American XC Skiers Trip To MWC2010
Falun, Sweden -- February 16-27, 2010
MWC2010 Trip Updates For Team USA: Find useful pre-trip info and trip updates here for all skiers already signed up for the AXCS travel package or independent USA skiers already registered.
Still Interested In Going But Not Signed Up?: The official Team USA travel package for the MWC2010 is now closed except for very specific situations (example, we can fit in 1-2 more female skiers willing to share a room). We can also help you find lodging outside the official Team USA Hotel Scandic Lugnet. But this offer only lasts until Monday, January 25. After that dates we can't enter you in the MWC2010 races. Contact J.D. Downing, AXCS National Director immediately if seriously interested -- (541) 317-0217 or jd at xcskiworld.com.
When the tag line for a Masters World Cup reads “Welcome to the Kingdom of Skiing” -- most XC skiers would naturally tend to pay attention. But when the location in question is Falun, Sweden -- XC skiers should start making travel plans.
Located an easy two hour train ride northwest of Stockholm, Falun is undeniably one of signature XC venues on the planet. The Lugnet stadium complex (located a 15-20 minute walk/5 minute drive from the city center) offers 76km of some of the best ski trails you’ll ever find.
Host to the 1954, 1974, and 1993 Nordic World Championships along with being the traditional site of the Swedish Ski Games on the annual World Cup circuit, these trails have spanned time like no other XC venue. Up to 80,000 people have watched major events here and you can easily see why. Just arriving at the stadium you can feel and breath XC ski tradition. This is XC skiing’s Madison Square Garden, Fenway Park, Rose Bowl -- whatever comparison you like.
Offering a maze of trail options winding through forests and occasional pasture/meadows, local organizers have almost unlimited course configuration possibilities. In terms of the MWC, these may very well be the best trails we’ve ever had the Worlds on. When the organizers talk about this being a “classic” Swedish trail system; you believe them. The terrain flows with an almost magical rhythm enticing you to come further in and further on. You can actually hear the trolls and wood elves calling.
The host city of Falun is a worthy and picturesque companion to the Lugnet trails. A UNESCO World Heritage city, Falun has an array of tourist attractions for all ages. A 1,000 year old (inactive) copper mine tour is well worth a few hours time as are several city galleries, museums, churches, and vintage architecture.
With a population of 36,000, the city center of Falun is similar in size to Rovaniemi, Finland (MWC2007), but with a bit more traditional feel similar to quaint Central European villages of recent MWC’s. Plenty of downtown shopping and dining options are offered with at least two indoor malls on cold/wet days. Regular music and dance performances are a weekly staple throughout the city and more than usual entertainment will be on tap because of the MWC.
In addition to the Lugnet ski system, another 35km of trails are a short bus ride away. Distance ice skating is also a popular activity on Lake Runn. Of course, if you want to try pretty much any other sport you can name -- all you will have to do is walk a minute or two from the official USA hotel on the Lugnet sport campus. Lugnet offers up literally an entire campus of winter and summer athletic facilities (many indoor, including swimming pools) with the capacity to host championship events in over 50 sports (best comparison would be a year-round Olympic Training Center).
Access to Falun is as simple as a trans-Atlantic flight into Stockholm, Sweden (direct options from Chicago and New York or via European gateways) and then the aforementioned two hour train ride right out of the Arlanda Stockholm airport.
And here is the (really) big final hook.....
Not content just to be a killer MWC site with wonderful ski vacation written all over it, Falun organizers have conveniently scheduled the MWC2010 to perfectly mesh with the Swedish Vasaloppet week -- the biggest week of skiing on Earth.
Yes, literally the day after the MWC banquet the first Vasaloppet event kicks off eight Vasa event days. You can tack on just a couple extra days to your MWC dates and take in the Oppet Spar (open track) untimed classic 90km with the entire Vasaloppet track groomed complete with aide stations. Or you can hang out for a week and jump in the real deal; the 14,000-skier grandaddy of them all on March 7.
The Vasa start is just a couple hours away by bus and MWC organizers will offer a low-cost, roundtrip bus each Vasa event day. This is significant because the Vasa race day is over double the size of the U.S. Birkie and several of the preceeding days are roughly the size of the Birkie (the total for the Vasa week pushes 50,000 skiers!). Similar to the U.S. Birkie, there aren’t any nearby large cities so lodging is a real pain close to the Vasa course. Simply staying a few days longer in the MWC hotel makes logistics a snap.
Think it can’t get better? Oh, but it can!
MWC2010 organizers have secured a promise from the Vasaloppet directors that every MWC competitor is guaranteed a start position at the 2010 Vasaloppet. We are still waiting on word for exact seeding spots, but the start guarantee means you won’t have to enter the Vasaloppet this spring since the main event routinely sells out by June.
The bottom line is that thousands of skiers always talk about doing one of the great European ski marathons sometime in their life and the Vasaloppet is at the top of most lists. Well, here is a chance to take part in a simply incredible MWC and then actually do something about one of your ski dreams -- all in one plane ticket and less than a two week vacation!
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to one Masters World Cup trip that you truly do not want to miss. Welcome to the Kingdom of Skiing.
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MWC2010 Trip Specifics For Team USA: The official Team USA travel package for the MWC2010 offered by AXCS covers every essential aspect of the trip at the lowest cost possible. Every USA skier (in the travel package or on their own) will benefit from start-to-finish trip support provided by the AXCS National Director. CLICK HERE to find out details.
For Team USA skiers that know you want to arrange your own travel package (air/ground, lodging/meals) that is no problem. However, all "independent" USA skiers are fully responsible for contacting the AXCS office as far in advance as possible to request the specific entry form and event information needed for USA skiers not included in the AXCS travel package. Deadline for all entries is roughly one month prior to the start of races and it may take up to one week for AXCS to get you entry materials -- so you do NOT want to wait to the last minute! It is essential that independent skiers do NOT use entry forms on the World Masters Association or MWC2010.com websites. AXCS has special entry forms and these can only be obtained via the AXCS National Office -- (541) 317-0217 or axcs at xcskiworld.com.
Entry to the MWC2010 will be 150 euro plus a reasonable “fair share” surcharge to your entry based on the total number of projected USA entries (more skiers, less surcharge). The "fair share" surcharge helps AXCS cover the cost of representation and planning each year within the World Masters Association.
Any MWC2010 race registration for USA skiers (official travel package or otherwise) will not be processed without current 09/10 AXCS membership or proof of 09/10 USSA competitor membership. So you need to make sure and keep your AXCS membership current -- Join or Renew Today!
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Course/Stadium Preview (prepared by AXCS National Director J.D. Downing)
Coming summer 2009.
