Vasaloppet Ski Festival China 2009
Time flies fast and now is the winter day in Changchun city of northeast China, and the skiing season has come too. Vasaloppet China 2009 will be held on January 2 in Changchun's Jingyuetan Lake (净月潭). The ski festival was first held in Sweden in 1922, to memory of the national hero and king Gustav Eriksson Vasa.
Vasaloppet's history traces back to 1520, Sweden was in a union with Denmark. Gustav Eriksson Vasa came to Dalarna seeking help to overthrow the Danish throne. Discontent with the Danish regime was great, not least from Gustav, whose opposition to Kristian II had resulted in his being imprisoned in Denmark. But the 24-year old freedom fighter and nobleman managed to escape and landed in Kalmar in the spring of 1520. Gustav stood outside the church in Mora and addressed the assembled crowd. Only weeks before, his father and his brother together with some 80 other magnates had been beheaded. Gustav urged them to take up arms. But people wanted time to confer with the neighboring villages before deciding on war. The Danes were in close pursuit and, before he could get the answer he wanted, Gustav was forced to take to his skis and continue his flight northwest towards Norway. The news of King Kristian's brutal ravages throughout Sweden reached Mora, the people regretting then that they had not immediately supported Gustav. Mora's two best skiers, Lars and Engelbrekt, caught up with Gustav Vasa in Sälen and Gustav was persuaded to return with them to Mora to lead the fight against the Danes. In Mora Gustav had been elected as people's leader, and in 1521 he began his battle against northern Europe's most powerful nation. After two and half years of war, on 6 June 1523, Gustav Eriksson Vasa was elected king of an independent Sweden. Now he is a symbol for the world's biggest ski competition.
The first Vasaloppet held in China was in 2003. This is the seventh time that China hosts one of the biggest ski events in the world. The festival is combined tourism and ski sports. Apart from ski competitions, tourists can take part many joyful activities, such as sleigh ride, snow mountain car, dog dragged sledge, horse racing on the snow, motor cycle on the snow, playing golf on ice and bicycle on ice. All of these interesting activities will make you to have a memorable trip. Winter photographic competition, family ski games and Vasaloppet Carnival are held every year in Changchun city.
