One of the most important resources for Finnmarksløpet is the volunteers. Every year, over 500 volunteers put in an average of approx. 80 hours of work each to contribute to the race and to the many events in connection with the race. Many of the volunteers are pupils and students that have Finnmarksløpet in their learning plan. As a volunteer in Finnmarksløpet, you will get to know the sport and the event well. You will have a fantastic experience and you will contribute to the implementation of “the winter’s most beautiful adventure”. As a volunteer, you can choose between several different tasks.
Below you will find some information about the different tasks you can choose from. If you have questions about being a volunteer for Finnmarksløpet, contact Mailene Skjølås at
tel. 938 43 684 or mailene@finnmarkslopet.no
Checkpoints
Here you can choose the place in Finnmark that suits you best. You must arrange your own transport to the checkpoint you choose to be at. You work under the checkpoint manager who sets up rosters and distributes the various tasks. As volunteers at a checkpoint, the tasks include rigging up and down the checkpoint, facilitating for the mushers and dogs participating in the competition, registering incoming and outgoing times from the teams and helping them in and out of the checkpoint. As a volunteer at a checkpoint, you’ll work many hours outside, both day and night, often under extreme temperatures and weather conditions.
Registration, Alta
As a volunteer on the registration, you will be responsible for registering one of the tasks the participants must perform before they can start in the race. These tasks are, for example, registering chip lists, weighing spare food for the dogs or accepting payment for the license. Registration takes place in the center of Alta on Wednesday 12 March and Thursday 13 March.
Arena – start and finish, Alta
As a volunteer at the arena, you can contribute with rigging the week before the race starts. Audience stands, advertising fences, sound and lights will be set up. After the last musher has driven out, the arena is converted into a finish arena. As a volunteer at the arena, you can also contribute to security in the start/finish area or at road passes. The work at the arena will take place between 10 and 23 March.
The Secretariat in Alta
Has the central function as the coordination center for the race. The secretariat is staffed 24/7 from the first participant starts until the last one finishes. The volunteers in the secretariat have the main responsibility for registering incoming and outgoing times from all checkpoints, and for the quality assurance of these in the results service. At all finishes, the secretariat must make sure to take in numberplates and GPS from the participants, perform chip check of all dogs, and hand out rookie plates. If the TD is not present, the secretariat also performs a sled check.
FL shop in Alta
Operates a sales and information cabin at the start/finish area. This volunteer task involves selling the race’s sales items and informing tourists and the public about the event.
Banquets in Alta
As a volunteer at the banquets, you will be responsible for ticket control at the entrance to the banquets. The banquets take place at Scandic Hotel Alta on Thursday 13 March, Wednesday 19 March and Saturday 22 March.
Road guards at Aronnes, Alta
As a road guard at Aronnes, you are responsible for guarding where the trail crosses the road on the way to the finish line in Alta. The finish takes place on Sunday 16 March for the junior class and from Tuesday 18 March and throughout the week until Sunday 23 March for FL 600 and FL 1200.
Clean-up, Alta
The clean-up of the arena in Alta will take place on Sunday 23 March. Advertising material and barrier fences will be removed on this day.
Special fields
Trail breaking, safety/signage, media/distribution/photo, race managers, TD and veterinarians: In these fields, you must have special expertise to participate. Veterinarians contact Chief Veterinarian Arild Jøssund directly – post@racevets.org
All volunteers must have their own insurance. Contact Mailene Skjølås tel. +47 93843 684 if you have any questions regarding insurance.
As a volunteer for Finnmarksløpet, you will receive a certificate of competence, which you can retrieve through the registration portal.