Last Saturday was this year’s Svajerløb - Danish Cargo Bike Championships here in Copenhagen. The races were run at Carlsberg, like last year and it was fantastic day. Above are all the participants at the end of the day.
Hans, from Larry vs Harry, started the proceedings by welcoming everyone and then yours truly took over the mic as announcer.
One of the best things about this year’s races was that we had so many people from abroad who made the trip to participate. Above is Francesco, who brought two of his Bicicapace bikes and his his family and he took part in the Individual Two-Wheeler race and the Team Relay.
There was also a wider selection of bike brands participating. Batak was there again this year and there were Omniums, Longjohns, Shortjohns, you name it.
Our kids were the best spectators, of course. Don’t let these quiet moments fool you.
Here are the medallists of the Team Relay. Team Bullitt confidently defended their gold medal from 2011.
There was drama in the Individual Two-Wheeled discipline this year. The race went right to the wire. Jumbo from By-Expressen - a Copenhagen messenger company - took the honours on the top podium this year, dethroning the otherwise untouchable Claus Bullit (behind the beer bottle at left)
Here is the line-up for the final. 12 bikes. Bullitts but also a short-john and an Omnium.
Claus Bullitt was first into the loading zone after the first lap.
It was Jumbo, however, who squeezed past him on the last stretch on his Omnium cargo bike.
In the Ladies Individual Two-Wheeler final, Charlotte bettered her second-place from last year and took gold. Fanny from Klara Geist in Berlin took second and Hans’ wife, Signe, took third, but wasn’t present for the ceremony.
Here are the winners of the Vintage bike discipline - only old school cargo bikes allowed. The silver medallist, Trevor at left, is from Australia. Which makes him the Australian Champion, of course. Good onya.
Fanny and Willi, from Berlin, provided the music and speaker system on their Bullitt, with one of their great Klara Geist speaker systems.
Medal ceremony for the Three-Wheeler discipline. Leif dominated the field and walked away as Danish champion for the fourth year in a row on his Kangaroo. Somebody, please… give him some competition! Second and third place went to two Berliners on Christiania Bikes.
Here they are at left - Hans and Arne - going for a practice spin. And here are the winners (at right). Leif got a medal, but we’re sure he’ll remember the Cyclelogistics cargo bike pencil holder even more.
Steven from Grid Chicago - going for a ride with Lasse from Bicycle Innovation Lab - was in town for the event, together with Brandon, at right, dressed in true Svajere style for the day.
The audience darling, however, was Birthe. She was on a bachelorette outing with a group of girlfriends, being ridden around in a Christiania bike. They came past and entered the Team Relay with a team called Team Love. That’s the spirit! We enlisted the services of the bride-to-be during the medal ceremony, handing out the medals and cheek kisses to the winners.
This guy popped wheelies on his Bullitt like it was nothing. Riding back and forth on the back wheel. Only a handful of people on the planet can pull this off. God knows I’ve tried. Impressive. See you all next year!
History of the Svajere - Copenhagen’s original bike messengers.
More on Svajerløb 2009
More on Svajerløb 2010
