Gustaf Håkansson
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Nils Gustaf Håkansson, (October 15, 1885 in Helsingborg stadsförsamling – June 9, 1987 in Ekerö, Stockholm), became famous as the Stålfarfar ("Super Grandpa") after cycling the Sverigeloppet at 66 years of age.
[edit] Life
Håkansson was a resident of Gantofta in Helsingborg, where he drove a bus, while his wife Maria had a café. He was known as a "krutgubbe" (lit. "gunpowder-hubby") when in 1927, at 42 years of age, he conquered the Swedish mountains by bicycle.
In 1951, at 66 years of age, Håkansson rode his bicycle emulating the so-called Sverigeloppet from Haparanda to Ystad. Because of his advanced age the organizers had refused him to participate - the maximum age was 40 years - but he still started from Haparanda at the same time as the contestants, wearing a shirt on which he had written a big zero. The Tour was run in stages, and while the contestants slept, Håkansson pedaled up to three days without sleeping. During the contest, he was presented as "Stålfarfar" , a name that followed him since the late 1940s. He had a big beard that made him look extra old, and the organizers were afraid people would laugh at the race participants. Many newspapers covered his story, and he became famous as the Swedish people followed his journey through the country.
While stopping in Söderhamn police asked him to have a medical exam, which showed that Hakansson was in good health. After 6 days, 14 hours and 20 minutes, he arrived in Ystad - 24 hours before the contestants. There was a parade with a marching band, fire brigades and Håkansson sat in a cage on golden seat. The next day he had an audience with King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden. Håkansson was subsequently paid to appear in ads, and he toured a long time in the country's folkparker and old people's homes with their spiritual songs. He made a record at Liseberg, and became known as "the world's oldest record artist" at the time.
In 1959 Hakansson rode his bicycle to Jerusalem to visit the holy sites. His last cycling trips he made after he reached the age of 100 years. He was almost 102 years old at the time of his death and his wife Maria, who died a year before Hakansson, almost 105. The couple are buried in Kvistofta cemetery along with an early, continue son. Kvistofta is located just east of E6/E20 between Helsingborg and Landskrona and can be accessed via the exit to Glumslöv, Rydebäck and Vallåkra.
In Johannamuseet in Skurup is a permanent exhibition of the "Stålfarfar."
