Vasaloppet have had an internal training day focused on gender equality.

"Much of it has been about communication, inspiring and lowering barriers, but there are also practical measures. The initiative to have separate portable toilets with free menstrual products during Vasaloppet's Winter Week received a lot of attention and appreciation. We have also reviewed and updated the seeding rules for Vasaloppet and Tjejvasan as they relate to pregnancy," says Lena Hermansson.

During the year, Vasaloppet has also collaborated with the Facebook group "VasanFörMargit". This group started as a private initiative to get more women to participate in Vasaloppet as a tribute to Margit Nordin, the first woman to participate in the classic race in 1923.

"Vasan for Margit has become an appreciated online forum where many different topics are discussed. Both beginners and more experienced skiers share tips, advice, and inspiration, and we hope to continue the collaboration," says Lena Hermansson.

The next step in the "More women on the track" project focuses on Vasaloppet's Summer Week with its cycling and running races. Here too, more women choose to participate in the shorter races, and especially running races have a more even gender distribution. In Ultravasan 45 in 2022, 48.4 percent of participants were women; in Trailvasan 30, they were 63.4 percent, while Ultravasan 90 had 27.5 percent women. In the cycling races, Cykelvasan 90 stands out with only 13.4 percent female participants.

"We know we will need to work on Cykelvasan 90, and that is already in progress. For example, there are plans to form special start groups for women, which we believe may inspire more people to try out the largest mountain bike race in the Nordics," says Lena Hermansson.

Note:
The Vasaloppet numbers are still preliminary as they can be influenced by factors such as elite participants, foreign travel groups and sponsored start places that are not currently booked on the individual level. In addition, start places can be bought and sold up until the start of the race.

Vasaloppet upcoming events

Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2023 – biking and running
Friday, August 11: Ungdomscykelvasan, 32 km, start Oxberg
Friday, August 11: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, 94 km, start Sälen
Friday, August 11: Cykelvasan 30, 32 km, start Oxberg
Friday, August 11: Cykelvasan 45, 45 km, start Oxberg
Saturday, August 12: Cykelvasan 90, 94 km, start Sälen
Friday, August 18: Trailvasan 10, 10 km, start Mora
Saturday, August 19: Ultravasan 90, 90 km, start Sälen
Saturday, August 19: Vasastafetten, 90 km, running relay for ten-person teams, start Sälen
Saturday, August 19: Ultravasan 45, 45 km, start Oxberg
Saturday, August 19: Trailvasan 30, 30 km, start Oxberg

Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2024 and the 100th Vasaloppet – cross country skiing
Friday, February 23: Vasaloppet 30, start Oxberg, 30 km
Saturday, February 24: Tjejvasan, start Oxberg, 30 km
Sunday, February 25: Öppet Spår Sunday, start Sälen, 90 km
Sunday, February 25: Ungdomsvasan, start Eldris, 9 km, start Hökberg, 19 km
Monday, February 26: Öppet Spår Monday 90, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Monday, February 26: Öppet Spår Monday 45, freestyle, start Evertsberg, 43 km
Monday, February 26: Öppet Spår Monday 30, freestyle, start Oxberg, 28 km
Tuesday, February 27: Vasaloppet 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, March 1: Stafettvasan, ski relay, five sections, start Sälen, 90 km
Friday, March 1: Nattvasan 30, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Friday, March 1: Nattvasan 45, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, March 1: Nattvasan 90, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Saturday, March 2: Vasaloppet 10, freestyle, start Eldris, 9 km
Sunday, March 3: The 100th Vasaloppet, start Sälen, 90 km (FULLY BOOKED)

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 90, 45 or 30 kilometres.

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Text and photos may be freely published.

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

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