Swedish governor makes trip to Maine to cheer biathlon team

FORT KENT – Members of the Swedish biathlon team had a very special visitor cheering for them last week at the 2004 World Cup.

Maggi Mikaelsson, governor of the Swedish region of Jamptland, spent four days in northern Maine.

On Saturday she was in the 10th Mountain Ski Center at the World Cup venue as the women’s team prepared for the 12.5-kilometer mass start race.

“This is so much like Sweden,” Mikaelsson said as she looked out at the thousands of spectators surrounded by rolling hills and snow-laden evergreens. “I feel like I am home.”

As it turns out, Aroostook County and Jamptland have more in common than topography and a passion for skiing.

Forests and tourism provide the bulk of employment for the 120,000 residents in Mikaelsson’s region, where a small manufacturing sector centers on outdoor equipment and clothing. Politically, she faces an aging population, out-migration of young people and constant issues relating to economic development. They even grow potatoes.

In her spare time the governor enjoys hunting moose and skiing, though she was quick to add, not at the same time.

Adding to the connection is the pocket of Swedish descendants living in Aroostook County.

Friday night Mikaelsson was a guest at a supper and social in New Sweden, hosted by the town’s Swedish Club.

“Imagine, meeting people in this country who have never been to Sweden but who speak Swedish,” she said. “I know I have family who emigrated [to the United States] years ago and I wanted to research that.”

Ostersund, the capital of Jamptland, is bidding to host the 2008 biathlon world championships and, like Fort Kent, is relying heavily on local support.

“We have a stadium and have had several World Cups there,” she said. “We have the same experience as you [in that] we depend on local sports clubs and young people to help out.”

Educated as a kindergarten teacher, she spent 11 years in the Swedish parliament before becoming governor.

On her way to Fort Kent, she spent several days in Vermont looking at possibilities for cooperative relationships.

The governor’s visit was not entirely without incident. She and her entourage drove to northern Maine from Vermont through Canada and caused some excitement at the border in Fort Kent.

“We knew we had to cross the border,” she said. “We just forgot to stop at customs.” Her group did stop quickly, however, after lights and alarms alerted them they had entered the United States.

“There is such a wonderful audience here,” she said. “So many people are learning about biathlon [and] I am sure there will be many other World Cup events here.”