Swedish Ski Games facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Swedish Ski Games Svenska skidspelen
Lugnet during the 2008 event
Status	active
Genre	sporting event
Date(s)	February–March
Frequency	annual
Venue	Lugnet
Location(s)	Falun
Country	Sweden
Inaugurated	1947 (1947)

The Swedish Ski Games (which in Swedish is called Svenska skidspelen) is a big yearly cross-country skiing competition held in Sweden. It's a very important event in the world of skiing!

The games first started in Sundsvall in 1947. Later, in 1959, the event moved to Falun, which is where it usually takes place now. For many years, other exciting winter sports were also part of the games. These included ski jumping and Nordic combined skiing until 1991. Even alpine skiing (downhill skiing) was included from 1950 to 1953, and biathlon (a mix of skiing and shooting) was part of it in 1984.

Since 1992, the Swedish Ski Games has focused only on international cross-country skiing events. It's usually held in February or March. This makes it one of the last big competitions in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup season. The main place for the games is Lugnet in Falun. Sometimes, if there isn't enough snow, the event has to be moved to a different location.

History of the Swedish Ski Games

The idea for the Swedish Ski Games came from other famous skiing events. These included the Holmennkollrennene (Holmenkollen Ski Festival) in Norway and the Lahti Ski Games in Finland. The very first Swedish Ski Games happened in 1947. Only four countries took part back then: Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Switzerland.

In the early years, the games were held in different cities across Sweden. But in 1957, a group called the skiing association of Dalarna suggested that Falun should become the main host. Falun first hosted the games as a test from 1959 to 1962. After that, it became the permanent home for the Swedish Ski Games.

In 1979, the Swedish Ski Games was part of an unofficial World Cup season. When the official FIS Cross-Country World Cup started in the 1981–82 season, the Swedish Ski Games became a regular part of it. The only times it wasn't included were in years when Falun hosted the Nordic World Ski Championships instead. As mentioned, ski jumping and Nordic combined events were part of the program until 1991.

Where the Games Have Been Held

The Swedish Ski Games have been held in many different places over the years. While Falun became the main host city, especially from 1959 onwards, other towns also had the chance to host. Sometimes, the games were even combined with bigger events like the World Ski Championships.

Here are some of the places that have hosted the Swedish Ski Games:

• Sundsvall (1947, 1951)
• Östersund (1948, 1950)
• Sollefteå (1949, 1957)
• Falun (many times, starting in 1952)
• Boden (1953)
• Stockholm and Nässjö (1955)
• Kiruna (1964)
• Umeå and Örnsköldsvik (1966, 1990)
• Lycksele (1972, 1990)

Since 1991, the games have almost always been held in Falun. This shows how important Falun has become to the history of the Swedish Ski Games.

Other Skiing Events to Explore

If you're interested in the Swedish Ski Games, you might also like to learn about these other famous skiing festivals:

• Holmenkollen Ski Festival
• Lahti Ski Games