Government ministers, members of parliament, business leaders, researchers and prominent figures in Norwegian alpine skiing gathered at the Norwegian Parliament to launch a national initiative linked to the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships in Narvik. The ambition goes beyond the championships themselves. The aim is to use the event as a platform for collaboration, innovation and value creation in the Arctic.
When the world’s best alpine skiers come to Narvik in 2029, it will mark both the first Alpine World Ski Championships on Norwegian soil and the largest international sporting event ever held in the Arctic.
At the same time, the organisers want the championships to be about more than sport. Through broad collaboration between business, the public sector, academia and sport, the World Championships will help showcase opportunities, expertise and innovation in the High North.
The event at the Norwegian Parliament marked the launch of this initiative.
“The Alpine World Ski Championships are a historic opportunity to invite the world to the Arctic. Norway has never hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships before, and an event of this scale has never been held this far north. To create a championship unlike anything the world has ever seen, we must join forces across sectors and all areas of society,” says Knut-Eirik Dybdal, CEO of the World Championships.
A national initiative with an Arctic perspective
The Arctic has become a region of growing strategic importance internationally. At the same time, the High North faces significant opportunities and challenges related to skills, technology, infrastructure, sustainability and business development.
Through the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships, the organisers aim to create a lasting impact that extends far beyond the two weeks of the event.
“We want to show what is possible in a region that is attracting increasing global attention. This is about bringing together leading experts, building new partnerships and creating lasting value long after the medals have been awarded,” says Dybdal.
The launch was attended by Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Bjørnar Skjæran, among others, alongside representatives from business, research, the public sector and sport.
The biggest-ever collective effort by the business community
As part of the initiative, a dedicated expertise cluster is now being established around the championship. Norwegian businesses are contributing not primarily capital, but people, experience and specialist expertise.
Professionals in project management, technology, communications, logistics, finance and organisational development will contribute to the work leading up to 2029. Together, their expertise is worth tens of millions of Norwegian kroner.
The organisations taking part in the collaboration include Equinor, Telenor, LKAB, Norsk Luftambulanse, Aker, Møller Mobility Group and Thon.
“In practice, this is a nationwide collaborative effort in which Norwegian businesses make their top professionals available. This gives us access to resources and experience that would otherwise be very costly to develop on our own, while also building new relationships and partnerships across industries and regions,” says Dybdal.
More than a championship
The organizers believe the most important outcomes of the World Championships could come beyond the competition venues.
The collaboration builds networks between businesses, research communities, public-sector organisations and the sporting community. The aim is for the expertise, relationships and projects developed in the lead-up to 2029 to become a lasting legacy of the championships.
“We are hosting the Alpine World Ski Championships. But we will also use this opportunity to bring together people, communities and businesses that can develop new solutions for the future. That is why this initiative is about much more than sport,” says Dybdal.
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