Organising a party on the move between Gothenburg and Lund is no child’s play. As chairperson of Idrottskollegiet, Hanna Bengtsson spends about 90 per cent of her time preparing for the Tandem rally. This year, the rules regulating the event are stricter, and much responsibility rests on this Tandem general’s shoulders.
Age: 22 years old.
Studies: Occupational therapy.
Present position: Tandem general and chairperson of Idrottskollegiet.
Background: She has competed in putting the shot and discus throwing on elite level, but ended that career a year ago. She still works out five to six times a week. When living such a hectic life, with her tandem assignment, studies and exercise, she says that planning ahead is everything.
Photo: Saga Sandin.
What do you know about the Tandem tradition?
“I know that it started out as a way for students to get from Gothenburg to Lundakarnevalen. Then, it developed into its own concept where you would bike from Lund to Gothenburg one year and then in the opposite direction the next. These days, only Lund keeps the tradition alive, always biking from Gothenburg to Lund, naturally with a few stops along the way”.
Why did you want to be Tandem general?
“I’ve always liked to get involved in different projects, and the Tandem rally is such a huge one that every student in Lund have heard of it. I spent a year in charge of sports at Östgöta Nation where I learned how Idrottskollegiet worked and also heard a lot of crazy tandem stories. Of course it’s also a merit to have lead and organised a project this big”.
Have you ever participated in the Tandem rally?
“No, actually I haven’t! Last year, there was no rally because of Lundakarnevalen, and the year before that, I was out of town. But thanks to all that I’ve heard, seen and read, it feels like I know exactly what it’s about. Maybe it’s a good thing to not quite know what you’re getting yourself into, hehe”.
Who is participating this year?
“All the nations except for Småland’s, nine of the student unions, four buses from LTH and one bus from Campus Helsingborg. In total, we will have 22 teams in 22 buses, with approximately 50 people in each bus. We’re estimating that the bike ride will include 1,200 participants and around 60 staff members”.
Is it a competition?
“No. You can win prizes, but those are rewards rather than trophies. For example, you can win by being closest to an ideal time, that no one knows in advance. The Tandem rally is not allowed to be a competition anymore”.
Why is that?
“It’s due to safety reasons. Some people get really excited about competing and work themselves too hard on the bike”.
This is in many aspects a risky business. What is the worst thing that can happen?
“The worst thing is when the police have to interfere. In that case, I’m done, because I’m the one who’s responsible and have signed all the important permits. Of course, there are many things that could happen, but nowadays, we have a set of rules and regulations that Kuratorskollegiet, KK, has developed, and which we haven’t had during the previous years. Another misfortune would be that one of the discos along the way has to shut down”.
What kinds of misfortunes have caused KK to develop these rules and regulations?
“Before, we only had broad safety outlines for the Tandem rally, but after some incidents in 2013, we assumed a more strict approach. Among other things, some students took the wrong way, so we decided that all bikes should be equipped with a GPS. Double-deckers and so-called ‘party buses’ are also no longer allowed”.
Why is the Tandem rally an important student tradition in Lund?
“It draws a big crowd. Also it’s a tradition, and I think it’s important to uphold our traditions. There are a lot of students in Lund who want to do crazy things during their student years, and this is a golden opportunity for that. Many of the people I’ve talked to says it’s the best thing they’ve ever done”.
Will you take a swim in the fountain in Lundagård?
“No, that was banned a few years ago, and nowadays you will get fined if the police catch you there. I mean, there’s a reason why LTH usually rent riot barriers to put around the fountain when they have their nollning event. We’ve thought about doing something like that, but we probably won’t, so if anyone wants to swim, they have to take responsibility for it”.
Facts about the Tandem rally
- The Tandem rally is a yearly event that takes place at night with students from Lund on tandem bikes.
- Idrottskollegiet, IK, which is a part of Kurskollegiet, KK, organises the event.
- The rally starts at Götaplatsen in Gothenburg and finishes in Lundagård.
- The route is divided into 20 different bike tracks, each between ten to twenty kilometres long.
- Every team has a bus following the bikes and switching out the bikers.
- There are two larger disco stops along the way, one in Kållered and one in Falkenberg.
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