By Langrenn.com
The Worlds largest ski race, the Swedish Vasaloppet is on track to go as normal March 6 after the organizers have spent more than six million kroner or almost 1 million US dollars on production and transportation of snow.
It was not looking good for the 90-kilometer long classic style Swedish Vasaloppet race. Parts of the course had little or no snow, but the organizers have stepped it up and done a fantastic job producing man-made snow as well as trucking in snow from other areas.
The official message that the race is a go was first given Monday afternoon.
– The course is not as good as during a normal snow year, but we currently have -5 Celsius and fantastic weather. The forecast calls for even colder weather on Thursday and then warmer. We should be able to pull this off, says Chief of race Rolf Hammer.
The organizers have transported 120,000 cubic meters of on to the course and 20 to 55 trucks has been involved in transporting snow the last month. Surrounding alpine and cross country areas have been making snow, but most of the snow is natural snow that has been transported from roughly 50-kilometers away.
200 volunteers have been involved in showling snow onto the course.
– It has been a tough job, but it’s important to succeed. This is big business and important for recruiting skiers to the sport, says Hammar.
Snow making and transportation has cost roughly six million kroner or nearly 1 million dollars, but the organizers are still counting on making a profit.
– We should be able to come out ahead, but the profit will be substantially smaller than normal.
A total of 47,000 skiers have entered the different events during the Vasaloppet week that started last weekend. The previous record is 47200 skiers.
More about pre race favorites later this week.
FIS Marathon Cup Update http://www.fasterskier.com/racing1939.html
Vasaloppet Home page http://www.worldloppet.com/races.php?id=12
