Vikingarannet - skating from Uppsala to Stockholm

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View over lake Malaren. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Parts of the Steffner family arriving to race. Asta, Ivar, 9 years and Peter. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Arriving guests from Lithuania. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Anders Tysk, General secretary and competitor interviewed. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Member of Uppsala Viking society Kerstin Vinje in beautiful homemade authentic Viking clothing and accessories. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/05/2011.

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Members of Uppsala Viking society in beautiful homemade authentic Viking clothing and accessories. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/05/2011.

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Waiting for the race to beging. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Preparing and putting on skates. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Supporting the Fair Trade Organization with nice costume. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Elite skaters preparing for start. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Race is on! (Started by a Vuvuzela!) Uppsala, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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In line to start racing. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Skaters. Uppsala, Sweden, 13/02/2011.

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Skaters. Uppsala, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Food and drink station with service staff. Sigtuna, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Drinking skater. Sigtuna, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Food and drink station. Sigtuna, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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View of the old pittoresque Viking town of Sigtuna. Sigtuna, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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View of the old pittoresque Viking town of Sigtuna. Sigtuna, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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View over Lake Malaren with race track, from Nockeby bridge near Royal Palace of Drottningholm. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Skaters. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Skaters. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Cheering skater. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Niklas Tysk and Claes Olerud enjoying the sun after finished the race successfully. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Womens elite - on the podium. Winner: Eva Lagrange and runner up, former champion:: Karolin Palmertz Cerne. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

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Mens elite - on the podium: Winner: Sonny Peterson, Second: Matt X. Richardson and third: Patrik Permats. Stockholm, Sweden. 13/02/2011

Report current story

2,500 skaters gathered in Uppsala to skate to Stockholm in the Vikingarannet, believed to be one of the biggest skate races in the world. Uppsala, Sweden. 13/02/2011

General secretary Anders Tysk states that the race was established in cooperation with Dutch skaters that wanted a race on a regular basis, which the climate in Holland didn't provide.
The race that goes from Uppsala to Stockholm started in 1999 and has taken place almost every year since.
This year the number of competitors was around 2500, and 150 foreigners mainly from Holland, Norway and Finland. Last year we had about 4000, but the snowstorms during the last days have discouraged some competitors. The race's name is "Race of vikings" because it follows the Viking nautical route from the Baltic and Stockholm to the old Viking towns of Sigtuna and Uppsala.