Nordic Games
Encyclopedia
The Nordic Games was the first international multi-sport event
that focused primarily on winter sports, and was held at varying intervals between 1901 and 1926. It was organized by Sweden
’s Central Association for the Promotion of Sports, and more specifically by Viktor Balck
, a member of that association and one of the five original members of the International Olympic Committee
. It was, in many ways, a precursor to the modern Winter Olympic Games
, whose success was a contributing factor (along with the social and economic turmoil following World War I
) to the Nordic Games's discontinuation in the 1920s.
to Sweden.
After Balck's death in 1928, much of the driving force behind organizing the event disappeared. The Nordic Games scheduled for 1930 was cancelled due to a lack of snow
, and the Games scheduled for 1934 faltered and was never held due to the Great Depression
. The event was tentatively scheduled to be restarted in 1942, but World War II
intervened, and the Nordic Games never resurfaced.
, ice hockey
, skeleton
, and curling
. Some non-winter sports were included, notably swimming
and fencing, but the focus was primarily on winter sports (likely because, at their founding, the Nordic Games were the only international competition where winter sports were contested).
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
that focused primarily on winter sports, and was held at varying intervals between 1901 and 1926. It was organized by Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
’s Central Association for the Promotion of Sports, and more specifically by Viktor Balck
Viktor Balck
Viktor Gustaf Balck, KCMG was a Swedish officer and sports personality who was one of the original members of the International Olympic Committee and who is often called "the father of Swedish sports".-Military career:...
, a member of that association and one of the five original members of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
. It was, in many ways, a precursor to the modern Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
, whose success was a contributing factor (along with the social and economic turmoil following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
) to the Nordic Games's discontinuation in the 1920s.
History
Although nominally international, the Nordic Games was primarily a Swedish phenomenon, and the majority of competitors were from Sweden. Of the eight Nordic Games that were held, only one was hosted outside Sweden. The Swedish Tourist Association was significantly involved in the early games, hoping that they would draw attention and tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
to Sweden.
After Balck's death in 1928, much of the driving force behind organizing the event disappeared. The Nordic Games scheduled for 1930 was cancelled due to a lack of snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
, and the Games scheduled for 1934 faltered and was never held due to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The event was tentatively scheduled to be restarted in 1942, but World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervened, and the Nordic Games never resurfaced.
Sports
Among the sports events at the Nordic Games were ski jumpingSki jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, skeleton
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
, and curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
. Some non-winter sports were included, notably swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and fencing, but the focus was primarily on winter sports (likely because, at their founding, the Nordic Games were the only international competition where winter sports were contested).
List of Nordic Games
- 1901: StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... - 1903: OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
(Kristiania), NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(Sweden-Norway) - 1905: Stockholm, Sweden
- 1909: Stockholm, Sweden
- 1913: Stockholm, Sweden
- 1917: Stockholm, Sweden
- 1922: Stockholm, Sweden
- 1926: Stockholm, Sweden