'''Vasaloppet''' er verdas eldste og største turrenn i mars kvart år, og går frå Sälen til Mora i Dalarna i Sverige, eit strekk på 90 km. Det blir alltid gått i klassisk stil.

Rennet vart halde første gongen i VM i Sapporo. I 2008 håpar arrangørane at det igjen får verdscupstatus.

Nordmenn har vunne «loppet» to gonger: Ole Ellefsæter i 1971 og Anders Aukland i 2004. 

== Historia bak namnet ==
mini|Vasaloppet har fått namn etter Gustav Vasa si avbrote flukt i 1521.
I Gustav Vasa på flukt frå troppane til danskfødde Christian II, konge av Sverige og dei andre landa i noble var i opposisjon til kongen, som dei hadde gjeve tilnamnet ''Christian tyrannen''. I eit forsøk på å stogge opposisjonen inviterte Christian det svenske krona til konge av Sverige, etter å ha slått danske kong Christian og oppløyst Kalmarunionen.

== Vasaloppshistorie ==
Vasaloppet har sidan 1922 vorte halde til minne om denne flukta til Gustav Vasa, som skjedde i januar 1521. Årsaka til at løpet vart bestemt å gå frå Sälen til Mora i staden for i motsett retning, var mangelen på jarnbane i Sälen.

Den 19. mars 1922 flagga John Westling iveg dei første løparane. Det var 119 menn som klokka 06:04 gav seg iveg frå Olnispagården på vestsida av elva i Sälen. 117 fullførte løpet. Vinnaren detta året vart Ernst Alm frå IFK Norsjö på tida 7:32:49. Han er framleis (2005) den yngste vinnaren av Vasaloppet.

Den første kvinna som deltok i Vasaloppet var Margit Nordin, som i 1923 fullførte løpet på 10:09,42. Året etter vart det vedteke å forby kvinner i løpet. Dette forbudet tok slutt i 1981, etter at ei kvinne utkledd som mann vart intervjua i TV og avslørt i 1980.

Den raskaste tida oppnådde Peter Göransson i 1998, da han gjekk dei 9 mila på 3:38:57.

== Søsterløp ==
Eit søsterløp til det svenske Vasaloppet blir halde kvart år den tredje søndagen i februar i Mora i Minnesota i USA. Det amerikanske Vasaloppet består av løp på 35 km og 58 km skøyting, eit 42 km langt klassisk løp og mange andre arrangement i og rundt Mora. Den beste mannlege og kvinnelege løparen i det amerikanske Vasaloppet vinn ein tur for å konkurrere i det svenske.

Det kinesiske Vasaloppet har vorte heldt i Changchun sidan 2003.

thumb|250px|Womens' Vasa (''Tjejvasan''), start 2006
'''Vasaloppet''' is a long distance cross-country ski race (northwestern Mora. A total of more than 40,000 participated in one of the seven different races held during the first week of March. The race was started in 1922 being inspired by the run that the future King Gustav Vasa had made in 1520. The winner of the first race was Ernst Alm from Norsjö, who is still the youngest ever winner of the race.

== History ==
thumb|King [[Gustav I of Sweden (Vasa) ]]

The traditional story is that in 1520 the young nobleman Gustav Ericsson Vasa was escaping from the troops of Christian II, king of Denmark, Sweden and Norway (the Kalmar Union). A large part of the Swedish nobility was in opposition to the king, even having nicknamed him ''Christian the Tyrant''. In a move to silence the opposition Christian invited the Swedish aristocracy to a reconciliation party in Stockholm, only to have them, including Gustav's parents, massacred in what came to be known as the Stockholm Bloodbath. 

Danish and Swedish kings have at a few occasions ordered murders on their opponents, but that has never been tolerated.

Gustav was escaping through Dalarna, fearing for his life and discovery by the kings troops, when he spoke to the assembled men of Mora, trying to convince them to raise a levy and start a rebellion against king Christian. The men did not want to fight for those reasons so on his ski, Gustav Vasa started to make his way towards Norway, to find refuge there, when he was caught up at Sälen, by two Mora brothers on skis . The men in Mora had changed their minds after hearing that the Danish rulers had decided to raise taxes, and they now wanted Gustav to lead the rebellion. On June 6, 1523 Gustav Vasa was crowned king of Sweden, having beaten the Danish king Christian and dissolved the Kalmar Union. Sweden has been fully independent ever since.

