Chinese skiers claim great victory in Vasaloppet China 2010
The 8th Vasaloppet China started on a chilly morning in about 20 minus degrees and was won about 2 and a half hours later by Chinese elite skier Xia Wan, this is the first time the race has had a male winner in the 50km class. All four top positions were actually taken by Chinese skiers with the best foreigner being Swedish Gustav Hall on 5th place. Then followed another long line of Chinese down to the 2nd foreigner Kjetil Hagvedt Dammen on 14th place.
Today on the first day of this new decade, about 200 disabled from China and Norway took part in the cross country ski competition Ridderrennet China, the sister event to the Norwegian Ridderrennet which has been held every year in Beitostolen since 1964.
The preparations for Chinas only cross country ski festival are fully underway in Changchun. The ski tracks are being groomed in Jingyuetan Park and work on this year’s main Vasa snow sculpture has begun. The equipment storage at the arena is fully loaded with skis, poles and shoes for the students and amateurs taking part.
The search for 2010 years Vasaloppet Chinas ”Vasa Snow Angel” is now over. 20 university girls from Changchun were in the final of Vasa Snow Angel held at Changchun TV Station on Dec 18.
Vasaloppet China is getting closer and there are a lot of expectant amateur skiers from Scandinavia waiting to come to Changchun for the longest running cross-country ski race in China. Among the Swedish amateur skiers coming to China during New Year there are some who has got a very special relationship to Vasaloppet – the oldest, longest and biggest long distance cross country ski race in the world. 
Students from 9 Changchun universities have now started their cross country ski training in Jingyuetan Park. The Vasa Education Project which is organized for the 5th year is a cooperation between Jilin Educational Bureau, Jingyuetan Park and Nordic Ways.
Jilin is famous for having one of the four wonders of China; the Songhua River rime ice pine trees. The other three wonders being the landscape of Guilin, the Stone Forest in Yunnan Province, and the Three Gorges on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River.
The official signing ceremony for Ridderrennet China 2010 took place Thursday 29th in Shangri-la Hotel. Ridderrennet China, which is a cross country ski competition for handicapped, will be restarted in 1st January, 2010 during the Vasa week in accordance with the agreement signed by Changchun Municipal Government, the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Jilin Handicapped Federation. Nordic Ways will be the technique co-organizer for the race. 
Last week, the annual meeting of the Vasa Education Project was held at Vasa Hotel in Jingyuetan Park, Present were Jilin Province Education Bureau, representatives from Jingyuetan Park and teachers from 17 universities, discussing the project where students get the chance to practice cross country skiing throughout the winter months in the Park.
When coming to Vasaloppet China, you should also take the chance of visiting some interesting places in Changchun. Here is some information on the capital of Chinas Jilin province – Changchun.
Since eight is an important lucky number in Chinese culture, Vasaloppet China celebrates a special anniversary on Jan 2, 2010 with its 8th time in Jingyuetan Park outside Changchun. Except for the professional ski athletes taking part in the race as one of the stages in Tour de Ski China and the ski enthusiast from home and abroad, there are also some special athletes in this years race…
Vasaloppet on export
Vasa loppet International Skiing Exchange Conference was held on New Years Day 2009. The exchange and cooperation between the Swedish, USA, Japanese and Chinese Vasaloppet has been very fruitful, and benefitted many young people in the host countries. Topics of this years conference was how to attract new target groups and non-skiers to become interested in cross country skiing.
Participants for Vasaloppet China arrived Tuesday 30th to Changchun. One of the groups who comes from Sweden and Norway had some time to first visit Beijing and climb the Great Wall.
With the coming of Vasaloppet China, the University students in Changchun began their XC ski training in Jingyuetan Park on the 25th of November, according to the plan. We predict there will be 70,000 student take part in this education project this winter season.
Christmas is closing in on all of us, and so is the New Year with Vasaloppet in Changchun. Track preparations have begun as well as snow making for the sculpture in Jingyuetan Park which will be 16 m high, more than 120 m long and 14 m thick
Winter has come to Changchun and ski track preparations have begun in Jingyuetan Park. It has already begun to snow in Jilin Province and the temperature is at -5 to –10 degrees. Preparation for the 7th Vasaloppet China and Tour de Ski China is under way and with the coming of Vasaloppet China, the competition “Snow Angel” will begin.
Vasaloppet China 50 KM is now an official seeding race for Vasaloppet Sweden which is held every year in Dalarna, Sweden. Races with a distance over 40 km and with more than 100 participants are counted as seeding races for Vasaloppet. The distance being 15 km for ”Girls Vasa”. If you want to use your result in Vasaloppet China as seed result for the 85th Swedish Vasaloppet on the 1st of March 2009, The Swedish Vasaloppet organization needs to receive your result before January 31st 2009 to make an evaluation
Vasaloppet China will be held in Changchun for the 7th time this winter. The date is set for the 2nd January 2009. This is the ski event where everyone can participate! Vasaloppet started in Sweden as a cross country ski event where skiers go 90 km from the town Sälen all the way to the finish in Mora town.