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Sport Norwegians pursue a sporting lifestyle with an almost religious fervour and Oslo is a great place for the outdoor sports enthusiast, with the surrounding forest and fjord areas maintained for leisure pursuits such as hiking and skiing. From Oslo, it is very easy for one to access over 1600km (1000 miles) of cross-country ski tracks and the many ski lifts that facilitate downhill skiing. Skiing is also a popular spectator sport, with tens of thousands gathering to watch the final stages from the world’s oldest ski jump at Holmenkollen, during the annual ski festival in March. With so much enthusiasm for wintersports, it is hardly surprising that Norway is one of the leading countries in the Winter Olympics. In 2002, at Salt Lake City, with 24 medals, the country came third after Germany and the USA and ahead of the next contender, Canada. In 1994, Norway was top of the table on home ground at Lillehammer, with a total of 26 medals. Football is, however, the number one sport in terms of participation, averaging in excess of a quarter of a million active players throughout Norway. But the population is not large enough to support the game via ticket sales, so football survives on income from football pools and the transfer fees from selling their best players abroad. Most of the players in the national team are stars in the English Premier League. Ullevaal Stadium, Sognsveien 75, with a seating capacity of 25,600, is one of Norway’s biggest football stadiums, where the national team plays and where the cup finals are held. Lyn Oslo (tel: 2300 5190; fax: 2300 5191; website: www.lyn.no) and Vålerenga (tel: 2324 7800; website: www.vpn.no), Oslo’s premier league sides, play their home games at Ullevaal. Tickets to virtually all events in Oslo, from concerts to sporting events, are available for purchase at any post office. Tickets can also be ordered from Billett Service (tel: 8153 3133; website: www.billettservice.no), to be picked up at the post office later, or can be mailed to addresses abroad. Cycling: The main cycling club, Syklistenes Landsforening, Storgata 23C (tel: 2241 5080), is the best source of information. Despite the hills, cycling is a way of life in Oslo – one that comes into its own on the outskirts, where there are over 300km (186 miles) of forest roads and paths with special signs for cyclists. The way for cyclists to get there is by T Bane to Frognerseteren, Skullerud or Sognsvann – bikes are allowed on the underground. Fishing: Angling of all kinds is popular in Norway and the Oslofjord area is no exception. Many small companies offer sea-fishing tours from the capital. Licences are required for freshwater fishing. Oslomarkas Fiskeadministrasjon, Kongeveien 5 (tel: 2249 0799), is the prime source of information on all aspects of this sport, in the Oslo region. Fitness centres: Norwegians are frantic about fitness and there are plenty of gyms around, including the luxurious Artesia, Majorstuaveien 36 (tel: 2293 3550; website: www.artesia.no), the scientific Norsk Idrettsmedisinsk Instituut (NIMI), Ullevål, Sognsveien 75 D (tel: 2326 5656; website: www.nimi.no) and the Elixia (website: www.elixia.com) and SATS (website: www.sats.no) chains, offering classes and a wide variety of fitness equipment. The major hotels in Oslo also all offer some level of fitness and gym facilities. Golf: Golf courses abound in the Oslo region. Several of these offer visitors the opportunity to play and fees tend to be moderate, including Oslo Golf Club, Bogstad (tel: 2250 4402), and Groruddalen Golf Club, Tokkeruddalen (tel: 2221 6718). Outside town, the Bærum Golfklubb, Lommedalen (tel: 6756 3085), situated 20km (13 miles) west of the city, is yet another golfing option. Green fees start at approximately NOK250, depending on the course. Skiing: Nordic cross-country skiing is the most popular form of this sport in Norway, although alpine slopes are available. The best first stop for all information regarding skiing in and around Oslo is Skiforeningen (The Ski Society), Kongeveien 5 (tel: 2292 3200; website: www.skiforeningen.no). Several slopes are close to the city centre and can be reached by bus, T Bane or car, such as Wyllerløypa and Tryvanskleiva, with Norefjell, the biggest (a two-hour drive). Skiing instruction is offered by the Tomm Murstad Skiskole and Trines Rennskole, located at various venues around Oslo (tel: 2214 4665; website: www.skiskole.no). Tennis: Tennis is popular in Oslo and there are numerous municipal and members clubs where visitors can book courts. Oslo Tennisklubb, Hyllveien 5 (tel: 2255 6981; website: www.oslotk.no), is one of the oldest clubs in Oslo, recently celebrating its centenary. Njårdhallen Tennis, Sørkedalsveien 106 (tel: 2214 1593), and Holmenkollen Tennisklubb, Bjørnveien 74 (tel: 2214 6773; website: www.holmenkollentk.no), have indoor and outdoor courts, an outdoor swimming pool and an exercise room. Courts are also available at Voldslokka Tennis på Sagene, Stavangergate (tel: 2223 6513). |
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