Two world champions

The 2023 Biathlon World Championships was crowned with two Swedish gold medals. Both Hanna Öberg and Sebastian Samuelsson had to fight hård för it but managed to keep it together until the very end.

The Biathlon World Championship 2023 was held in Oberhof, Germany. On the final day both Swedish teams managed to secure three medals.

Hanna Öberg, Swedish gold medalist

Photo: sportal.se

Add these three medals to the other eight and you get a total of eleven medals. This means that the previous record of six medals (won in the same World Cup) was beaten with a bang, making this the most successful Biathlon World Championship ever.

Results from the finishing races

Men’s Mass Start, 15 km:

Sebastian Samuelsson (Sweden), gold

Martin Ponsiluoma (Sweden), silver

Johannes Thingnes Bø (Norway) bronze

Women’s Mass Start, 12,5 km

Hanna Öberg (Sweden), gold

Ingrid Landmark (Norway) Tandrevold, silver

Julia Simon (France) bronze

Both Swedish teams also managed to win two medals in the prestigious biathlon relay.

Results from The Women’s Biathlon Relay

Team Italy – gold

Samuela Comola
Dorothea Wierer
Hannah Auchentaller
Lisa Vittozzi

Team Germany – silver

Vanessa Voigt
Hanna Kebinger
Sophia Schneider
Denise Herrmann-Wick

Team Sweden – bronze

Linn Persson
Anna Magnusson
Elvira Öberg
Hanna Öberg

Results from The Men’s Biathlon Relay

Team France

Antonin Guigonnat
Fabien Claude
Émilien Jacquelin
Quentin Fillon Maillet

Team Norway

Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen
Tarjei Bø
Sturla Holm Lægreid
Johannes Thingnes Bø

Team Sweden – bronze

Peppe Femling
Martin Ponsiluoma
Jesper Nelin
Sebastian Samuelsson

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Fettisdagen

Fettisdagen, also known as Fat Tuesday, originates from the Christian “feast of Lent”. The purpose is to eat plenty of fat food before Easter.

In Sweden Fettisdagen is celebrated some time between February 3:d and March 9:th, supposedly 40 days before Easter. Since Easter is eans it is celebrated some time between February 3:d – March 9:th.

Fastlagen – The Fast

Fettisdagen is the third of the three days in “Fastlagen” which contains of “Fastlags Sunday”, “Blue Monday” and “White Tuesday” (days heading up to the fast).

According to Swedish tradition the fastlags bun, or “semla”, is baked and enjoyed all over Sweden during White Tuesday. In 2023 that means February 21:st.

Semla – A fastlags bun

A semmeltårta (fastlags bun cake)

Photo: ica.se

“Semla” is a wheat bun traditionally seasoned with cardemom, filled with “mandelmassa” (almond pulp) and topped with whipped cream.

The Prime Minister of Sweden

As a result of the latest election, which was held on September 10 2022, Sweden has a new Prime Minister. Or Head of State, if you wish.

Ulf Kristersson (M). Photo: Axel Adolfsson

Personal life

His name is Ulf Kristersson; a middle aged man (born 1963) who was born in Lund and later moved to Torshälla situated in the brautiful county of Södermanland.

As of many years Ulf lives in Strängnäs where he and wife Birgitta have raised three daughters together.

Photo: Axel Adolfsson

In his spare time Ulf prefers to spend time in the family summer house by the lake Mälaren. This is where he gets to take long walks with the dog, Winston, go for a run or hunt.

Political life

Kristersson is driven by the idea of making Sweden a country of equality, forward thinking and trust. His vision is to create a country where people focuses on journey rather than the goal.

Our current Prime Minister started his political carreer when he was in his teens, wich is also when he started a MSU-branch at S:t Eskils Gymnasium. After serving his country thru mandatory military service Ulf moved to Uppsala to study economics. During these years he also served as President for Moderata Ungdomsförbundet, also known as MUF.

Since then Ulf has supported Moderaterna working for the Swedish parliament with communications and finance in both Strängnäs and Stockholm.

After the election in 2014 Ulf returned to work for the Swedish parliament where he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Ministry of Finance.

Photo: moderaterna.se

Since October 2022 Ulf Kristersson is the Prime Minister of Sweden – a post he has secured for at least four years (when the next election will be held).

© Petra Roman, PR Text&Bild

Should you find any wrong facts or false statements in this text, please send an email to petra@prtextochbild.se

Buying alcohol in Sweden

Did you know that you can’t buy beverages with more than 3.5 % alcohol in a regular supermarket anywhere in Sweden?

In fact you won’t be able to buy alcohol in any other store either, except for Systembolaget (or ”Systemet”, as Swedes often call it).

