500 years on, poor old Vasa is still on the run

International ski event based on Swedish folktale takes place in Northeast China

He was skiing for his life. The story goes that in 1520 the Swedish nobleman Gustav Ericsson Vasa raced 90 kilometers through timberlands on skis to escape the army of Danish King Christian II, also known as Christian the Tyrant.

The king had just massacred about 90 subversive Swedish aristocrats, including Vasa's parents, he had invited to Stockholm under the guise of reconciliation.

Vasa fled on skis, inspired a rebellion, crushed Christian II, dissolved the Kalmar Union (Sweden, Norway and Denmark) and became king of Sweden.

Half a millennium later, this myth is manifesting itself as a reality in Changchun, Northeast China.

Since 2003, the capital of Jilin province has hosted the Vasaloppet cross-country ski race commemorating the lore of Vasa's dramatic escape.

But Jan 1 and 2 marked the first time the competition was staged in Changchun since China officially became an associate member of the 20-nation Worldloppet last year.

About 2,000 skiers joined the events, including professionals, amateurs, students and children. About 100 of the about 480 elite skiers who finished the 50km race were Chinese, and the rest hailed from 33 countries, most from Scandinavia.

Magne Andreas Westerheim, 76, a Norwegian who has competed in every Worldloppet country and in New Zealand and Iceland, says he wanted to take part in China's first Vasaloppet since it joined the international body.

He also hoped to get the China stamp in his Worldloppet "passport".

Skiers who get 10 stamps, including at least one overseas, are awarded a masters' certificate and a gold medal.

"It's the biggest honor for an amateur cross-country skier," the Vasaloppet's co-founder Bengt-Erik Bengtsson says.

But Westerheim has even bigger dreams.

"I hope to become Norway's first skier to get all 20 countries' stamps," Westerheim says.

"The passport is very important for us old skiers."

But his partner Berit Kristiansen, 73, has another reason for joining the Changchun leg.

"I came for this," Kristiansen says, holding up her smartphone to show a multistory snow sculpture of a castle.

She beams as she flicks through more sculpture photos.

"When (Norway) hosted the Olympic Games, we had a dozen or so sculptures, But here it's 100 percent."

Dozens of massive likenesses are chiseled into snow along the race's starting line.

The colossal carvings of buildings, women and Mao Zedong impressed Siv Amdal, 50, from Norway.

"We haven't seen anything like that before."

Bjorn Ahlnas, 61, from Finland, says Chinese snow sculptors have been traveling to northern Finland to shape winter theme parks.

"They're talented. But I haven't seen snow sculptures of the proportions I have in Changchun."

A Temple of Heaven replica enchanted his wife, Harriet Ahlnas, 59.

"Oh, it's so beautiful," she says.

"I hope we can see the original in Beijing."

Changchun was her first race.

"I ski a lot in Finland. I just did 88 km in six days. I like skiing, but I'm not the competition kind."

Her husband has skied 14 Vasaloppets in Finland, Norway and Sweden.

He has gained the Worldloppet master certificate and master medal.

"There's nothing more to do" in terms of honors, he says.

"So, I'm here for the love of it. It's exotic to go skiing in China. It's our first time in the country."

Torbjom Petterson, travel logistics manager of the event's co-host Nordic Ways, says much has changed since Changchun's first Vasaloppet in 2003.

"I've seen China's race develop from Day 1," Petterson says.

"I'm impressed by the resources they put into this. Everything is already impressive before the race even begins."

Chinese participants were particularly fascinated by Nisse Nystrom, 65, a Swede who attended in attire from Vasa's era.

They asked him to pose for thousands of photos, Nystrom explains, his breath frosting his beard.

Nearby, spectators also snapped pictures of a chanting huddle of Chinese skiers waving "Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics" flags.

Many hope Worldloppet membership gives oomph to the country's ambitions to stage the Games.

erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 01/16/2015 page14)