Lillehammer (RWH) The national federations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden have brought together young athletes for the first Scandinavia Regional Development Camp. Four bobsleigh teams and six skeleton athletes joined the campt at Lillehammer Olympic sliding track. As coaching team Tommy Aanesen (NOR), Per-Anders von Scheele and Roberth Klarqvist (SWE) as well as Peter Voigt und Tom Johansen (DEN) accompanied and guided the athletes.
"The camp serves to promote the IBSF sports of bobsleigh and skeleton in Scandinavia and to turn the „against each other“ into „with each other“," said Tom Johansen, President of
Danmark Bobslaede & Skeleton. "For about 1000 years the three nations have been arguing about the origin of the Vikings. If you ask a Norwegian, he will claim the Vikings came from his country. And if you ask Swedes and Danes, the same thing happens." Thus, the three countries want to promote their young bobsleigh and skeleton athletes together - as "Sliding Vikings". In addition to athletic training, team building and joint activities are also part of the programme to strengthen the connection with each other and with the sports. "Several Scandinavian sports psychologists have proven that above all training communities with friendships and fun contribute to staying loyal to a sport," says Tom Johansen.
The Development Camp Scandinavia was concluded with a test competition. And since new jury members of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation IBSF took their final exams that weekend, IBSF North American Cup coordinator and jury coach Nicola Minichiello integrated the final race into the exam - a mutual learning effect.
A development camp as it should always be, Tom Johansen summed up, from which all athletes, coaches and team captains go into the season with great motivation.
Photos_ Tom Johansen
