Participant failure Birken: – It’s been less trendy with skiing competitions – Aftenposten

Almost every fourth participant dropper race.

Birkebeinerrennet 2012, fully subscribed on 97 seconds . The year after starting numbers snapped up within a couple of hours and also Birkebeinerrennet 2014 was fully subscribed with 17 000 participants.

Not so this year. On Saturday the 54 km long ski run of the stack with only 13,000 participants. Natural fluctuations, says Birken-management.

– For us this is a common registration number. We have been at 13000-14000 participants earlier too, but then we had 17,000 in both 2013 and 2014. We believe this is natural fluctuations, and now we are only concerned with delivering the goods to those who stand on the starting line, says press officer Randi Bolstad .

The cancellation

In 2014, selected organizers to cancel Birken due to weather . Participants did not start dues again, which created reactions.

– It is not this that makes fewer have signed up this year?

– It is hard to say. We do not know, says Bolstad.

Poor snow conditions

Also, most other major Norwegian skiing competitions have participant decline. In 2013 had Holmenkollen Relay 5479 participants. The following year, the number was down in 3654, and this year just attended 3178 in the traditional march.

Similarly, we have seen in Sesilåmi. In 2011 went over 2500 Setesdal Sirdal . This year was just just over 1000 with .

Flyktningerennet had 1650 participants in 2013, while the year only has 1000 entries to race next weekend.

– We believe the decline is due to have been very little snow in the area in recent years. We hope not have the interest, said race leader in Flyktningerennet, Eva Westum Kveli, adding:

– I do not think we can withstand many winters in a row with lack of snow before people get a completely different compared to skiing. Especially exerciser, which generally do not have the opportunity to consult snow far away, says Kveli.

Trend Replacing

Kjell Vigestad thinks it’s become less trendy with skiing event than before. He was managing director and editor for Kondis and Kondis.no for 25 years before his recent retirement.

– After many years of gains, turned it last year. I think this is due to many factors. At Ski Federation has introduced a license of 130 million for participation in skiing competitions, is a factor. Snow Conditions and several new country competitions in a short season, is among several other reasons, says Vigestad.

– Do you think this will continue?

– It is hard to say. But it is clear that the union must take together. They care most about world champions and pediatric focus, not so much about exerciser. When they additionally made exerciser to a source of income, they have gone too far, says Vigestad.

Cross Country Manager in Norway Ski Federation, Skinstad, does not recognize himself in the Vigestad says.

– If we provide good ski tracks and great events in the country, so there is not much more we can do. It’s not like Ski Federation governing skiing event organizers. There are clubs that own events. We can of course be better at giving advice. But while I am aware that good activity for children and youth clubs, is much more important than exercise event. Regarding the license, so it is an insurance and it is possible to buy a one year license. Then you will not go many skiing event before it pays off, says Skinstad.

Skarverennet quickly fully subscribed

Skarverennet is one of those that go in the opposite direction. 19 seconds after they opened for signing up for the race, all the 12220 starting numbers torn away.

– The last five years we have had very good demand. We could certainly had twice as many participants. Just a week last year in the days around enrollment was 157,000 inside of our home, says the head of the organizing committee in Skarverennet, Jarle Outbuildings.

– Why is Skarverennet so popular?

– People want to mountains and experience the last ski run of the season. We also have much less focus on going on time than the other country competitions. Meanwhile this is a very social happening where the entire Norwegian elite sets, says Outbuildings.

Published: 19 March. 2015 4:22 p.m.