Neil in Australia, which race are you going to ski in Vasaloppet's Winter Week 2024?

Name: Neil Wylie
Age: 47
Where do you live: Mount Lofty, Queensland, Australia
Occupation: Doctor (Surgeon)
Previous races in the Vasaloppet Arena: None

Neil, which race will you participate in during Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2024?
I have been very fortunate to be granted an entry to the original (and 100 year anniversary) Vasaloppet.

When did you first hear about Vasaloppet?
When I was a child my father first told me the legend of the race. It captured my imagination and has always been something that I’ve wanted to participate in. I love an event with what we call provinence in Australia. That is history. It makes me feel a link to those who have gone before us which is important. It allows those people just a little bit of immortality in this very fleeting life we have.

Have you watched the race on TV or your computer? What do you think of the race?
I have watched parts of it on the computer. Since I’ve started to seriously train I am amazed by the elite men and women and the speed at which they complete the event. It’s awesome.

Why are you participating and what are your expectations?
This is something I have wanted to do since a child. It is also something that I want to keep coming back to so that I can improve. It is one of these things that I have to do in my lifetime. I expect to meet and race with like minded people. I want to do something that is totally out of my comfort zone and will challenge me mentally and physically.

Who are you travelling with and/or will ski with?
I am travelling with my wife. She doesn’t ski. We are travelling first to Finland for a conference then will base ourselves in Stockholm to train with Catarina Henriksson for several weeks. If you know anyone who would like to meet up to train before the race, that would be wonderful.

Yes, we’ve heard that you’re getting training help from Vasaloppet coach Catarina Henriksson; tell us how you’re preparing?
She has been fantastic. Under her guidance I’ve seen my technique as well as ski fitness really improve. She is also able to fit my training program around my work and family commitments.

She writes a training program for me, we then meet once every 2 weeks to discuss and plan the next stage. I also send her videos of my technique. We do most of this either over WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams.

At the moment per week I am doing one gym session. 1 ski erg session, and 2 roller ski sessions. It’s good fun but it’s starting to get very hot during the day (36 degrees) so I do a lot of my training early in the morning.

There is snow and skiing in Australia, such as the 42 km Kangaroo Hoppet which is part of Worldloppet. Have you ever skied it?
There is a ski season in Australia. It is based in the highlands of New South Wales and Victoria. That is more than 2000 km from where I live.

I was planning to ski the Kangaroo Hoppet this year but work commitments stopped me. I did it previously during COVID on roller skis when we were locked down. I have also done the Snow Rake (21 km associated with the Merino Muster Race in New Zealand).

But how often does it snow in Brisbane or on Mount Lofty?
Unfortunately it does not snow at all. Very occasionally we may get some frost in the middle of winter.

Who would you like to see or challenge in your race this winter?
I would love to meet the elite men and women and see them train/race, but I will be far behind, skiing my own race.

If you were to also participate in a race in Vasaloppet’s Summer Week (mountain bike or running), what race would you choose, and why?
I would love to participate in the mountain biking. My wife is a very enthusiastic trail runner. She would love to do some of the events in summer. We have amazing mountain bike challenges here. Where I live they are in the process of doing up the trails in preparation for Brisbane to host the Olympics 2032.

Good luck! Welcome to Sweden; we look forward to seeing you at the finish line portal in Mora!

Footnote:
Best placed in Vasaloppet from Australia: Men: 35th, David Hislop in 1986. Women: 38th, Esther Bottomley in 2015.

Watch our YouTube Trailer for Vasaloppet’s Winter Week: