Holmenkollen Skifestival is over for this time. Two eventful weekends gave us great sporting achievements, excitement, goosebumps and strong stories, and not least a lot of sporting enjoyment and a great "Kollen" atmosphere for young and old who visited the arena.
By: Stefan Marx, General Manager of Holmenkollen Skifestival.
"Kollen"-The fog tested the patience of athletes and spectators on the first day of the Biathlon World Cup. But from there on out, "Kollen" was a party for the people over two packed World Cup weekends. The rain poured down at times during the biathlon, but the stands were sold out and the many enthusiastic visiting spectators from Germany, France and Sweden contributed to an unforgettable World Cup round in "Kollen". And Norwegian fans will not forget Sturla Holm Lægreid's triumphs in "Kollen" this weekend, when he took two victories on his own home turf. The spectators witnessed great drama on the slopes, another demonstration of what a fantastic spectator sport biathlon is.
The Nordic World Cup the following weekend also offered sporting highlights and strong stories galore, not least from a Norwegian perspective. Klæbo won his first 5-mile race. Forfang defied extra-sporting noise and triumphed in the ski jump. Eirin Maria Kvandal and Silje Opseth each took top positions in the women's class under RAW AIR, and Ida Marie Hagen had a great race in the combined, on home soil. Combined skier Jarl Magnus Riiber became the "Kollen" king, winning two of his 16 victories this season. And of course we have to give all the credit to Swedish Frida Karlsson, and her demonstration of power in the women's 5-mile.
All fantastic sporting achievements and lifelong memories for both athletes and spectators.
We would like to say a big thank you to our great audience! Holmenkollen is world famous, and "Kollen" -the audience is at least as world-renowned. It is a shame that a small number of audience members outside the arena are unable to behave and thus steal the headlines during the Nordic weekend. Despite changing weather and chilly temperatures, the many thousands of spectators provided plenty of cheers and a good atmosphere throughout!
Holmenkollen Skifestival is a folk festival for the whole family, and inside the arena there are offers and activities for everyone. Seeing children and adults spending their time in Holmenkollen these weekends is fantastic! It's a tradition we want to carry on in the best possible way.
We send a big congratulations to all the more than 1,700 volunteers, who dedicatedly and solidly contribute to making Holmenkollen Skifestival possible. The atmosphere is magical and the guests enjoy the Holmenkoll weekend's sports experiences and festival offerings. What an incredibly great bunch, we are proud of you!
Holmenkollen Skifestival is over for this time. Thanks for the party.
See you in "Kollen" in 2025!
Photos by Jacques Holst/Holmenkollen Skifestival
