Swedish Ski Games facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swedish Ski GamesSvenska skidspelen
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Lugnet during the 2008 event
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| Status | active |
| Genre | sporting event |
| Date(s) | February–March |
| Frequency | annual |
| Venue | Lugnet |
| Location(s) | Falun |
| Country | Sweden |
| Inaugurated | 1947 |
The Swedish Ski Games (Swedish: Svenska skidspelen) is a big yearly cross-country skiing event in Sweden. It's a super exciting competition where skiers race across snowy landscapes.
The games first started in Sundsvall in 1947. Later, in 1959, they moved to Falun, which is now their main home. For many years, other winter sports like ski jumping and Nordic combined skiing were also part of the event. Even alpine skiing (downhill skiing) and biathlon (skiing and shooting) were included for a short time. However, since 1992, the Swedish Ski Games has focused only on international cross-country skiing races.
This event usually happens in February or March. It's often one of the last big competitions in the World Cup season. Most of the time, the games are held at a place called Lugnet. Sometimes, if there isn't enough snow, the event has to be moved to a different location.
History of the Games
The idea for the Swedish Ski Games came from other famous skiing events. These included the Holmennkollrennene in Norway and the Lahti Ski Games in Finland. The very first Swedish Ski Games took place in 1947. Only four countries took part: Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Switzerland.
In the early years, the games were held in different towns across Sweden. But in 1957, a group from 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 event.
In 1979, the Swedish Ski Games was part of an unofficial World Cup season. When the official FIS Cross-Country World Cup began in 1981–82, the Swedish Ski Games became a regular part of it. The only times it's not included are when Falun hosts the bigger Nordic World Ski Championships instead. As mentioned, ski jumping and Nordic combined were part of the program until 1991.
Past Events
The Swedish Ski Games have been held almost every year since 1947. Here's a list of where they took place:
- 1947 – Sundsvall
- 1948 – Östersund
- 1949 – Sollefteå
- 1950 – Östersund
- 1951 – Sundsvall
- 1952 – Falun
- 1953 – Boden
- 1954 – Falun (combined with the World Ski Championships)
- 1955 – Stockholm-Nässjö
- 1956 – Falun
- 1957 – Sollefteå
- 1958 – No competitions held
- 1959 – Falun
- 1960 – Falun/Sälen/Transtrand
- 1961 – Falun
- 1962 – Falun/Bjursås
- 1963 – Falun
- 19una
- 1965 – Falun
- 1966 – Umeå/Örnsköldsvik
- 1967 – Falun
- 1968 – Falun
- 1969 – Falun
- 1970 – Falun
- 1971 – Falun/Bjursås
- 1972 – Lycksele
- 1973 – Falun
- 1974 – Falun (combined with the World Ski Championships)
- 1975 – Falun
- 1976 – Falun
- 1977 – Falun
- 1978 – Falun
- 1979 – Falun
- 1980 – Falun (women's 20 kilometers world championship)
- 1981 – Falun
- 1982 – Falun
- 1983 – Falun
- 1984 – Falun
- 1985 – Falun
- 1986 – Falun
- 1987 – Falun
- 1988 – Falun
- 1989 – Falun
- 1990 – Lycksele/Örnsköldsvik
- 1991 – Falun
- 1992 – Falun
- 1993 – Falun (combined with the World Ski Championships)
- 1994 – Falun
- 1995 – Falun
- 1996 – Falun
- 1997 – Falun
- 1998 – Falun
- 1999 – Falun
- 2000 – Falun
- 2001 – Falun
- 2002 – Falun
- 2003 – Falun
- 2004 – Falun
- 2005 – Falun
- 2006 – Falun
- 2007 – Falun
- 2008 – Falun
- 2009 – Falun
- 2010 – Falun
- 2011 – Falun
- 2012 – Falun
- 2013 – Falun
- 2014 – Falun
- 2015 – Falun (combined with the World Ski Championships)
- 2016 – Falun
- 2017 – Falun
- 2018 – Falun
- 2019 – Falun
- 2020 – Falun
- 2021 – Falun
