Holmenkollbakken The history of the hill

Since the first race in 1892, Holmenkollbakken has been changed 18 times.

As early as the year after the first race, work began on developing and improving the slope in Holmenkollen. The course was dug out to make it longer. In 1914, the first scaffolding was erected, called the "Tower of Babel". The day after the jump race in 1927, the tower simply collapsed. A new 19 meter high scaffolding was built, and the jump was moved back nine meters. The longest jump on this slope was 48 meters. 

Olympics in Oslo in 1952

Permanent stands and a referee tower were built for the VI Olympic Winter Games in Oslo in 1952.

An elevator was built in the jumping tower, with speed runs and jumps in iron-reinforced concrete. 120,000 spectators attended the big hill ski jumping event during the Olympic Games. That attendance record still stands. The new hill was test jumped in March 1951, and in the summer of that year the Holmenkoll restaurant opened in the jump. This became a popular attraction. The Holmenkoll facility became an important gathering place, also in the summer.  

For the World Championships in 1966 and 1982, there were again new and major developments. After this, there were only minor changes. Until the major redevelopment Oslo Municipality carried out for the World Ski Championships in Oslo in 2011. 

Holmenkollbakken's predecessors

The very first known ski jumping race in Kristiania, as Oslo was then known, was held at Iversløkken in 1866. This loop was located northwest of Gamle Aker Church, towards Sankthanshaugen.

The ski jumpers traveled all the way from Telemark. They were known for their great jumping style, "pulling up" two and three times in the air and emitting Indian howls. It made the audience go wild with excitement. The organizer "Centralforeningen for Udbredelse av Legemsøvelser og Vaabenbrug" set up rules for judging ski races. The snow conditions were often poor, and the race was moved. 

The ski cones of Husebybakken

From 1879, Christiania Skiklubb organized the ski jumping race in Husebybakken, also called Kastellbakken. This was considered a large hill, close to the Huseby farm in Vestre Aker, just behind what is now Radiumhosptialet. Over ten thousand people turned up to watch the race. King Oscar II himself and his entourage watched the competition from a royal grandstand made of snow.

In the early years, it was the Telemarkers who dominated the competition. The brothers Torjus and Mikkel Hemmestveit, in particular, took many prizes and were regarded as ski kings. Towards the end of the 1880s, many people felt that the slopes had become too small. In addition, there was often little snow. The most eager began to look towards Holmenkollen.

Combi race in Holmenkollen

The first Holmenkollen races were combined races: The first race in 1892 in Holmenkollen consisted of 18 kilometers of cross-country skiing on Saturday 30 January and ski jumping on 31 January. 12,000 spectators attended the ski jumping race. The jump was built up of twigs and covered with snow. The longest jump was 21.5 meters. The drop percentage on the ski jump was 73%. Arne Ustvedt set the first hill record. The king's trophy went to Svein Sollid from Morgedal in Telemark. Specialized ski jumping was not introduced until 1933.

In 1901, 30 kilometers of cross-country skiing was added to the program. It was replaced by 50 kilometers of cross-country skiing the following year. Holmenkollrennet, jumping was canceled in 1898, 1954 and 1994. The 50-kilometer race was canceled in 1905, 1909 and 1925.  

During the war, there were no regular Holmenkoll races. For the first time, Fredrennet in 1946 attracted large crowds of over 100,000. Skiers wrote H 7 (Haakon the 7th) on the slope. Holmenkollrennet could once again begin in the traditional way: Long live the King!  

Newer exercises

The slalom and downhill races were added to the program for the first time in 1947, and the giant slalom in 1951. The slalom race was held in Rødkleiva, and the giant slalom and downhill races in Norefjell. With slalom, women were also included in the Holmenkoll races for the first time. In 1954, women were allowed to compete in the 10-kilometer cross-country race. In 2001, the first women's race was in ski jumping.