In fact the story is probably just a fable as historical documents place Gustav Wasa in Gävle at the time of his supposed ski trip in Dalarna. But as with all legends its what people believe that is important.

== Sister Races ==
A sister race to the Swedish Vasaloppet is held annually on the 2nd Sunday of February in Mora, Minnesota, USA.  The American Vasaloppet features a 35 km and 58 km skate, a 42 km classical race, and many other events in and around the town of Mora.  The first place male and female racers in the American Vasaloppet win a trip to compete in the Swedish Vasaloppet.

The Chinese Vasaloppet has been held in Changchun since 2003.

==World cup race==

*The Swedish Vasaloppet is included in the Worldloppet Ski Federation, a series of long distance cross country ski races.

*The Swedish Vasaloppet has on one occasion been included in the Cross-country skiing World Cup, but this was a flop.

== Vasaloppet week ==
The week preceding Vasaloppet is known as Vasaloppet week. Races held during this week include:
* KortVasan (short - 30 km) 
* TjejVasan (ladies - 30 km) 
* HalvVasan (half - 45 km) 
* Öppet spår (non-competitive 90 km) 
* StafettVasan (relay 90 km) 
* SkejtVasan (free technique 30 km and 45 km).

== Winners ==
{| class=wikitable
!Year 
!Name 
!Club/Nation 
!Time
|-
|1922
|Ernst Alm
| IFK Norsjö, Sweden
|7:32:49
|-
|1923
|Oskar Lindberg
| IFK Norsjö, Sweden
|6:32:41
|-
|1924
|John Lindgren
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|6:53:26
|-
|1925
|Sven Utterström
| Bodens BK, Sweden
|6:03:55
|-
|1926
|Per-Erik Hedlund 
| Malungs IF, Sweden
|5:36:07
|-
|1927
|Konrad Pettersson
| Luleå SK, Sweden
|6:19:32
|-
|valign=top|1928
|Per-Erik Hedlund<br>Sven Utterström
| Särna SK, Sweden<br> Bodens BK, Sweden
|valign=top|5:33:23
|-
|1929
|J A Persson
| Arjeplogs SK, Sweden
|6:38:22
|-
|1930
|Verner Lundström
| Arvidsjaurs IF, Sweden
|6:56:30
|-
|1931
|Anders Ström
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|6:37:47
|-
|1932
|colspan=3|Cancelled 
|-
|1933
|Arthur Häggblad
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|5:57:09
|-
|1934
|colspan=3|Cancelled 
|-
|1935
|Arthur Häggblad
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|6:08:55
|-
|1936
|Sven Hansson
| Lima IF, Sweden
|6:31:55
|-
|1937
|Arthur Häggblad
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|6:05:56
|-
|1938
|Elias Nilsson
| Östersunds SK, Sweden
|5:48:28
|-
|1939
|Alfred Lif
| Orsa IF, Sweden 
|5:35:59
|-
|1940
|Arthur Häggblad
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|6:23:57
|-
|1941
|Mauritz Brännström
| IFK Norsjö, Sweden
|6:51:12
|-
|1942
|Olle Wiklund
| IFK Bergvik, Sweden
|5:31:50
|-
|1943
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:47:10
|-
|1944
|Gösta Andersson
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|5:18:43
|-
|1945
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|6:27:59
|-
|1946
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|6:08:42
|-
|1947
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:59:35
|-
|1948
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:35:13
|-
|1949
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:44:09
|-
|1950
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|6:08:25
|-
|1951
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:27:20
