Vasaloppet’s CEO to leave
“It is with mixed feelings that I now choose to leave Vasaloppet for an assignment within the SkiStar group. It feels though that this is the right point for a new force to take Vasaloppet further into the next phase, together with the marvellous staff who know how an operation at this level should be run. I can only wish Vasaloppet all good fortune and a continuing positive development towards new goals,” summarises the departing CEO Jonas Bauer.
We begin immediately a recruiting process to find a successor, whom we hope can be in place when Jonas leaves Vasaloppet September 1.”
Swedish cross country skiing star Andreas Hoegberg outran Norway’s Sindre Hoff in a hotly disputed final of the 10th Vasaloppet China in Changchun. After 52.5k in sunny but cold conditions in Jingyue Park, Hoegberg had a gap of less than half a minute over Sindre.
Estonian skier Siim Sellis narrowly outsprinted Finland’s Kusti Kittilae in the final of the second stage of China Tour de Ski in Xiwuqi, Inner Mongolia. Sellis looked very strong throughout the preliminary rounds all day, and also immediately seemed to take control of the final 1.3k race. But in the ultimate metres Kittilae still came dangerously close to beating him on the line. Third place went to yesterday’s winner Anders Hoegberg.
The 2012 China Tour de Ski started this afternoon, 28 December, in Xiwuqi, Inner Mongolia with the traditional mass start 5.7km race for men and women. Sweden’s Anders Hoegberg (photo)immediately proved he is once again in great shape coming to China with a sprint win today over Finland’s Kusti Kitttilae. Six seconds later, Philipp Bachl from Austria completed the podium.
Yesterday, 24 December, the Vasaloppet skiing week started with the traditional Vasa Student Ski. About 500 students from several Changchun universities took part in the competition. Some students finished in amazingly fast times, but the emphasis was of course very much on ‘fun’ and ‘experience’. 
After several weeks of serious competition the new Vasa Snow Angel is known: Shengnan Chen from Baicheng got the vote from the jury in a dramatic finale of the 2012 competition. Second place went to Jinqiao Gu from Jilin City, and Jing Fu from Harbin completed a very strong podium.
After more than half a century of Vasaloppets, now 84-year-old Hadar Davidsson prepares for a Vasaloppet debut, namely in the Vasaloppet China:
”I do not really know what to expect. But I’m really looking forward to the race,” said Davidsson from his home town in Borås. Davidsson is even planning the 52,5k!
With Vasaloppet taking place in 10 days from now, and China Tour de Ski starting in one week in Xiwuqi, Inner Mongolia, please find below the waxing recommendations for Vasaloppet China 2012 by Mr. Bengt Hjort and Rolf Häggström from China Tour de Ski service team:
As Vasaloppet China 2014 is coming closer and closer, please find below the latest information bulletin for all participants who have signed up already. Note that it is of course still possible to register for Asia’s biggest cross-country skiing event in Jingyuetan, Changchun. Just go to 
One of Vasaloppet China’s big stars is once again coming over to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event, and of course to try and claim another victory in the 52,5k race. Sweden’s Anders Hoegberg won China Tour de Ski and Vasaloppet China in 2009, and finished second in last year’s edition.
China Tour de Ski and its main event Vasaloppet China will also feature a number of top female athletes this year. Multiple Swiss champion and three-time Olympic Games qualifier Seraina Mischol will be lining up in Xiwuqi and Changchun as one of the top favourites in the female competition.
The 2011 national champion from Estonia, Siim Sellis, has confirmed his participation for this year’s China Tour de Ski in Xiwuqi and Changchun. Sellis is in good shape following some decent performances in FIS and World Cup events in Finland, Switzerland and Germany. The 24-year-old youngster so far has achieved his best international results in the Scandinavian Cup, and mainly in the sprint circuit. It will be Sellis’ first participation in the China Tour de Ski.
The number of confirmed elite skiers for Vasaloppet China and the overall China Tour de Ski is increasing as we are edging closer and closer to the big week. Swiss skiing star Gaudenz Flury, winner of a very tough Tour de Ski stage in Shangri La, Yunnan Province, two years ago, is coming back to China to take part in the competitions in Xiwuqi and Changchun. 
The 2012 Vasa Snow Angel election is heating up for its grand finale in Changchun on the 21st of December. After the quarter and semi-final of the past two days, 21 participants are still in the running to succeed Zhang Yonkun (photo left) as Changchun’s and Vasaloppet China’s most beautiful representative.
In addition to Peltonen Skis, today we are also pleased to announce our cooperation with Alpina, a leading footwear manufacturing company based in Slovenia. Alpina places high importance on development and innovation, and is always looking for the added value, not the common realised value.
The established Finnish company Peltonen proves its ‘passion for cross-country skiing’ as it joins as sponsor for Vasaloppet China 2012. Since 1945, Peltonen is one of the leading manufacturers of XC skis.