On Saturday, Båstad-Mölle will take place in Sweden, starting in Båstad and finishing in Mölle, and for another year as a Ski Classics Challengers event.

On SC PLAY, you can watch the event live, with a broadcast with English commentary, together with Kjell-Erik Kristiansen as host and Katerina Paul as expert commentator. SC PLAY is included in the ProXCskiing.com membership.

WATCH BÅSTAD-MÖLLE HERE ON SC PLAY

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.

The Challengers event will be streamed exclusively on SC Play worldwide. Last year’s winner, Johannes Eklöf, together with top names such as Max Novak, Karolina Hedenström, Thomas Gifstad, Hedda Bångman, Alfred Buskqvist, and Hanna Lodin, are among the registered racers. The course offers beautiful views and challenging hills. 

Start lists can be found below:

START LIST MEN
START LIST WOMEN

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

Båstad-Mölle 2024 – Facts

• Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024
• Location: Båstad-Mölle 
• Country: Sweden
• Race Distance: 80km 
• Technique: Roller ski classic
• Website: Båstad-Mölle   
• Instagram: Båstad-Mölle     
• Facebook: Båstad-Mölle     

Båstad-Mölle – Video Teaser

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.

Ski Classics Challengers

Båstad-Mölle is a Ski Classics Challengers event. Pro Team registered athletes can collect points for the Ski Classics Champion and Youth competitions in their respective genders. 

A list of Ski Classics Challengers events with confirmed dates for season 2024/2025 can be found at Ski Classics. The list is updated continuously with new events.

Everyone participating in Ski Classics, Pro Tour or Challengers events, professional and recreational skiers, can connect their profile to the results database of Ski Classics, called MyPages.

MyPages can be connected when subscribing to Ski Classics online community proxcskiing.com. In the profile, you can view your Ski Classics event results, collect pins, print diplomas, and analyze your results with friends in the SC ranking system. In your profile, you collect points according to your performance and are rewarded with pins and diplomas.

One of the central features of MyPages is that you get your global SC ranking. The SC Ranking is a live updated international ranking, unique in combining women and men, professional and recreational skiers in one single list.

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site, including logging in to SC MyPages, where you can check your SC Ranking. Also, live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events with English commentaries.

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