Arctic Race Conference

Arctic Race of Norway Conference brings Northern Norway's business and political world into one room, every year.

On August 14th, before Stage 2 of the race, 170 participants from the Norwegian Government, Parliament, defence leadership, and business community gathered at the Arctic Race Conference 2026 at Fyrvika in Andenes.

Together, we discussed how Northern Norway can be developed in a new reality. Just as importantly, we saw clear evidence of how ambitions have been turned into action, and explored the opportunities that now lie ahead. A huge thank you to everyone who attended, shared insights, and helped make this conference day truly exceptional. This was a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when we pull in the same direction in the North.

A heartfelt thank you to all the speakers and panel participants:

• Erna Solberg – former Norwegian Prime Minister
• Cecilie Terese Myrseth – Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry.
• Bjørnar Skjæran – Norwegian Minister of Local Government and Regional Development.
• Per-Willy Amundsen – Member of the Norwegian Parliament.
• Kjell-Are Johansen – Mayor of Andøy Municipality.
• Marianne Dobak Kvensjø – County Council Leader of Nordland.
• Brigadier Trond Nilsen – Representative of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
• Linköping Science Park – One of Sweden’s leading innovation and technology hubs.
• Andøya Space – Norwegian spaceport and aerospace company based in Andøy.
• Andfjord Salmon – Aquaculture company developing sustainable salmon farming.
• LNS – Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner, a leading Norwegian construction and infrastructure company.
• ISAR Aerospace – European space technology company developing launch vehicles.
• MYREZE – Technology and innovation company from Northern Norway.
• The Whale – Visitor and experience center project in Andenes.
• Love Food – Company focused on sustainable food solutions and innovation.
• Equinor – Main partner of the Arctic Race of Norway
• Telenor – Official fan of the Arctic Race of Norway
• Aibel AS – Official partner of the Arctic Race of Norway
• Bodø/Glimt – Norwegian football club and one of the country's leading sports organizations.
• Narvik 2029 – FIS Alpine World Ski Championship 2029 group
• Kvitnes Gård – Michelin star restaurant in Vesterålen

The conference was expertly hosted by master of ceremonies Liv Bente Kristoffersen and moderator Monica Ahyee

During Stage 4 of the Arctic Race of Norway 2026, Olympiatoppen Northern Norway, the Nordland Sports Federation, Arctic Race of Norway and Polar Kraft hosted a high-performance sports seminar. The theme of the seminar was “Professional Sports Builds Competence.”

During the three-hour program, the focus was placed on how the methods used in elite sport and the experiences gained through athletic careers can be transferred to other industries and create value for Northern Norwegian society. The seminar also highlighted how sport serves as an important arena for developing young leaders in the region and demonstrated how the collaboration between sport and UiT The Arctic University of Norway contributes to competence development in Northern Norway.

Participants discussed how high-performance sports methodologies can be applied in business and other sectors, what skills and expertise elite athletes gain that are relevant beyond sport, and how sport can be used as a platform for developing the next generation of leaders in Northern Norway.

Master of ceremonies Roger Finjord guided attendees through the program.

Tonje Hinze from Olympiatoppen and Tor Haugnes from Neste Steg shared insights into how methods and experiences from elite sport can create value in the business community and highlighted the strengths former athletes bring into the workforce after their sporting careers.

Frank Sundermeier from Narvik Alpine High-Performance Sport, Jørn Eldby from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and Atle Skårdal from Narvik 2029 presented the Alpine University Team initiative, a unique pilot project where elite sport and competence development go hand in hand.

Young sports leaders from Nordland shared their experiences and demonstrated how sport helps build networks and creates valuable opportunities for leadership development in practice.

The seminar concluded with a two-part panel discussion featuring representatives from the Nordland Sports Federation, Neste Steg, Nordkraft, Vakre Vene, UiT, Nordland County Council, Troms County Council, and Norinnova. Building on the presentations earlier in the day, the panel discussed how the region can work together to leverage shared opportunities for strengthening competence development across Northern Norway.

The seminar provided an inspiring look at how elite sport contributes far beyond the field of play, and how the experiences, methodologies, and people of high-performance sport can help develop businesses, communities, and future leaders across Northern Norway.