Great tracks and skiers from all around the world at Fossavatnsgangan
Over 400 participants from 23 countries are registered for the Fossavatnsgangan race, the largest cross-country skiing competition held in Iceland. The race takes place on Saturday, offering three distances: 50 km, 25 km, and 12.5 kilometers.
Some of the participants have come a long way to compete, hauling in from as far as Japan, Australia, and, for the first time in the history of the race, from India.
Preetam Singh is an ophthalmologist and the first Indian to register for the Fossavatnsgangan. He arrived in Ísafjörður earlier this week to get some practice in before the competition on Saturday. Here he is with Bobbi and Gylfi Ólafsson, Fossavatnsgangan board members, at the Ísafjörður nordic skiing area.
According to Bobbi, Kristbjörn Róbert Sigurjónsson, it is always a pleasure when people take on such a long journey to take part in the race. “If people are willing to travel halfway around the world to race with us, it must mean we’re doing something right.”
“The tracks have plenty of snow this year, and the temperatures in the last few weeks have been consistently below zero, so the track conditions are good,” says Bobbi. “At the moment the forecast for Saturday shows us temperatures around 4°C, moderate breeze and perhaps a slight precipitation.”
The official program of the Fossavatnsgangan starts on Thursday when the 25 km Fossavatn Skate will take place, as well as the Fossavatn Children’s and Family races.
Fossavatnsgangan has been held since 1935 and celebrates its 90th edition next year. The walk is accompanied by regular events that require the participation of many volunteering townspeople in Ísafjörður, such as a huge cake buffet after the race, which is hosted by the local skiing association, Skíðafélag Ísafjarðar. The race program then closes on Saturday evening with a huge party where guests celebrate the day’s triumphs by enjoying a seafood buffet followed by dancing into the night.
