 |
 |
You are in our
Hints and Tips section. To return to the main site, hit
"Home" on the menu-bar below. |
|
|
|
|
|
Topic - Races: Galdhopiggen
ski race
Date first posted on eCommunity - 19
April 2009
Last Saturday, 18 April, saw the running of one of
the most challenging
citizens' ski races in the Norwegian calendar: "Galdhopiggrennet". Using
telemark equipment, competitors started near the summit of Galdhopiggen,
one of
Norway's highest mountains, and descended 1100 metres in altitude over a
course
just 3.5 kilometres in length. The course was marked by gates but was
not
prepared by any kind of grooming machine.
The event takes place each year on the first Saturday after Easter and
is based
at the lodge at Spiterstulen, in the middle of the Jotunheim mountains.
The
lodge provides accommodation in bunkrooms and dormitories and it also
has a
campsite. Usually there about 350 participants though in some years
there have
been over 400.
Galdhopiggrennet is a point-and-shoot sort of event, and the winners
take about
3 minutes. However those in less of a hurry can take up to 45 minutes.
On the
way down they pass through stages called Dybvads horror, Sizziz schucht,
Blue-ice, and Knee-shivers. The first section goes over a glacier.
In the Jotunheim you are in a national park and there is no uplift - you
need to
go up to the start-line on foot, carrying your skis. Three hours up for
three
minutes down, says the race organiser's website.
Most of that website is in Norwegian but there is a brief summary in
English at
http://www.galdhopiggrennet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3
On the Norwegian pages you can read that the event dates back to 1934
when just
12 skiers took part and the winner recorded a time of 3 mins 37 seconds.
That
time was steadily improved upon until 1948 when Stein Eriksen recorded 2
mins 46
seconds. Eriksen went on to win gold in the giant slalom at the 1952
Olympic
Games in Oslo, as well as silver in the slalom.
His Galdhopiggrennet record was to stand for 20 years. Then, in the 2007
race
two skiers - Eirik Rykhus and Eirik Borgersen shared first place in a
time of 2
minutes 38 seconds
This year's race was again won by Eirik Rykhus - in 2 minutes and 39
seconds,
just a second behind his own record. Sunny, cold conditions brought fast
times
for many other participants, too. Four men finished in under 3 minutes.
And the
fastest woman wasn't far behind, finishing in 4 minutes and 1 second.
|
|
S. Montgomery, for XCuk
|
XCuk: cross country skiing,
winter walking, snowshoeing, nordic walking.
Terms & Conditions / Contact Us
XCuk Limited © 2005 |
|
|