Highly Interactive App for the World’s Biggest Cross-country Ski Race
Vasaloppet
Running for almost a century, the Vasaloppet race welcomes thousands of participants annually. To effectively track them using the latest technology, the event’s organizers partnered with DPL.
The Client
Vasaloppet refers to both the world’s biggest cross-country ski race and the nonprofit managing it.
While the first race to be documented goes back to 1521, Vasaloppet started in 1922. Over the years, the event has grown to include bike and running races to thrill a wider sports fanbase. Come 2023, Vasaloppet will run its 100th race.
The Vasaloppet race has also inspired several sister races such as Vasaloppet USA and Vasaloppet Japan. Moreover, notable names have participated in the race including the King of Sweden Carl XVI, socialite Pippa Middleton, and boxer Frida Wallberg.
As for the nonprofit, it’s owned by the Swedish football club IFK Mora and sports club Sälens IF. Together, they aim to deliver public health and sports activities for international athletes.
The Problem
Vasaloppet wanted to leverage the latest technology to effectively track participants. This was important considering the long distance of the race and the nature of the tracks
The Solution
DPL created Vasaloppet’s official app to connect with its fans, visitors, and participants. Available for both Android and iPhone users, the app enables users to:
- Follow participants as they progress through a race
- Receive alerts on passing times from official controls
- Get an estimate arrival time at both controls and the finish line
The Impact
Vasaloppet’s app has proven to be popular with users. It has been downloaded 50,000+ times from the Play Store alone. With new races added from time to time, we are confident this app’s usage will grow in the future.
