A proposal in Norway makes Björn Ferry shake his head.
And hand out a sawing to the whole country.
– Norway is bad at organizing competitions, they have always been lax there, says the SVT expert.
The biathlon season is only a few weeks away and this weekend it was time for national premieres in both Sweden and Norway. In Sweden there were fierce competitions and in Norway the same, but there have still been discussions in our neighboring country. The reason is that the competitions were on artificial snow.
Unexpected proposal
The competitions were in Sjusjön, where quantities of snow were transported. There have been many discussions in recent years about how to solve the difficulties of the winters getting warmer, and coming later in the year. And now a proposal in our neighboring country Norway makes the experts shake their heads.
It is Arne Idland, race director of the Blink Festival, which attracts scores of ski stars to roller ski competitions each summer, comes with a controversial twist. He believes that the IBU, the International Biathlon Union, should look into adding roller skiing competitions to the World Cup as well.
– The winters are getting shorter and I don’t think that either cross-country skiing or biathlon can survive with a three-month season, as it may be in the long run. Then I think you have to think new and non-traditional and use the summer as well, says Idland.
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“Is a bad idea”
But not many people agree. Bear Ferry responds with a serious sawing – of the whole of Norway.
– I think that is a bad idea. Norway is bad at organizing competitions, they have always been lax there. An organizer who wants to have competitions must save snow from the previous winter. Then you can definitely hold competitions when you want them, so it’s more of a technical issue, says the SVT expert.
During this weekend’s competitions in Norway, 100 truckloads of artificial snow had to be transported in order to drive. Even in Idre there is artificial snow, but not with the same effort. It’s up to Norway, says Ferry.
– They have not saved snow in Sjusjön in the same way as they have done in Idre. I would like to say that it is a mistake by the organizers. After all, all facilities that want to have competitions early try to save snow from the previous winter, which is the safest way to arrange competitions.
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