Vasaloppet’s iconic “blåbärssoppa” caught fire – lost millions in value

Vasaloppet’s central warehouse had burned to the ground. “Blåbärssoppa”, rock skis, scooters and engines were completely destroyed.

The fire in the storage room at the Hemus ski stadium in Mora started at 11 p.m. on Thursday night, according to local media. In the hours that followed, the building burned to the ground. Everything that was stored there has been lost.

Among the things that need replacing is the custom made tank in which the iconic Swedish ski classic “blåbärssoppa” is cooked. These can be very difficult to replace.

– All our stuff is gone. It’s about value for many, millions, Johan Eriksson, Vasaloppet managing director, told P4 Dalarna.

The 2023 edition of Sweden’s long-distance race from Slen to mora is just a few months away.

– We’ll fix it, but Vasaloppet might look a little different this winter, Johan Eriksson told the radio channel.

At nine miles, Vasaloppet is the largest long-distance ski race in the world. The first race was held in 1922, and since then more than 1.7 million participants have made it from Sälen to Mora.

In recent times, the event has grown into a week-long event with a number of ski races at various distances.

Thursday’s fire is being investigated. This should explain whether the fire may have been set. There are no suspects in the case.

(© NTB)