On the first Sunday of March 2023, the Swedish cross-country skier Robin Bryntesson skied Vasaloppet backward. The project was for a noble cause, collecting money for Ukraine. Now the video highlight of this challenge is ready, and you can watch it below.

Vasaloppet Backwards 2023

Below is an interview with Robin Bryntesson the day after his Vasaloppet project.

Robin Bryntesson’s “backward Vasaloppet” took nine hours and thirty-two minutes.

The feedback has been great, and he could collect money for his cause. Here, Bryntesson talks about the race and the amount of Swedish Krones collected.

In mid-January 2023, Robin Bryntesson published his thoughts about his “backward Vasaloppet” to collect money for war-torn Ukraine. On the first Sunday of March, it was time for the challenge. Bryntesson was one of the 15.000 skiers who left the starting field in Berga by. However, he was the only one with “the nose pointing in the wrong direction.”

“We had spent a lot of time thinking about how to deal with the first hill. We chose a solution where a friend cut up an old carpet I had under one ski. It worked perfectly. I skied from the starting line with only one foot on the ground, and on the hill, I could get up with the carpet as a “skin,” says Bryntesson, who once at the top of the first hill removed the carpet from under the skis and skied “normally.”

“It was a fantastic competition. I am very grateful to my team, who helped me along the way to make sure it was safe for everyone involved. The only participant I “bumped into” was the comedian Måns Möller standing next to the track doing some SVT reporting,” says Bryntesson.

What was most challenging?

“Well, the downhills were difficult. There were many people there, but everything flowed well, and it was surprisingly easy,” says Bryntesson, who crossed the finish line in 9 hours and 32 minutes.

The main goal of the backward ski was to collect money for war-torn Ukraine in the form of ambulances. At the finish line, the amount was SEK 550.000, and now it is up to SEK 650.000.

“And we have some skis’ auctions, bib number, and race suit on the way, so there will be a few more Krones. The feedback has been mostly very positive. Then some did not appreciate this. But the important thing for me was that we had collected enough money for several ambulances in Ukraine. I don’t know exactly how many. But it’s nice to be able to help,” says Bryntesson.

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