An ARN stage on the island of Svalbard may well happen in the near future
March 30 th 2016 - 14:46
Vice chair of the Svalbard local government and head of commerce in Longyearbyen, Eirik Berger (representative of political party Venstre), met recently with managing director of ARN, Knut-Eirik Dybdal. The chair of Svalbard Business Association, Terje Aunevik, also attended the meeting held in Longyearbyen. On the agenda: to discuss the possibilities of organizing one out of four stages of a future ARN edition on the island of Svalbard.
Largest Svalbard event ever
The thought of organizing an international stage race on road bike and one of Norway’s largest sports events on the island of Svalbard is realistic, Eirik Berger says. He is confident that the Arctic Race of Norway will stir the necessary enthusiasm among the 2100 inhabitants and the local businesses of Longyearbyen.
"The idea is both ambitious and exciting. This may prove to be the largest event held on Svalbard ever. There are, however, some challenges that need to be resolved in order to host a stage here in Longyearbyen, the most important being the logistics, with the freight and handling of equipment and personnel from the mainland. Another challenge is the route’s location, since we do not have that many kilometers of road to choose from. Nevertheless, we will do everything in our power to facilitate such a stage of the Arctic Race of Norway in Longyearbyen", Eirik Berger affirms.
The chair of Svalbard Business Association, Terje Aunevik, believes a prologue in Longyearbyen would create a spectacular Svalbard advertisement.
"I am sure the organization of an ARN prologue or of a similar concept at 78 degrees north, with polar bear security along the route, will raise media attention. With TV broadcasts to 180 countries and thousands of visitors coming to experience the race, there is no doubt that such an event will create synergies beyond the tourism industry", Aunevik insists.
"The wheels are put in motion"
Managing Director of the Arctic Race of Norway, Knut-Eirik Dybdal, welcomes the positive feedback both from businesses and politicians in Longyearbyen. He is now ready to go one step further with the idea of organizing a stage on Svalbard.
"As organizers, we have to a large extent the confirmation of a strong local interest and that we can succeed in overcoming the logistical barriers. This strengthens my belief that a group of island located a thousand kilometers from the mainland can host a sports event at this high level. There are, however, quite a few important elements that need to be in place in order to put this idea to life. The wheels are now put in motion", managing director Knut-Eirik Dybdal affirms.