Every chinese has a bicycle, but few use them for exercise and getting out in the wonderful nature. There is no tradition of mass sports in the country in which elite sports has always been dominating until now say Tone Lien, leader for Birkebeinerrittet. She hopes that the cooperation between the norwegian and the chinese Birkebeinerrittet can increase focus on security like getting the chinese to wear helmets, but also to help them get more roads and tracks for cycling.

The Swedish/Norwegian organization Nordic Ways has worked in China for 10 years with promoting Nordic mass sports.  The Swedish classic races Vasaloppet, Vätternrundan (the world’s biggest road bike race) and Lidingöloppet are on their way to becoming huge successes. Last winter, Vasaloppet China had more than 20 000 participants.

These Swedish classics are already cooperating with Birkebeinerrittet, but we wish to build cooperation during some time. It is important that the Chinese fins their own way of doing the  event, it shouldn’t  be an exact hard copy of our events, says Tone Lien who has been on a visit to the worlds most populous country to get a look at the possibilities. 

One of the results of her visit was the Chinese bikers participating in the race from Rena to Lillehammer on the 30^th of august this year. Tang Hongliang, 26, from Beijing and Li Mingli, 29, from Guangzhou got a big and different experience going over the mountains during their time in Norway. This was the first time they went abroad and participated in this kind of event, so it kind of made it more important to take photos with the camera than to ride fast. Li Mingli went home with more than 1000 new pictures, a lot of them of the food – the two had never eaten with a knife and fork before. 

Norwegian race leader

On the 11th of October, Birkebeinerrittet China will take place at Jingyuetan National Park, the largest planted forest in China. A 60 km track has been prepared with varying roughness in terrain and surface. Race leader is the Norwegian Emil Unaas (20). He is a birkebeiner biker (3h 13 min this year) and fluent in chinese after two years of studies in China. He now lives in Changchun and is going to help arrange Nordic Ways events and also take part in establishing a sports culture of terrain cycling and long distance running.

The beginning of something great? Both Hongliang, the Norwegian race leader Snorre Moen and Emil Unaas are exited to set up Birkebeinerrittet in China as well. (Photo: Erik Unaas)