Ahlstr m set out to create the first Swedish ski alpinism race, which from the very beginning had its own characteristics. Due to the relative inaccessability of the Kebneisekaise area and the greater distance between huts as compared to the Alps, he settled on a two-day format, requiring the racers to be able to dig their own bivouacs. The inaugural Classic was held in 1992. A two-day mix between a mountain marathon and an orienteering contest, the first FEM in 1994 brought racers from many different fields. This year, more than 450 racers will take on the challenge of either 70K or 30K of tough orienteering in spectacular surroundings.
Racers run in two-person teams, for safety reasons.
Having successfully launched yet another race concept, Ahlstr m was ready for a bigger challenge. Right away, I knew that I had to create a similar race here in Scandinavia, north of the Arctic circle. The scenery is spectacular and very different compared to all of the places where they've staged international adventure races so far. It wasn't long before Ahlstrom had mapped out the course. Of course, I did those things over a period of ten years.