News

Another winter we have to deal with Covid and its impact to race organizations. Over the summer months many race organizers have collected experiences in Covid control, security plans, restrictions… Now, right bevor winter is coming into our countries Worldloppet has invited more than 30 organizations to meet virtually and exchange these experiences.

“In times like these it is more important than ever to leave differences behind us and stick our heads together, working on common ways to deal with the ongoing pandemic and its impact on our sport. The world of cross-country skiing is to small, to not work together!,”
says Juha Viljamaa, President of Worldloppet, who has welcomed the meeting participants.

Virtual Races are key

All Worldloppet members, all Global Ski Marathon Calendar races and other organizations like the FIS (we4ski nordiq) were invited to the online meeting on Wednesday November 23rd. The main topic was how to connect with skiers during the ongoing Covid pandemic. It turned out, that virtual events have been a great tool, to keep the skiing community together and keep communication going on. Organizations which have offered a virtual event during the past two years are more likely to gain higher entry numbers for their real races taking place coming winter.

Also the Global Ski Marathon Calendar seems to be good tool, to help races and skiers to reconnect more easily. In this calendar, available on Worldloppet’s website, all ski marathons in the world should be considered. No matter if the race is small or big, if it is part of Worldloppet, Euroloppet, Swissloppet or the Ski Classics.

The major part of the races will take place

A difficulty for the upcoming race winter was spotted: the uncertainty if a race will take place or not, if a skier can enter the country or not. Many race organizations compensate this uncertainty with guarantees like transferring the entry to another year, if the race has to be cancelled or the skier can not enter the country. Other races even offer a 100 % money back guarantee.

But all in all, the conclusion from the current point of view is, that the major part of the races will most likely take place in 2022 and skiers will be able to enter the countries, provided the skier is vaccinated.