Vasaloppet China, Asia's largest ski meet, will kick off its fourth event on December 31 in Jingyuetan Park of Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province.

Vasaloppet China -- with origins in Sweden -- is a cross-country ski event with races and activities designed for all levels and nearly all ages. During the five days of competitions, the ultimate endurance test, the 50 kilometers race set for January 2, will no longer be dominated by skiers from abroad. For the occasion the China National Ski Team will return from Europe to fight for the gold medal.

They return from a very successful start of their FIS World Cup season. Strong results include Li Geliang's victory over the 2005 winner of the Swedish Vasaloppet (90 km), Oskar Svrd, in a 42 kilometers race in Sweden on December 18.

Vasaloppet China will evidence if Li is able to prevail in the Swedish challenge while once again on home soil.

"The Chinese skiers' good results last season were noticed by the ski world. Everyone expects their big break to come soon," said Erik Unaas of Nordic Ways, the Scandinavian sports marketing company behind Vasaloppet China.

The day will also see some of the world's best sprinters race on a short track in Volvo Ski Sprint, an event set to mark the beginning of a spectacular week.

But Vasaloppet China is more than elite skiers battling it out.

Ridderrennet China -- X-country skiing for disabled people -- is an impressive display in how to overcome personal obstacles.

"It is a race with a long tradition in Norway," said Eivind S Homme, minister chancellor at the Norwegian Embassy. "Ridderrennet China can show disabled people in China that they can triumph over great obstacles, and it is therefore of great importance for all disabled persons in China."

Throughout the week, students and children will also test the tracks -- many on skis for the first time.

The popularity of Vasaloppet China has been rapidly on rise -- from 750 participants in 2003 to about 10,000 participants this year, while Changchun has become the ski center of China, highlighted by this season's FIS World Cup Sprint Season Final on March 15 -- China's first ever.

Vasaloppet is an X-country ski race that commemorates Gustav Vasa's revolt against the Danish King Kristian 400 years earlier. It was meant to be an endurance test similar to the journey made by Gustav Vasa (King of Sweden 1523-60) between the Swedish towns of Salen and Mora, hence the name Vasaloppet -- King Vasa's Race.

Over the 80 years that have since passed, Vasaloppet has developed into the world's largest X-country ski competition, with 45,000 participating annually in the Swedish event.

(China Daily December 27, 2005)