Norwegian Ski Fed Pays Tribute To King Harald

It is with great sadness that the Norwegian Ski Association today received the news that King Harald has died.

King Harald was the king of all the people. For us in ski Norway, he was also the ski king. Throughout his long life, he was close to skiing and showed a genuine and genuine interest in Norwegian skiing.

Last winter, King Harald was present during the ski races in Holmenkollen for the 75th time, and he was passionate about skiing until the very end. The interest from the royal family has warmed the whole of Ski-Norway for generations.

During the World Cup in Holmenkollen, King Harald's Youth Relay is also held. The ski race was originally a gift to the King for his 80th birthday.

The royal family was of course present during the World Ski Championships in Trondheim in 2025. A number of Norwegian skiers were able to proudly make their way up to the royal stand after success on home soil on the slopes or slopes.

There are many Norwegian championships that King Harald has attended. The great interest and presence in ski racing that the King has shown has delighted skiers from top to bottom.

Lifelong commitment

In 2017, King Harald was awarded the prestigious award The King Olav Trophy, an award that is only given to people who have made a special effort to promote the sport of skiing at an international level.

Like his father, King Olav, King Harald had a lifelong commitment to skiing. During the Nordic World Ski Championships in Holmenkollen in 1982, King Harald – then Crown Prince – was a member of the main committee.

In retrospect, King Harald stated that he was still annoyed that there was no finish photo. It was impossible to tell Oddvar Brå and the Soviet Aleksander Zavjalov apart in the relay.

During the World Championships in Oslo in 2011, the tradition was continued with Crown Prince Haakon's participation in the main committee.

In 2011, The King received the Sports Gala's honorary award for his great commitment to Norwegian sports.

Created calm before the Olympics in Lillehammer

King Harald opened the 17th Olympic Winter Games at the ski jumping hill in Lillehammer in 1994. The then Crown Prince Haakon lit the Olympic flame.

In the days before the opening of the Olympics, there was a tense atmosphere of crisis as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) threatened to cancel the Olympics.

The King therefore invited the IOC leaders to a special dinner at Nordre Jølstad farm in Maihaugen – which was the royal residence during the Winter Olympics – and fortunately resolved the issue, and we got to hear IOC leader Juan Antonio Samaranch, who is said to have had a weakness for royal etiquette, utter the special words "The best games ever" during the closing ceremony.

There are many Norwegian medal winners in championships who have received congratulations from the Palace. The telegrams from the royal family always bring extra pride to Norwegian skiers.

The Norwegian Ski Association is very grateful for the passion and interest King Harald showed in skiing throughout his long life. The King has been a role model for young and old, and his presence along the slopes and on the slopes has often brought an entire nation together. We have lost a warm friend and a loyal supporter.

The Ski Association pays tribute to King Harald's memory.