Interview with the Head of Hammerfest Alpine Ski Club
TLB:Thanks for taking the time to talk with us! Hammerfest Alpine Ski Club is located way up north — can we assume you’re one of the northernmost alpine ski clubs in the world, without you having to officially claim that title?
HAK: Haha, yes, we’re definitely among the northernmost, even if it’s hard to say for sure if we’re the absolute northernmost. There’s always some small club that might be even further north. But we’re definitely up there, and we’re proud of it!
TLB How does training in Hammerfest differ from clubs in southern Norway or Sweden?
HAK: First of all, winters here are very long — but we also get mild spells and winter storms from the sea that makes running an alpine club ichallenging! That means we have to be very flexible with training. Down south, the schedule can be more regular, but here the weather can change plans in an instant. Also, daylight is sparse — from November 22nd to January 20th, the sun never rises, resulting in zero hours of direct daylight.So the flood lights are on at all hours.
TLB Sounds like you’re alpine survival experts! What’s the biggest difference when training up here, mentally or technically?
HAK Mentally, that’s the biggest challenge. You learn to be stubborn, adapt, and enjoy nature even when it’s cold and windy. Technically, you also have to work a lot with different snow conditions — from ice crystals to wet snow and everything in between.
TLB: What’s the most unique or fun thing about being a ski club in Hammerfest?
HAK: Besides the amazing light — midnight sun in summer and northern lights in winter — In the summer we have our very own gardeners. Reindeers are gracing in our backyard all summer.
TLB:Finally, what would you say to readers in southern Sweden and Norway or abroad who are thinking about visiting Hammerfest for skiing?
HAK Come here to experience something different!. Here you get skiing in a fantastic light show, genuine northern Norwegian community spirit, and a real nature experience. And don’t forget to bring extra gloves — the cold can really bite sometimes. But it’s worth it. We’re a small club, but we love alpine skiing way up here! That being said, we can’t promise that the slope will be open due to the quick changing weather 😊
