Bengt and Ola Hassis

Brothers Bengt and Ola Hassis were the first pair of brothers to win the Vasaloppet. The older brother, Ola, won the race in 1979, and Bengt won it twice in a row, in 1985 and 1986.

The brothers were born in Bollnäs, but their father, Hans, had roots in Orsa, and the family moved there in the early 1970s. It was also their father who first sparked their interest in skiing.

The two brothers built their fitness in different ways. Ola worked in the forest and treated his job as training; in the evenings, he would often add another workout.

Bengt trained in a more modern, structured way, which eventually took him onto the Swedish national team. There, however, he came close to major starts at the World Championships and the Olympics, but was not selected to compete.

Long-distance racing was truly the brothers’ strength. Both were members of the national long-distance squad for many years.

Ola competed in the Vasaloppet 14 times and finished in the top ten on 11 occasions. Twice he placed third. In 1979 he won by two seconds ahead of Pauli Siitonen after a sprint finish involving six skiers. Ola was not known as a sprinter, but he had the most strength left at the end—something that proved decisive.

Bengt took both of his victories in duels against another set of brothers. In 1985 he outsprinted Örjan Blomkvist. The following year he beat Örjan’s brother, Anders. That year the Vasaloppet record was lowered to 3:48:55, a time that stood for 12 years.

Bengt raced the Vasaloppet 10 times and finished outside the top ten only once—ironically in 1979, the year his older brother won.