WindlineAbout the race
Vätternrundan is a mass-participation ride around Lake Vättern in Sweden, with Motala as its base. Its flagship is the 315 km ride, and the organiser invites riders to "race at your own pace" in what it calls the world's largest cycling challenge. Alongside the long ride it runs a family of shorter and different events.
History
The first edition was in 1966, when riders covered about 300 km around the lake. Six women started that year, and Alice Hedihn of Uddevalla rode in a long skirt on a single-speed ladies' bicycle, going on to ride year after year. One man, Stig Johansson of Fagersanna, has ridden every edition since 1966, once on a bicycle from 1937 with a radio in the basket. The organiser tells how a couple stopped at the wedding chapel at Gyllene Uttern near Gränna in 1969 and married mid-ride, then finished in Motala as husband and wife after 15 hours and 10 minutes. In 1981 June brought biting cold and snow flurries, and many riders abandoned before Jönköping.
The course
The ride circles the lake, passing places such as Jönköping and Gränna before returning to Motala. Check the organiser for the full list of control points.
Distances
The organiser's 2027 programme includes:
- Vätternrundan 315 km, 18 to 19 June 2027, with registration open.
- Halvvättern 150 km, 12 June 2027.
- Vätternrundan 100 km and Tjejvättern 100 km, both on 12 June 2027.
- MTB-Vättern, 11 June 2027, and Minivättern on 13 June 2027.
- Vätternrundan Gravel, 12 September 2026.
Entry basics
Entry is online through the organiser's registration page, and the site has FAQs and guides on registration. Check the organiser for qualifying standards and time limits. A medal-engraving service is among the extras on offer.
Where to watch
Motala is where the main ride ends, as the organiser's stories about the finish line there make clear, and the organiser also lists an expo. Lake-shore towns such as Gränna, near the Gyllene Uttern chapel, feature in the event's own history.
Weather
Midsummer in Sweden means long daylight, but the 1981 edition shows that June can still turn bitterly cold. This is general background, not a forecast.
SourcesVätternrundan home