In 1922, 139 skiers ran the first Vasaloppet.
100 years later, just as many people stood on the starting line to drive 90 kilometers with traditional equipment.
One of them was Olympic and World Cup meritorious Anders Södergren.
On wooden skis with no further slip, he was able to finish after seven hours and seven minutes as second, ten minutes behind the winner Erik Wickström.
And it was a really worn Södergren who crossed the finish line and could fall over in the snow.
- I started tearing already at three or four miles.
I had brutally bad glide if you compare with Erik who I went with a bit there, so it was really hard.
I got diagonal most of the race and it took hard, Anders Södergren tells SVT Sport a few hours after the race.
- The last four miles I was probably largely out of energy.
I rarely lie down in the snow and rest afterwards, at most hanging a little on the poles, but today I longed to lie down in the snow.
Dropped two and a half minutes downhill
How did your thoughts go during the race?
- You do not want to know, says a laughing Södergren.
Are you happy with the location?
-
It is clear that I wanted to be first, but I did not have a chance.
On a downhill I lost two and a half minutes, I diagonaled down and he (Erik Wickström) slipped.
It was not even close, he says and continues:
- But I'm still very happy that I toiled and got to the finish line, considering how it felt.
Now it will be rest and no more wooden skis.