Name Gustaf Hakansson | ||
 | ||
Role Professional Road Racing Cyclist Died June 9, 1987, Ekero, Sweden | ||
Nils Gustaf Håkansson, (October 15, 1885 in Helsingborg stadsförsamling – June 9, 1987 in Ekerö, Stockholm), became famous as the Stålfarfar ("Super Grandpa" - from "Stålmannen", the Swedish name for Superman) after cycling the Sverigeloppet, a race covering the length of Sweden, at 66 years of age.
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", a physically unstoppable /elder/ man) after early cycling feats, such as in 1927 when, at 42 years of age, he conquered the northern 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 allow him to participate - the maximum age for race participants was 40 years - but he still started from Haparanda, formally not among the contestants but starting one minute after the last of them had set off and wearing a shirt on which he had written a big zero as his 'runner number'. The Tour was run in stages, and while the contestants slept, Håkansson would pedal up to three days without sleeping. During the contest, he was presented as "Stålfarfar", a name that had 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 were covering his story, and he became famous as the nation followed his journey through the country.
During a few hours off in Söderhamn the police asked him to take 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 seated on the shoulders of younger men. 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 folkparks and old people's homes with his religious songs. He made a record at Liseberg, and became known as "the world's oldest recording artist" at the time.
In 1959 Håkansson rode his bicycle to Jerusalem to visit the holy sites. His last cycling trips were 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 a son, who predeceased them.
At Johannamuseet in Skurup, Scania there is a permanent exhibition about "Stålfarfar."
