From Winter Olympics to Mass Sport Events: Successes and Chalenges deriving from the Birkebeiner races - Thor Flognfeldt: Lillehammer University ...
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From Winter Olympics to Mass Sport Events:
Successes and Chalenges deriving
from the Birkebeiner races
Thor Flognfeldt:
Lillehammer University College
Norway
This front page was
The next morning the race
created last Friday….
was cancelled due to very
strong wind accross the
mountain parts of the track.
The status of this winter:
• Best snow conditions for years
• Excellent preparation of tracks
• 17 000 (minus some) registered
participants – most had already
arrived to the start.
• The Friday competition took place
in nice, but a little windy conditions
Some students were located at the
Finish line to interview «happy parti-
cipants» – now 120 kms away.
Outdoor sports are a risky businesses
For skiing (March): For mountain biking (August):
• Lack of snow, heathing means • Heavy rainfall meaning wet or
wet tracks muddy tracks
• Wind blowing across the • Cold wind
tracks • Too hot or humid
• Too much cold, low For runnning (Early June):
temperatures
• Snow remaining in the tracks
For road race (June): • Heavy rainfall
• Crowding in passing towns
• Road accidents
Last Saturday it was more than plenty of snow, but gusty
close to storm on the higj mountain parts.
Bak to the original manuscript: The Lillehammer Olympics took place 20 years ago Even though many still say «this was the best Winter Games ever, looking back it seems that the successes were not caused by the direct after-use of the Olympics, but by other factors like: • Local traditions of being a mass sport organizer, especially on recruitment to volunteering task • Growth in participation in mass sport competitions • Changes in accommodation preferences in the Norwegian recreation and holiday markets • Changes in preparation of ski slopes
What happens after a World Mega Event? My small home town, Lillehammer, was the successfull organizer of the 1994 Winter Olympics. The big questions before and after that event was: • «What would happen afterwards? • What types of future would be most successfull: – Smaller Mega Events like World Cup competitions, or… – Occasional National and regional Championship Events – Mass sport competitions – especially the annual repeating ones • How should such events be managed? • What about «after-use» of venues and knowledge These reflections are based on observations and studies after two decades.
Table 1 Post Winter Olympics. Olympic Cities as organizers of
Skiing World Cups 1988-2014
Type of competition/ Cross- Nordic Ski Biathlon Alpine
venue country Combined Jumping skiing
Olympic organizers
Calgary 1988 * - - - Y
Albertville 1992 - - - - ***
Lillehammer 1994 * ** *** - ***
Nagano 1998 - - - - *
Salt Lake City 2002 - - - - *
Torino 2006 - - - - ***
Vancouver 2010 - - - - *
*** means frequently, **‘’ some times/irregular, * just once or a few times,
Y means in Lake Louise, Banff NationalPark
Both Calgary, Lillehammer (Hamar) and Salt Lake City have organized many
Speed Skating events
The old and established Mega Event organizers seldom are “giving away” their position for the (post Olympic) newcomers , they might be: • Holmenkollen, Oslo for Nordic Skiing and Biathlon in Norway • Locations for Nordic skiing and Biathlon in France takes place in the Jura mountains • The previous Olympic organizer Sapporo in Japan (1972) is the main of ski jumping World Cup hill there, but Sapporo also have organized World Championship in Nordic skiing • Alpin skiing WC in the US will mostly take place in the Vail, Colorado environment – Nordics WC seldom in the US • Most Nordic and Biathlon events in Italy are managed in or close to the South Tyrol region (Anterselva and Val di Fieme) and events some of the repeating alpine events are there (Val Gardena/Alta Badia). • Vancouver / Whistler have not been a frequent organizer either after the 2010 events
The first cross-country world cup in Lillehammer after the 94 Olympics (december 2013) meant completely redesigned tracks and venue facilities.
The Lillehammer region is in addition to recreation production relaying on other work opportunities like: • County administration center – including a large hospital • Education center – with a University College of more than 4 000 students and some smaller special education units, education for “top athletes” both at high school and university level specially designed for winter sport athletes. • A military camp based on “National cyber war education” up to at least Masters level – headquarter for military computing and communication development • A strong museums base containing the largest outdoor folk museum in Norway (Maihaugen) , one of the largest art museums in Norway and a nation road construction museum plus other small museums like the Norwegian Olympic Museum (just a Hall of Fame venue)
Post Olympic venue after-use – some effects:
Mainly positive Economic challenges:
Alpine skiing venues – viable Bobsleigh & Luge venue – the only
Cross country and Biathlon venues – venue in the Nordic Countries -
not viable, but important for tourism important, but is not viable.