|-
|1952
|Sigfrid Mattsson
| Skarpnäcks IF, Sweden
|5:09:45
|-
|1953
|Nils 'Mora-Nisse' Karlsson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:01:55
|-
|1954
|Pekka Kuvaja
| 
|6:22:51
|-
|1955
|Sixten Jernberg
| Lima IF, Sweden
|5:27:28
|-
|1956
|Sigvard Jonsson
| Rossöns IK, Sweden
|5:23:36
|-
|1957
|Gunnar Larsson
| Oxbergs IF, Sweden
|6:23:40
|-
|1958
|Gunnar Larsson
| Oxbergs IF, Sweden
|5:31:50
|-
|1959
|Sune Larsson
| Oxbergs IF, Sweden
|5:13:28
|-
|1960
|Sixten Jernberg
| Lima IF, Sweden
|5:13:26
|-
|1961
|David Johansson
| Delsbo IF, Sweden
|4:45:10
|-
|1962
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|5:07:46
|-
|1963
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|4:56:25
|-
|1964
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|5:32:07
|-
|1965
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|4:35:03
|-
|1966
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|5:52:38
|-
|1967
|Assar Rönnlund
| IFK Umeå, Sweden
|5:20:22
|-
|1968
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|4:39:49
|-
|1969
|Janne Stefansson
| Sälens IF, Sweden
|4:50:07
|-
|1970
|Lars-Arne Bölling
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:08:38
|-
|1971
|Ole Ellefsæter
| 
|5:12:56
|-
|1972
|Lars-Arne Bölling
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|5:35:19
|-
|1973
|Pauli Siitonen
| 
|4:42:11
|-
|1974
|Matti Kuosku
| Högbo IF, Sweden
|5:06:23
|-
|1975
|Gert-Dietmar Klause
|
|4:20:29
|-
|1976
|Matti Kuosku
| Högbo IF, Sweden
|4:09:07
|-
|1977
|Ivan Garanin
|
|4:30:34
|-
|1978
|Jean-Paul Pierrat
|
|5:20:12
|-
|1979
|Ola Hassis
| Orsa IF, Sweden
|4:05:58
|-
|1980
|Walter Mayer
| 
|4:08:02
|-
|1981
|Sven-Åke Lundbäck
| IFK Råneå, Sweden
|4:29:32
|-
|1982
|Lasse Frykberg
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|4:28:50
|-
|1983
|Konrad Hallenbarter
|
|3:58:08
|-
|1984
|Hans Persson
| Åsarna IK, Sweden
|4:14:14
|-
|1985
|Bengt Hassis
| Orsa IF, Sweden
|4:45:43
|-
|1986
|Bengt Hassis
| Orsa IF, Sweden
|3:48:55
|-
|1987
|Anders Larsson
| Bondsjöhöjden, Sweden
|4:20:20
|-
|valign=top|1988
|Anders Blomqvist<br>Örjan Blomqvist
| IFK Lidingö, Sweden<br> IFK Lidingö, Sweden
|valign=top|4:47:04
|-
|1989
|Jan Ottosson
| Åsarna IK, Sweden
|5:09:33
|-
|1990
|colspan=3|Cancelled 
|-
|1991
|Jan Ottosson
| Åsarna IK, Sweden
|5:07:11
|-
|1992
|Jan Ottosson
| Åsarna IK, Sweden
|3:57:04
|-
|1993
|Håkan Westin
| Graningealliansen, Sweden
|4:02:10
|-
|1994
|Jan Ottosson
| Åsarna IK, Sweden
|4:06:19
|-
|1995
|Sven-Erik Danielsson
| Dala-Järna IK, Sweden
|4:11:09
|-
|1996
|Håkan Westin
| Graningealliansen, Sweden
|4:01:15
|-
|1997
|Michail Botvinov
| 
|4:11:41
|-
|1998
|Peter Göransson
| Åsarna IK, Sweden
|3:38:57
|-
|1999
|Staffan Larsson 
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|4:31:37
|-
|2000
|Raul Olle
| 
|4:14:38
|-
|2001
|Henrik Eriksson
| IFK Mora, Sweden
|4:01:22
|-
|2002
|Daniel Tynell
| Falun/Borlänge SK, Sweden
|3:58:52
|-
|2003
|Oskar Svärd
| Sollefteå SK, Sweden
|3:58:23
|-
|2004
|Anders Aukland
| 
|3:48:42
|-
|2005
|Oskar Svärd
| Ulricehamns IF, Sweden
|3:51:47
|-
|2006
|Daniel Tynell
| Grycksbo IF, Sweden
|4:34:09
|-
|2007
|Oskar Svärd
| Ulricehamns IF, Sweden
|4:43:40
|-
|2008
|Jørgen Aukland
| Team Xtra Personnell,  Norway
|4:13:45
|-
|}