The Ski Classics Challengers event Klarälvsloppet, referred to by many as “Vasaloppet of the summer,” is gearing up for its 2023 edition, boasting a formidable lineup of top Pro Team athletes and elite traditional cross-country skiers. 

Covering an impressive 90 kilometers, Klarälvsloppet kicks off in Uddeholm and culminates in Karlstad, Sweden. This prestigious event on October 1st will feature top-tier competitors, including world-class Pro Team athletes, renowned figures from traditional cross-country skiing, and a significant presence from the Swedish national cross-country team and the Swedish national biathlon team.

In the men’s side, spectators can anticipate a thrilling showdown with top names such as Emil Persson, Alvar Myhlback, Petter Stakston, Andreas Nygaard, Johan Hoel, Max Novak, Oskar Kardin, Karstein Johaug, Stian Hoelgaard, and the legendary Petter Northug set to grace the starting line. Furthermore, the men’s field will witness the participation of William Poromaa, Calle Halfvarsson, and Marcus Grate from the Swedish national cross-country team, elevating the competition to unprecedented heights.

The women’s field is equally star-studded, featuring talents like Ida Dahl, Silje Øyre Slind, Anniken Gjerde Alnes, Jenny Larsson, Hanna Lodin, Karolina Hedenström, Linnea Johansson, and more. With such a lineup, fierce battles and nail-biting moments are on the horizon.

Adding a unique dimension to this year’s race, several of Sweden’s biathlon stars, including Peppe Femling, Mona Brorsson, Johanna Skottheim, and Malte Stefansson, will test their endurance in the classic style long race, promising intense competition and excitement for fans.

Beyond the stars, Klarälvsloppet welcomes hundreds of recreational skiers eager to tackle the roller ski challenge amidst the breathtaking landscape. The Klarälvsloppet Rollerski 90K is an integral part of the Ski Classics Challengers series and serves as a seeding race for Vasaloppet.

A preliminary start list can be found HERE.

The race’s TV production will be handled by the same expert media team responsible for the winter Ski Classics Pro Tour events. The event will be streamed on SC Play with English commentary. 

Viewers can also catch the action on SVT with commentary by Niklas Nord and an expert commentator, while NRK’s coverage will feature Torgeir Bjørn and Simen Østensen. 

SVT’s sports director, Max Bursell, expressed his anticipation for the event, stating, “This will be a perfect warm-up for the winter season. We think the audience will appreciate seeing many of the winter’s biggest stars competing against each other.”

In a press release, Klarälvsloppet’s CEO, Glenn Olsson, shared his excitement about the event’s expanded reach, saying, “The goal from the beginning has been to highlight this fantastic roller ski race on SVT and further to NRK, and now we have finally achieved it, which of course feels unbelievably good.”

Rikard Grip, Secretary General of the Swedish Biathlon Federation, also commented on the addition of biathlon stars to the event, emphasizing its significance in attracting young talents to the sport: “Värmland has a strong biathlon tradition and has produced Olympic champions such as Linn Persson and Mona Brorsson. We are very positive about the idea of creating an event with biathlon as part of Klarälvsloppet, which gives us the opportunity to attract more young people to our sport in an already strong and important region.”

The article continues below.

Best Moments of Klarälvsloppet 2022

The race in classic technique welcomes both elite and recreational participation. The 2023 edition is the sixth one taking place, which attracts many of the top athletes in the long-distance skiing world. 

There are also 60km and 21km roller ski distances and running and cycling events on the same weekend. The 90km event is seeding for Vasaloppet and is part of the Ski Classics Challengers series. 

Klarälvsloppet – Facts

• Date: Sunday, October 1, 2023
• Location: Karlstad 
• Country: Sweden
• Race Distance: 90km 
• Technique: Roller ski classic
• Website: Klarälvsloppet   
• Registration: Klarälvsloppet     
• Instagram: Klarälvsloppet      
• Facebook: Klarälvsloppet     

Klarälvsloppet – Map and Profile

Klarälvsloppet is a Ski Classics Challengers event. Pro Team registered athletes can collect points for the Ski Classics Champion and Youth competitions in their respective genders. 

A list of Ski Classics Challengers events with confirmed dates for season 2023/2024 can be found at Ski Classics. The list is updated continuously with new events.

Everyone participating in Ski Classics, Pro Tour or Challengers events, professional and recreational skiers, can connect their profile to the results database of Ski Classics, called MyPages.

MyPages can be connected when subscribing to Ski Classics online community proxcskiing.com. In the profile, you can view your Ski Classics event results, collect pins, print diplomas, and analyze your results with friends in the SC ranking system. In your profile, you collect points according to your performance and are rewarded with pins and diplomas.

One of the central features of MyPages is that you get your global SC ranking. The SC Ranking is a live updated international ranking, unique in combining women and men, professional and recreational skiers in one single list.

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site, including logging in to SC MyPages, where you can check your SC Ranking. Also, live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events with English commentaries.

When you become part of one of the world’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round.

Register HERE as a Member.