“I’m not a great on skiing. But I really look forward to the trip to China to experience Vasaloppet China,” says Swedish entertainment profile and comedian Sven Melander. He is one of the 200 Swedes who will be in Changchun at the 10th Anniversary of Vasaloppet China.
He has been through a lot, 64-year-old Sven Melander. After studying for a construction engineer exam, he changed his career and became a journalist and worked for both biggest daily newspapers, Expressen and Aftonbladet. After that he became Entertainment Director at SVT, the Swedish national television broadcasting company. But in 1980 he entered the movie and television industry as actor and presenter; his first film role was as Berra in the classic movie “Sällskapsresan”. Following that, he has been the programme host for, amongst others, “Nöjesmaskinen” and “Nöjesmassakern”. Currently, he is playing the farce “Rampfeber” in Halmstad (with, amongst others, Ulla Skoog, Thomas Petersson and Claes Månsson), a performance that will be set up in Gothenburg during the spring 2012.
Is theater your main job right now? “Yes, I have to say. I have been in so many different areas, but in recent years there has been film and a lot of theater performances,” says Melander humbly.
Last spring, Melander was in China and met with Gåvert Wååg at Nordic Ways: ”Gåvert told me that the Vasaloppet China celebrates its 10th anniversary in January, and it was really tempting to have the opportunity to experience the race in person,” says Sven Melander who will be traveling along with his partner Alice Åkerblom. What distance will you go? “When skiing I normally do downhill. I’m not great on the cross country skiing. But there is one race that is about as far as horse race Elitloppet (Vasa Fun Ski is about 2 km), and it fits a sprinter well,” laughs Melander.
What do you want to experience besides the actual ski competition during your upcoming time in China?“I have been in Beijing already for some days before, and I am really fascinated by the city. What I want to see is, of course, the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and there is a large, old factory area that I believe is called Block 4, where I would like to go and take a look. Then, of course, to experience the banquet in Changchun on New Year’s Eve. It will be an experience,” says Sven Melander.
by MÅRTEN LÅNG