Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
Winter sports in the Nordics - statistics & facts
Participating in winter sports activities is a frequent practice in the Nordic countries, with cross-country skiing dating back to the Viking era and notably used by Finnish soldiers during the Winter War. Competitions like Finlandia-hiihto, Fossavatnsgangan, Birkebeinerrennet, and Vasaloppet highlight how entrenched cross-country skiing is in Nordic society. Vasaloppet, inspired by Swedish King Gustav Vasa's flight from Danish soldiers in the 1500s, has been held for over a century, attracting around 61,200 participants for the 2023/2024 race week. The region has a well-developed winter sports infrastructure, as evidenced by Winter Olympic medal counts. Norway ranks first globally with 405 medals, while Sweden is seventh and Finland is eighth.
