Now, don’t miss your chance to register for the Båstad-Mölle roller ski event at the early bird price! Prices will increase on July 1, so act fast!

REGISTER HERE NOW!

Experience the thrill of the southernmost Swedish long-distance roller ski race on September 14, 2024. Choose between the elite 80km competition race, the 80km Experience race, or the shorter 50km and 20km courses (also for para-athletes). There’s also a 10km youth (and para-athletes) race that’s free to enter!

Ski Classics Challengers event

The Ski Classics Challengers event Båstad-Mölle has become quite popular over the past years after its first edition in 2021. 

The 80km elite race on loan roller skis combines challenge with beauty as it is set out in North-West Skåne, on Hallandsåsen, with its rolling hills and sea views. The start will be in the village of Båstad, known, amongst other things, for hosting international tennis tournaments and being a hot spot for summer vacations in Sweden. As already last year, the competition finishes on the top of Kullaberg in the famous Mölle, right by the sea. 

As mentioned, recreational skiers can choose the 80km Experience race, following the same course but with their own roller skis, or a shorter 50km and 20km course. The event organization also offers a 10km youth race, free to start. 

Registration for all distances is already open, and prices will increase on July 1, 2024. Act fast and register now with early bird prices.

Click the Link for Registration!
https://registration.wsportsmedia.com/orgs/7e2b7160dcd3b893/

History

There is a clear historical connection with Båstad – Mölle; this as history’s first ski race is supposed to have been organized at Kullaberg about 1,000 years ago. Harald Bluetooth was King of Denmark from 964 and of Norway until 974. As King, he introduced Christianity in Denmark.

Harald Bluetooth married Tove in 963, who was a widow after Harald’s abstinent brother Knut died the year before. Tove had a son, Sven (Tveskägg), with Knut, who became Harald’s foster son. Harald Bluetooth himself had a daughter, Gunhild, who married Pallig Tokeseni England. She was murdered together with her family in the “Dane Murder” massacre in England in 1002.

‍Palnatoke, according to the legend, was a Jom Viking and Danish chieftain from Funen who lived at the end of the 9th century. He is probably identical with the Toke, son of Palmairslau from Funen, who in 953 founded the Viking stronghold of Jomsborg in northern Poland. The historian Saxo Grammaticus also recorded smaller stories about Palnetoke at the end of the 12th century. In one of these, it is told that King Harald once forced Palnetoke to shoot an arrow into an apple placed on Palnetoke’s son’s head. The story is a wandering tale but is interesting because it is the world’s oldest recorded version of the later so popular Wilhelm Tell legend.

The above-mentioned Saxo Grammaticus also mentions a funny episode: King Harald, who is said to have been a good cross-country skier, was once challenged in this “sport” by his enemy Palnatoke at a gathering on Kullaberg in Scania. Harald demanded that Palnatoke go down one of the steepest cliffs, which would actually mean death. However, the intention came to naught as Palnatoke survived. This is said to be the oldest referenced ski competition in history. Even today, the place is called Palnatoke’s Slope on Kullaberg.

Are you interested in Ski Classics and long-distance skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.