Friends take on Vasaloppet ski challenge in memory of Winchester man

Charlie Freeland and Will Potts covered 62km of the 90km Swedish race, raising a total of £13,624 for Winchester Hospice - the place where Hugh Freeland spent his final weeks.

Charlie, brother to Hugh, and friend Will cross-country skied from Sälen to Oxberg, tapping out after more than eight hours on the mountains.

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In 2009, Hugh was the first to head to western Sweden to attempt the Vasaloppet race, making it as far as the halfway mark at Evertsberg. The duo wanted to finish what Hugh had started by heading back to that same start line 14 years later in his honour.

Hugh died, age 45, in April 2022 from a rare bone cancer, leaving behind his wife Rosie, his two boys Rory and Rafferty as well as many family and friends.

Will Potts said: “When we reached Evertsberg it was an incredibly emotional point for both Charlie and I, thinking back to when Hugh arrived at that same spot all those years ago. I’m pretty sure Hughie was looking down smiling at that moment, enjoying our salute to him.

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“Taking on the race ourselves was something we really wanted to do following the loss of Hugh and to support Winchester Hospice while doing so just felt so important.”

Clinical matron at Winchester Hospice, Donna Coombs, said: “It really is incredible that we have such brilliant supporters like Charlie and Will doing just amazing things to raise funds for our hospice.

“We provide the services we do so that those needing our care can access it at the right time in the right place. Efforts like this simply go so far in helping us continue to do so for our community and we are so grateful for that.”

For more information or to donate go to justgiving.com/team/hughiesvarsaloppets.