In Mora, Sweden, “Vasaloppet Kranskulla” will be appraised and elected from unmarried girls every year. This girl must be pretty, but also a master skier. Vasaloppet Kranskulla is endowed with highly noble status. During the Vasaloppet, “Vasaloppet Kranskulla” has the responsibility to present prize for champion of cross-country skiing. The Swedish King participates in the Vasaloppet once every four years. And only that girl is entitled to stand besides the King.
Backing forth to the history, Kranskulla came to a bit of a chance at the first Vasloppet in 1922. The first Kranskulla, Ms. Therese Eliasson, had dressed herself in the local Mora folk costume and walked to the bell tower at Vasaloppet finish. A leader in the organizing ski club, IFK Mora, saw her in her beautiful dress and asked if she could take the laurel wreath and hang it on the athlete who first came towards the finish line. Ms. Eliasson received the historical winner, Ernst Alm, with the wreath. When the top riders come to the finish line, Ms. Eliasson got many questions from the media. She was such a success that the organizers immediately decided that a Kranskulla should be appointed to each Vasaloppet.
To become a Kranskulla, there are certain criteria:
1.She must be a Kulla* and therefore unmarried.
2.She must have athletic merits.
3.Her father or other family member’s should have sporting credentials or faithful service in IFK Mora ski club.
If conditions 2 and 3 missing, bravery and beauty can determine.
* Unmarried women or girl from the Swedish province, Dalarna.
In 2006, “Vasaloppet China” introduced Vasaloppet Kranskulla culture and developed activity to appraise and elect “Vasa Angel”. In Changchun, the activity gains a big following and broad attention from all social fields. There will be more than 5000 college students from over twenty colleges and universities to register the competition each year. The Vasaloppet Angel appraised and elected through primary election, semi competition and final competition acts as the international spokesperson of Vasaloppet China to participate in all glorious celebrations in Sweden.
