Skiing in Norway is intertwined with the country’s rich historical heritage and traditions for good and obvious reasons. Norway is known for its magnificent white landscapes; the fjords and mountains are spread all over this long stretched country, which makes sliding on snow and ice very accessible. Read on and learn more about the modern history of skiing in Norway.
Skiing has a history of at least eight millennia. The earliest archaeological examples of skis were found in Karelia (a region in western Russia on the border with Finland) and date to 6000 BCE. Although skiing’s origins were purely utilitarian, the modern sport evolved from beginning in Scandinavia. In the mid-1800s skiing became a popular recreational activity and sport. In the 20th century it was practiced in snow-covered regions worldwide, providing a market for the development of ski resorts and their related communities.
Mail on Skis
In 1799, French traveler Jacques de la Tocnaye visited Norway and wrote in his travel diary:
“In winter, the mail is transported through Filefjell mountain pass by a man on a kind of snow skates moving very quickly without being obstructed by snowdrifts that would engulf both people and horses. People in this region move around like this. I’ve seen it repeatedly. It requires no more effort than what is needed to keep warm. The day will surely come when even those of other European nations are learning to take advantage of this convenient and cheap mode of transport.”
The Telemark turn
One of the key figures in the history of skiing in Norway is Sondre Norheim. Born in Morgedal, Norway in 1825, Norheim was a ski maker and skier who is credited with revolutionizing the sport. He developed the Telemark turn, which involved a distinctive knee bend and sweeping motion, and is still used by Telemark skiers today. Norheim’s innovations and skills on the ski slopes earned him the title of “father of modern skiing.”
Christiania Skiklub (Ski Club of Christiania) was founded in 1877 to promote skiing, which eventually arranged the Holmenkollen Ski Festival. The capital of Oslo was named Christiania then. The very first ski jumping competition in Holmenkollen took place in 1892 in front of a crowd of 12,000 people.
Christiania Ski Club was a closed club with a maximum of 50 members drawn from the capital’s upper class. Academics, civil servants, military personnel and businessmen.
The Norwegian Association of Skiing
In 1882, the club’s tasks had become too burdensome, and the initiative to establish an open ski association that could take care of competitions, and the general promotion of skiing was taken. It led to the establishment of the Association for the Promotion of Skiing (founded in 1883), today, just called Skiforeningen (The Association of Skiing). It has about 70,000 members, maintains several thousand kilometers of cross country ski trails around Oslo and holds several events at Holmenkollen.
The Ski Museum at Holmenkollen was founded in 1923 and is the world’s oldest ski museum located at the base of the Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo. It is one of Norway’s most visited attractions and a famous sporting arena.
The Olympia of skiing
Holmenkollen became the Olympia of skiing, a miniature Telemark, where the men of the capital could spread the good news of skiing and cultivate what ski historian and author Tor Bomann-Larsen called “The Telemark theology.” Here, skiing took on an almost religious dimension.
Another important figure in the history of skiing in Norway is Fridtjof Nansen, a scientist, explorer, and skier who lived from 1861 to 1930. Nansen was one of the first people to use skis for exploration, and he used them to cross the Greenland ice cap in 1888. His adventures on skis inspired others to take up the sport and helped to establish skiing as a popular activity in Norway.
Norwegian workers on the Buenos Aires – Valparaiso railway line introduced skiing in South America around 1890. In 1910, Roald Amundsen used skis on his South Pole Expedition. In 1902, the Norwegian consul in Kobe imported ski equipment and introduced skiing to the Japanese, motivated by the death of Japanese soldiers during snowstorms.
The 20th century
The Birkebeiner Ski Race has been held annually since 1932, and commemorates a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists to save the infant pretender to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, symbolizing the weight of the then-one-year-old king.
In the 20th century, Norway continued to play a key role in the development of skiing. The country hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924, and it has since become a major destination for ski enthusiasts from all over the world. Today, Norway is home to some of the world’s best ski resorts, including Hemsedal, Geilo, and Trysil, and it continues to be a leader in the sport.
in the 1950s, the Norwegian photographer Espen Tveit was interested in ski jumps – perhaps to a greater extent in the facilities themselves than in the sport that is practiced in them. He compiled an excellent book on these ski jumps.
Modern History of Skiing in Norway – Conclusion
The modern history of skiing in Norway, as well as the historic origin, is rich and fascinating, and it is intertwined with the country’s heritage and traditions. From the early days of the Vikings to the modern era, skiing has played a significant role in the lives of Norwegians, and the sport has shaped the country into the skiing destination that it is today. From Sondre Norheim and Fridtjof Nansen to the many ski enthusiasts of today, the legacy of skiing in Norway lives on.
Modern History of Skiing in Norway, compiled by Tor Kjolberg
Feature image (on top): Fridtjof Nansen