In this article we have gathered useful info for anyone wondering how the Finnmarksløpet 2021 will be. It is very difficult to be sure about anything these days. We have previously announced that we will do everything we can to arrange the race, although we must expect the surroundings around the Finnmarksløpet will be different.
A few months have past and we know a little bit more, yet it is important for us to emphasize that this is a preliminary plan. Here is a description of how we think Finnmarksløpet 2021 will be.
The competition is almost as usual
As we have previously written; the competition will most likely be virtually unaffected by the pandemic. We will use the same checkpoints and we will use our regular trails. At checkpoints, there will of course be infection control and we have to ensure that not many people are gathered too closely, either indoors or outdoors.
Digital meetings and banquets, and all preparation in one place
It will not be an ordinary starting banquet for FL-2021. It will most likely be a digital gathering. Our main idea is that participants, handlers and volunteers should not gather until the race/class is over. If we can gather for a closing banquets, it would be because infection pressure is low and we have the opportunity to be sure that infection control rules are can be followed at the banquets.
Participants who come to Alta will be given date and time where they will meet at Veidekke’s property in Energiveien on Skillemoen south of Alta for registration, deposit submission and pre race check of dogs. Here we will of course make sure that infection pressure is avoided. Musher meetings will be held via TEAMS.
Room for a large audience
We have room for a huge audience – in cyberspace. NRK and iFinnmark will broadcast many hours of television from Finnmarksløpet. Hopefully they and other media can convey the excitement, the beautiful, the drama, the Arctic and the magical with Finnmarksløpet – though the screen. We will also create an arena in Alta where there is room for a reduced number of audiences in many cohorts. In addition, the trail is long, it should be possible to take trips out along the trail to cheer our competing teams.
Not the year to discover Finnmark
Participants will apparently be encouraged not to bring more handlers/helpers/friends than absolutely necessary. This is not the year to show Finnmark, there will be better times.
Less volunteers
For obvious reasons, we will try to reduce the number of volunteers in FL-2021. The volunteers will be divided into cohorts, which is quite easy to implement as most of them belong to educational institutions. There plenty of time before race start at 16:00 on 12 March 2021, Finnmarksløpet cross our fingers and hope we ca deliver «The best non-covid 19 race ever». Follow the infection control rules and good luck to all.