Ski jumping hill – not viable, but Office buildings – will often take som
time to «fill» since they are built as
important as attractions and training surplus to existing capacity
venues
Restaurants & bars – even if 70 % are
Ice hockey venues – the smaller one provisional, too many.
(3.000) is viable – the large one Accommodation – the real challenge:
(11.000) is important for other uses, Too many hotel beds and a lack of
including Olympic Museum family acc. units.
Radio & TV venues – my College Cultural attractions – like museums:
now, but also the production site of Must expect lower visitation after an
the regional branch of the National Olympic peak season, but they are
Raido % TV company (NRK) very often improved.This paper is about mass events with many competitors – the four main Birkebeiner Races «After-use», might mean to host big events like World Cups in Biathlon, Ski Jumping, Cross Country skiing and Downhill, but …. These events have large expences and the income to the organizers are not covering the costs. In Mass Sport Events, however, the costs are both pay by most participants themselves and by a growing interest in the sponsor markets. In addition comes the many positive tourism effects of vistors, both participants, accompanying persons, spectators and all sorts of viewers…..plus pre competition training in or clase to the tracks. The main focus of this paper is of one of the resorts in the «tracks» – Natrudstilen at Sjusjøen – a second home area.
Mass cross-country ski events started early in
Lillehammer
The first two internationaly famous long distance ski events
was the Wasaloppet in Sweden and the Birkebeiner races in
Norway which started 1923 and 1932.
• Both have their origin based on historical myths about potential
heir to the thrones running away from enemies --- on skis.
• From the start only male competitors were participating – the
women were invited to take part late in the 1970ies
• While Wasaloppet is a long (90 kms) races without any ascent
parts, is the Birkebeiner a crossing of a mountain range area(from
200 up to 1000 meters and down again) to another valley.
• This means different, but both tough challenges for participants.The Birkebeinerrittet (cross-country bike race) has 17.000 participants on the main race. This is from the Friday race, restricted to 5.000. They are close to the finish line here, after 80 kms and 700 m hight diff.
What are the prime tourism economy
effects of the Birkebeiner races?
Prime effects:
• Three weekends annually more than 20.000 persons are starting, and
along with their families and other supporters this means at least 15.000
visitiors to accommodate.
• In addition another 10.000 will take part in side-events during the weeks
Secondary effects:
• Training camps and track tests meaning on average another 2 – 3 weeks
of visits (and for many also demand of accommodation)
Tertiary effects:
• Investment in a second home close to the competition venues or
extended use of family second homes already there, both by
competitors and others.
• Testing of skis and waxing are also important – world brands like Swix
and Madshus have their production in the area.
• Reparing and cleaning competition bikes are also and important income.The Birkebeinerrittet (cross-c. mountain bike race) uses both dirt roads and mountain/forest tracks of different «qualities». On a rainy competition day, this really means challenges!!
Profiles and information
for the four prime
Birkebeiner Races
A. The Birkebeiner Ski Race from 1932, Start Rena Finish: Lillehammer
54 kms today – March every year –
16.000 participants +
B. The Birkebeiner Mountain Bike Race
from 1993, 95 kms, August every year
– 17.000 participants +
C. The Birkebeiner Cross Country Start Rena Finish: Lillehammer
Running Race, 21 kms, June every
year – 10.000 participants.
D. The Birkebeiner Road Biking Race, 171
kms, June every year – 1.500 particip.
+ Some thousands participating in either
shorter competitions or so called «ultra»
ones – much longer races.
Those participating in A + B + C Start Lillehammer (higher) Finish: Lillehammer
withing the time of one year will
be honoured by the Birkebeiner
Tripple. Those doing so have the
right to be pre-registered for alle
events.
Start Rena
Finish: LillehammerThe Birkebeiner tracks at Sjusjøen – 40 kms completed – 14 kms left to finish.
Lillehammer
Rena
Sjusjøen/
Natrudstilen
This is the map for the
«Birkebeiner road race»,
the longest event.
