SWIX SKI CLASSICS. Swix Ski Classics will this weekend move to Sälen and Mora for Vasaloppet, 90 km cross country skiing in classic technique.

Swix Ski Classics is a long distance ski championships, consisting of six of the most prestigious ski events in the world: Jizerská Padesatká in Czech Republic, Marcialonga in Italy, König Ludwig Lauf in Germany, Vasaloppet in Sweden, Birkebeinerrennet in Norway and the Swix Ski Classics Final Årefjällsloppet in Sweden, all 50 km or more and open for professional as well as amateur skiers.

Vasaloppet is 90 km long and starts in Sälen, passing amazing taiga forests, villages, marsh lands and lakes before finishing in the picturesque city of Mora. For most elite skiers, Vasaloppet is without doubt considered the most prestigious long distance race in the world. The first Vasaloppet was held in 1922 and since that it has only been cancelled three times. This year the snow conditions are great and the winners might be faster than last year's record times for both men and women.

In addition to Vasaloppet’s own sprints, there are two Swix Ski Classics sprints: Mångsbodarna after 23 km and Evertsberg after 47 km. Simen Østensen (Team Xtra Personell) is currently wearing the green sprint bib, and will for sure do all he can to keep it.

The leader of the Swix Ski Classics Champion competition after three events is Anders Aukland (Team Xtra Personell). Many good skiers are hungry to challenge him, such as Jörgen Brink (Team United Bakeries) and Team Xtra Personell’s Jerry Ahrlin, Jørgen Aukland, Simen Østensen and Stanislav Rezac. Interestingly, three Swedish contemporary skiers have won Vasaloppet three times: Brink 2010, 2011 and 2012; Daniel Tynell (Team Tynell) 2002, 2006 and 2009; Oskar Svärd (Team Coop) 2003, 2005, 2007. Norway has only three winners all together…

In the women’s field there are many candidates for the victory other than the overall leader Seraina Boner, for example Susanne Nyström (Team Xtra Personell), Jenny Hansson (Team Coop), Sandra Hansson (Team Oslo Sportslager/Moelven) and Laila Kveli (Team Xtra Personell).

The press conference on Friday with the top athletes will be recorded and shown on Swix Ski Classics Livecenter.

Vasaloppet starts at 08.00 CET on Sunday will be broadcasted on the following 17 TV stations all over the world:

PCTV Mexico
MTV3 Finland
SVT Sverige
TV2 Norway
Czech TV, Czech Republic
Band Sport Brazil
Nova Sport Greece
Nova Sport Cyprus
Viasat Denmark
Viasat Sport Baltics Estonia
Viasat Sport Baltics Latvia
Viasat Sport Baltics Lithuania
SPTV Croatia
Slovak Sports TV Slovakia
Sport+  France
ARD/ZDF News Germany
EBU - News Europé
 
Read more about Swix Ski Classics at www.swixskiclassics.com

Standings

Swix Ski Classics Champion Men
1) ANDERS AUKLAND, Team Xtra Personell, 440 points
2) JØRGEN AUKLAND, Team Xtra Personell, 360
3) JERRY AHRLIN, Team Xtra Personell, 312
4) STANISLAV ŘEZÁČ, Team Xtra Personell, 298
5) SIMEN ØSTENSEN, Team Xtra Personell, 242

Swix Ski Classics Champion Women
1) SERAINA BONER, Team Coop, 560
2) JENNY HANSSON, Team Coop, 340
3) LAILA KVELI, Team Xtra Personell, 328
4) SUSANNE NYSTRÖM, Team Xtra Personell, 252
5) STEPHANIE SANTER, iXmind Racing Team, 204

Swix Ski Classics Sprint
1) SIMEN ØSTENSEN, Team Xtra Personell, 100
2) STANISLAV ŘEZÁČ, Team Xtra Personell, 50
3) MORTEN EIDE PEDERSEN, Team Coop, 40

Swix Ski Classics Team
1) Team Xtra Personell, 1606
2) Team Coop, 1036
3) Team United Bakeries, 543

Swix Ski Classics Youth Men
1) MORTEN EIDE PEDERSEN, Team Coop, 138

Swix Ski Classics Youth Women
1) LAILA KVELI, Team Xtra Personell, 328

Swix Ski Classics 2013:
Event 1:  Jizerská Padesatká       Czech Republic      January 13th, 2013
Event 2:  Marcialonga                   Italy                        January, 27th, 2013
Event 3:  König Ludwig Lauf         Germany                February 3rd, 2013
Event 4:  Vasaloppet                     Sweden                  March 3rd, 2013
Event 5:  Birkebeinerrennet           Norway                  March 16th, 2013
Event 6:  Swix Ski Classics Final   Sweden                 March 23rd, 2013