The Cultural Canon is a list of 100 works, divided into the categories of arts and society, and all contributions are at least 50 years old. The work of producing a canon has been led by the historian Lars Trägårdh on behalf of the government and The Sweden Democrats.
The sporting contribution to the list is the nine-mile long ski race between Sälen and Mora, which was held for the first time in 1922 on the initiative of IFK Mora and Anders Pers.
Jens Ljunggren is a professor of sports history at Stockholm University and thinks that Vasaloppet is a reasonable choice.
Vasaloppet is a good event and it is broadly anchored. It is folk and has a connection to history, says Ljunggren.
The investigation motivates the decision to include Vasaloppet:
"The race shows Swedish sports movement as a popular movement, and has both amateurs and elite among the participants."
Jens Ljunggren means that Vasaloppet also reflects an important turning point in Swedish society.
Sweden was at the same time on its way to a more democratic society and Vasaloppet made sports and nationalism more folk, he says.
Vasaloppet is the oldest and largest long-distance ski race in the world.
