Grown-ups on mopeds

In the southern tip of Sweden there is a small village called Östra Grevie. This little village has ha population of about 600 people, but since 2000 that number more than doubles each year come September.

The little village fills up with people and cars from all over the place, to the extent that the public bus line struggles to pass through.

But it’s not only people in cars arriving — the main attraction is the annual moped race.

The number of participants has been growing steadily with each year and in 2015 Mopperun — as it is officially called — brought just shy of six hundred drivers to Östra Grevie.

Calling it a race is perhaps a bit over the top. As long as your moped starts you are welcome to join, although it’s not uncommon for drivers to find themselves at the starting line without just that — no matter how hard you kick, the little 1 horsepower race machine just won’t start.

When the clock strikes 12:00 and the public bus hopefully has had time to pass, the start signal goes off. By now most of the street is covered in blue smoke which thickens even more as each moped rolls off the starting line.

It doesn’t take long until the race is taken onto country and gravel roads and continues between the fields of Söderslätt. It’s out here that the participants must stop and answer quiz questions. It is an unusual sight — these roads are not usually that well trafficked but this day people arrive like ants on a long line.