Bengt and Ola Hassis

The brothers Bengt and Ola Hassis were the first siblings to win Vasaloppet. As it should, big brother Ola began by taking home the nine-mile race in 1979. This triggered his younger brother Bengt who won the race twice in a row in 1985 and 1986.

The brothers were born in Bollnäs but his father Hans had roots in Orsa and they moved here in the early 70's. It was also their father who got them interested in skiing.

The two brothers built their physiques in different ways. Ola was a forest worker and used his work as a training session. In the evening he took another training session

Bengt trained in a more modern way and it took him into the Swedish Ski Team. There, however, he only came close to the major races in the World Championships and Olympics, but was not selected to run.

It was long distance that was the brothers' thing. Both became members in the national long-distance squad for a long time.

Ola participated in Vasaloppet 14 times. 11 times he was better than ten. Twice he came in third. In 1979 he won by two seconds over Paulo Siitonen in a sprint battle with six skiers. Ola wasn't really a sprinter, but he had the most strength left, which was crucial.

Bengt won his two victories in battle with another pair of brothers. In 1985 he sprinted down Örjan Blomkvist. The year after he won over Örjans brother, Anders. That year the Vasaloppsrekord was broken by 3.48.55, a record that lasted for 12 years.

He participated in 10 Vasalopps and only finished worse than 10th once. It happened to be 1979, the year his big brother won.