Systembolaget

Let me tell you a little bit about Systembolaget and why we only have this one store that can sell alcohol with a higher percentage (actually it’s a store chain that’s operated through franchise).

The main purpose of maintaining this state owned alcohol monopoly store is to reduce and control alcohol consumption. “Out of date and too controlling” says one customer, “helpful and secure” says another.

Rules and limitations

You must be 20 years of age and have a Swedish ID to be able to buy alcoholic beverages in “Systemet”.

It is an ”institution” (if you wish) that is state-owned and state-run. It is also, by many, both respected and beloved, even though quite a few people find it too controlling and too limiting.

”Systemet” would never offer discounts or any other offers, nor stay open outside the quite restrictive opening hours (same everywhere).

Developments and adjustments

For some 30 years now customers are allowed to browse the store freely and on their own, as compared to before when shoppers were obliged to ask Systembolaget’s staff for a specific product.

The last store to be transformered to a self-service store was inaugurated in 2014 in the outskirts of Stockholm.

Purposes and goals

Systembolaget aims to be responsible and responsive, both to new customer behaviours and to educate the staff.

They show it e.g. by giving that little extra attention to the customer, wich includes advicing about drinking safely and how to pair alcohol with food.

The champion of the champions

Born in and raised in Storuman and Tärnaby, former World Cupalpine racer Ingemar Stenmark grew up to become one of the most admired and respected athletes in the history of Sweden.

Ingemar Stenmark

Being born in 1956 Ingemar joins a group of prominent athletes called “the 56:ers”, alongside former tennis champion Björn Borg and ice hockey-legend Börje Salming among others.

Stenmark began skiing at the age of five and had his first national victory just three years later. He made his World Cup debut in 1973 and took an impressive 86 gold medals, wich is more than any other alpine skier has won – until 2022, when Mikaela Shiffrin beat the rekord (and was congratulated by her idol, Ingemar Stenmark).

Ingemar Stenmark. Photo: sportbibeln.se

Medals

World Cup wins: 46 giant slalom, 40 slalom.

Olympic medals: gold in Lake Placid 1980 (giant slalom and slalom), bronze in Innsbruck 1976 (giant slalom).

World Championships: gold in 1978 (giant slalom and slalom), gold in 1982 (slalom), silver in 1982 (giant slalom).

Swedish championships: 4 wins giant slalom, 5 wins slalom.

Fair Play-award in 1976

Fun facts

When Ingemar retired he moved to Monaco (1986-2006) with former wife Ann Uvhagen. In 2016 he got re-married to Tarja Olli, with whom he had his second child (a daughter, born 2008).

At the age of 40 Stenmark was a fit as ever as he participated in the Swedish Superstars championship (1996) – which he of course won 1996. In 2011 he also won a similar competition and tv-produktion called “Mästarnas mästare”.

Four years later (2015) Ingemar teamed up with professional dancer Cecilia Ehrling in the Swedish version of “Dancing with the Stars” (in Swedish “Let’s Dance”) – where he of course won.

Cecilia Ehrling and Ingemar Stenmark in Let’s Dance 2015. Photo: svt.se

Chefs, food and pastry

Ever heard of “the Swedish chef” from Sesame Street? He’s hilarious but I’m not sure he can really cook. At least not as well as the Swedish chefs that I admire and who are well known all over the world.

Famous Swedish chefs

Marcus Samuelsson – Swedish chef working in New York where he’s the head chef at “Aquavit”. He’s cooked for royalties, presidents and movie stars but most of all – he’s grounded, humid and extremely talented!

Fredrik Berselius – Swedish chef also working in New York where he runs his own restaurant “Aska” (ashes). After only one year in the big apple he earned his first Michelin star!

Björn Franzén – Swedish chef who’s been appointed “World’s best chef” at “The Best Chefs Award” in Barcelona. His restaurant, Franzén (in Stockholm), has three Michelin stars! Check out Björns’ collection for Åhléns

Food and pastry

Sweden is famous for shrimp sandwiches, smörgåsbord (smorgasbord), pickled herring, semlor and cinnamon buns.

Shrimp sandwich
Smörgåsbord
Pickled herring
Semlor
Cinnamon buns
Photos: pexels.com

The westcoast of Sweden is known for its seafood and fresh fish. A quite common meal to have on a Friday night, or on a date, is fresh shrimp with newly baked pain riche, boiled eggs, mayonnaise (or aioli), dill and lettuce. This is usually accompanied by a glass of chilled white wine.

The more traditional Swedish dishes, “husmanskost”, is the type of food that the farmers would eat after a hard days of work. Typical “husmanskost” would be cale pudding with minced meat, meatballs with boiled potatoes and brown sauce and smoked herring with parsley, mashed potatoes and skimmed butter.

© Petra Roman, PR Text&Bild