The others take part from
Rena to Lillehammer more
directly.Jizerská Padesátka
Swix Ski Classics • Sunday January 13th, 2013 - Czech
• Republic
Ski Classics was created in a cooperation 50km, Classic Technique
between athletes, events and IEC in Sports Marcialonga
representatives in order to enhance the • Sunday January 27th, 2013 - Italy
world of long distance skiing. 70 km, Classic Technique
The Ski Classics concept launched in front König Ludwig Lauf
the ski season of 2011. Ski Classics is a new • Sunday February 3rd, 2013 - Germany
concept combining the most traditional long 42 km, Classic Technique
distance cross country skiing events in Vasaloppet
Europe into a TV product. • Sunday March 3rd, 2013 - Sweden
The series consists of 6 events where the 90 km, Classic Technique
last one will be the Ski Classics Final, Birkebeinerrennet
rounding up the season and hosting the • Saturday March 16th, 2013 - Norway
season review prize ceremony. The Ski 54 km, Classic Technique
Classics final will 2013 be held in Sweden. Swix Ski Classics Final - Årefjällsloppet
The long distance ski races are unique • Saturday March 23rd, 2013 - Sweden
winter sport events combining professional 75 km, Classic Technique
and amateur skiers through picturesque
landscapes across Europe.How should mass sport events be managed? The cost of organizing Olympics are not only about investment in venues and infrastructure – it is also about management costs. Also mass sport events need an efficient management. The prime tasks: • An efficient application system – 15 - 20.000 registered by web in a couple of minutes for the main races. • A systematic follow up information system – mailing an electronic and a paper journal containing such information. • A similar contact with the leaders among the volunteers • A system of transport and accommodation booking with registration and payment • Contacts with main sponsors including services to their employees • Contracts with service providers like sport shop fairs (three times annually) and food & beverages • Median contacts and planning of total TV-production. Liasons to these.
These mass port events means income and jobs
Income: Jobs - direct:
• Participants paying fees (more • Administation of the events
than 60 000 paying) • Maintaining of tracks
• Transport to and from site plus • Booking of accommodation,
internal transport transport and meals
• All sorts of accoomodation • Volunteers
• Sport equipement fairs • Media coverages
• Food & bewerages Jobs – indirect:
• High position on the sponsor • Hospitals
markets – both locally and
international • Assistance to equipement
maintenance
• TV and radio coverage
• +++++The Natrudstilen training and competition venue is one of the earliest skiing sites every Winter – this is early November 2013 – the start of the Biathlon Season.
In addition: buying a house, a second
home challet or appartment
The case is Sjusjøen – 20 kms from Lillehammer
located in the mountains at 800 – 1000 m a s
• We have been studying - and even assisted - the
development in this area the last 25 years
• The Olympics meant financing a water and severage pipeline
with a high capacity – giving opportunities of buiding new
high standard cabins (and appartments)
• Due to climate conditions an all-year top class cross-country
skiing and biathlon venue have been build
• Many athlets have either moved to the area or bought their
second homesWorld champion Tarjei Bøe on summer training.
Mass sports and the training market:
The Sjusjøen Case
Buying a second home as a
Occasional training camps permanent training base
Both national elite teams and ski Mass and elite athlets buy or hire
clubs from the areas with less or for long term contracts chalets or
irregular snow conditions. flats in the Sjusjøen area.
During 2012 more than 50 The buyers are couples that both
national teams (not nations) stay are training/participating in at
more than one week in training least two, often all Birkebeiner
camps – along with regional ones races.
this mean 20 000 + guest nights! Many of these have jobs that
New special designed «macro- might give opportunities for
challets» will be opened this year extended weekend holidays.Challets from the
Traditional 1950-1960ies
centre area
Challet area
Future services
area
Ski and bike
Venue arEA
Natrudstilen – 5 years ago -
Extended this autumn.The ski and biathlon asphalted roller ski tracks, to be extended this autumn.
How should mass sport events be managed? The cost of organizing Olympics are not only about investment in venues and infrastructure – it is also about management costs. Also mass sport events need an efficient management. The prime tasks: • An efficient application system – 15-20.000 registered by web in a couple of minutes for the main races. • A systematic follow up information system – mailing an electronic and a paper journal containing such information. • A similar contact with the leaders among the volunteers • A system of transport and accommodation booking with registration and payment • Contacts with main sponsors including services to their employees • Contracts with service providers like sport shop fairs (three times annually) and food & beverages • Median contacts and planning of total TV-production. Liasons to these.
Conclusion: • Winter Olympic sites are not economically viable after the games if their prime focus is on Mega Sport Events because such events seldome get enough income • Mass sport events and training camps and facilities, however, means paying particiants and accompanying vistors who also spend money. • People moving to the area, sport students and those training out of competition season will be important • If some annually returning world cup events comes in addition, they might create a surplus some years
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