Vasaloppet enters the multimedia era

Organizers of the Vasaloppet, Swedish Television and Ericsson have collaborated to make the race more accessible, more personalized and more interactive for viewers. Using Ericsson's solution Me-On-TV, Swedish Television will be able to follow a wider range of participants and to broaden the viewer experience by broadcasting from areas of the track that have previously been too difficult to access  - and to follow both the lead skiers and the big crowds in the middle and rear at the same time.

Me-On-TV allows mobile phone users to publish content, or to participate live, on any screen, ranging from PCs and mobile phones to television screens. In other words, anyone with a 3G mobile phone can contribute and share their experiences. The application is particularly well-suited for broadcast companies that want to provide fresh content for entertainment, news and sports reports.

"My vision is to make the Vasaloppet more accessible to a wider audience," says Jonas Bauer, CEO of the Vasaloppet. "We are making it more interactive and more personal by making it possible for the viewers to follow friends, family and colleagues. The Vasaloppet is now entering a new stage."

During this year's race, three people on assignment for Swedish Television, and on skis, will be equipped with mobile phones to broadcast interviews, personal observations or footage of specific happenings during the race, in conjunction with regular coverage.

"It will make it more immediate," Bauer says. "Together with Swedish Television, we have been good at covering the elite skiers and those who take part for the exercise in areas where broadcasting has been possible. Now, the viewer will be able to follow not only all the skiers, but also events around the track, including the revelry that surrounds the race."

So how did the Vasaloppet - a deeply-rooted Swedish tradition based on a young nobleman escaping on skis through this northern winter landscape only to return, lead a rebellion and become king - and the modern Business Unit Multimedia at Ericsson find a common track?

"They go hand in hand," says Charlotta Sund, Head of Business Segment Multimedia and Systems Integrations within Market Unit Nordic and Baltics at Ericsson. "The Vasaloppet and Ericsson both have a long and well-known history in Sweden. This is in line with Ericsson's multimedia strategy of reaching new business segments, personalizing content and increasing interactivity. TV is a major part of that."

This year's Vasaloppet will be the 84th in a row, but the 90km race, between the village of Sälen and the town of Mora in the Swedish province of Dalarna, is just the grand finale of "Vasaloppet Week," which runs from February 22 to March 2. It includes such events as the Short Vasa, the Youth Vasa and the Open Track. About 16,000 skiers are expected to turn up on the Vasalopp starting line, and 48,000 to participate in the events during the week. Last year 46,700 skiers - including 5963 international skiers from 38 nations - took part in the various races, which were covered by Swedish Television and 217 journalists from 50 newspapers.