Being in Scandinavia or more exact, in Sweden, there is one sport event coming up very soon, that is more unusual and interesting than others: the Vikings Ice Race or Vikingarännet in Swedish. 80 kilometer long ice skating between the town Uppsala and Stockholm, Sweden’s capital city.
The idea of a Viking Ice Race popped up when visitors from the skating organisation from Holland visited Sweden after their Eleven Cities Tour (Elfstedentocht) of 1997 together with the winner of that years competition. An investigation started which later did show that the only route possible of a Swedish skate competition is just the route Uppsala-Stockholm, because it’s there the safest ices are with not so much open water.
To skate between Uppsala and Stockholm had been a classic route for all kinds of ice skaters for many years already before the Viking Run started for the first time in 1999, organized by the Friluftsfrämjandet organization and the Swedish skate association including other sponsors.
In 2013 it’s scheduled to go off at the 10th of February around 8am at Skarholmen, Uppsala and finish in Hässelby, a suburban of Stockholm. The Viking Run race is probably the worlds longest recurring ice skate race that take place on only natural ice and not on a special built up or artificial ice track.
There are actually several different races:
- The Vikingarännet 80 km start in Uppsala
- Tjejrännet (Women Race) 35 km start in Sigtuna
- A short race of 15 km start in Kungsängen
The race got it’s name from following the ancient Viking transport routes on lake Mälaren, but you don’t have to be a Viking to participate. All types of skates are allowed and I actually hope for some participants to choose similar skates as the Vikings!
Yes, even the Vikings did skate, but their skates were made of animal thigh/shin bones, had no shoe and were attached by leather strings only. At just one spot on the Swedish island Björkö, in the Viking town Birka, they found 70 skates together.
In this year’s vikingarännet there are more participants from other countries in Europe, like Great Britain, Belgium and Holland (last years winner) of course – so obviously this Swedish competition starts to be more known around Europe’s ice skaters.
If you have the opportunity to get there, there are plenty of places where you can see the ice skaters swooshing by. Or why not sign up for the race? Go to vikingarannet.com to signup or get more information.
Sign up for a distance that suits you, read the rules properly (ex. Ice prods are compulsory), prepare yourself to skate strong as a Viking, hope for great weather reports and have fun racing!
Lets hope the cold weather will continue, so there will be great ice’s for skating, you never know with the Swedish weather…
To get there:
From Europe there are low budget airlines like Norwegian.com or Ryanair.com to fly you to Stockholm, but I would try to get a Norwegian flight in the first hand, because you will arrive at Arlanda airport, which is much closer to the event than Skavsta airport where Ryanair arrives.
I also recommend that you take the arlandaexpress.com into Stockholm City Center or if you are going to Uppsala, take the special flightbus 801 between Arlanda airport and Uppsala. Also have a look at the arrivalguides.com and look up either Stockholm or Uppsala to get more start info about the two cities.
Special thanks to:
Anders Tysk, secretary-general and one of the originators of Vikingarännet for replying to my request, providing me with more information and pictures from the competition to use when writing this blog post.
©Lifecruiser Love Viking Ice Run
The Viking Run (Vikingarännet) 2013 Map, (click to see details)
Valentine’s is one of those days where you have the opportunity to surprise your wife and express your love like never before. Here are three unique ideas that you can use to surprise your wife this Valentine’s Day and have her fall in love with you all over again!
#1: Cook Dinner for Her
If your wife’s a housewife who usually spends the time in the kitchen cooking for the family, then why not surprise her by preparing a sumptuous meal this Valentine’s day? She will love you for taking out the time and put in the effort to cook for her.
However, do make sure you find a good recipe to work with if you want to her to fall in love with what you cook. Once you’re done with the cooking you can make the surprise even more surprising by setting up a beautiful candlelight dinner right at in the living room!
#2: Give Her the ‘Spa at Home’ Treatment
Want to make your gift really special? Then don’t give her the traditional gift certificate to the local spa. Instead, give her the same treatment at home. In other words, pamper her yourself and give her the best massage. Let her have the spa experience in the comfort of your home.
If you don’t think you’re good with bare hands then you can always buy oils along with massagers at a lifestyle store near you. Also, don’t forget to create the perfect ambience if you truly want her to enjoy the experience. Put on some slow, romantic music and make sure your room is dimly lit to make it more relaxing.
#3: Have Flowers Delivered
We all know that flowers will not last forever, but they still make up to be one of the most romantic gifts that you can give your wife on Valentine’s Day. The idea here is to surprise her, so don’t leave any hints beforehand. Whether she’s at home or at work, surprise her by having a beautiful flower arrangement delivered to her from Proplants.
While red roses happen to the most common choice when it comes to Valentine’s Day, you don’t have to stick to them. If your wife likes certain flowers, then it makes more sense to have them delivered instead. When she gets such a flowery surprise from you, it will not only make her smile but also make her feel very special.
It doesn’t matter how new or old your marriage is – the above Valentine’s Day surprise ideas work perfectly well for all couples. So go ahead and make your wife feel mega special, because she deserves it!
Lifecruiser Love Valentine Surprises
Some earlier Valentine related posts at Lifecruiser:
Love messages all over
Happy Valentine Life Kissers
Affordable Romantic Valentine Trips Tips
Tenereffic Romantic Sunset
With Love on Valentine Day
One of the most popular new cruise destinations is the Red Sea – it’s historic, has amazing scenery and takes in numerous landmarks in Jordan, Egypt and beyond.
Many people are also surprised to find out that the Red Sea is home to several beautiful beaches, as well as activities like scuba diving and swimming. You might want to check out special offers to visit the Red Sea on cruise deals at virginholidayscruises.co.uk.
Here are five top destinations to visit on a Red Sea Cruise…
Sharm el Sheikh, Naama Bay. Photo by Svetlana Grechkina1. Sharm el Sheikh
One of the most popular destinations for a cruise in the Red Sea, although there is no main tourist attraction, but the beach itself attracts thousands every year.
While swimming, tanning, relaxing or exploring the beach are all great ways to pass the time, snorkelling and scuba diving make Sharm el Sheikh Egypt’s most popular beach resort.
2. Port Sokhna
Few people have heard of Port Sokhna, but it is where most cruise passengers disembark to explore capital city Cairo, which is only a few miles away.
In Cairo itself, there are countless attractions to explore like the Museum of Cairo and the Coptic Museum, but the Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza are the most impressive of all.
3. Luxor
Located on the banks of the Nile, Luxor was once the capital of ancient Egypt. Today, it is a top destination for travellers wanting an insight into its long history.
Passengers will usually disembark at Port Safaga and travel 45 minutes to Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings.
Here, visitors can see the Tomb of Tutankhamen, the Tomb of Ramesses VI and countless other ancient historic landmarks.
4. Petra, Jordan
Parts of the Red Sea border the scenic country of Jordan, and there is nowhere more remarkable to visit than Petra.
Petra is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and boasts several different structures carved from the famous pink-tinted rocks.
5. Hurghada
Although Hurghada may not be as big or popular as Sharm el Sheikh, it’s every bit as beautiful.
This coastal destination in Egypt is a stopping point for some of the cheapest cruises in the Red Sea. It offers great opportunities for scuba diving, swimming, snorkelling and horseback riding on the beach.
Going on a cruise on the Red Sea, you can visit historic landmarks, relaxing beaches and more.
Lifecruiser Love Cruise Holidays
Some other cruise related posts at Lifecruiser:
Broaden your horizons when there are cruise deals to be had
Fabulous Cruise Alternatives
Cruising is the Perfect Gift
Top 5 Pacific Cruises For Your Next Getaway!
Mediterranean Dream Cruises
Top 5 Cruises for family’s on a budget
Luxury Dream Cruises
The Worlds Oldest Gun Ship: A Medieval Cog Ship
Bargain Cruise Ships Tips
