A unique summer ski festival gets underway in the streets of Sandnes later this week. The annual Blink Ski Festival celebrates the Norwegian love of skiing, but with a summery, urban twist!
It might sound like a bit of a joke but this is serious stuff, with the national elite from cross-country and biathlon taking part in races using roller-skis. Check out this video from last year's mass start men's biathlon:
The Schedule
Thu 1 Aug
Lysebotn uphill race
Fri 2 Aug
Youth races
Biathlon
Cross-country
Sat 3 Aug
Youth races
Biathlon supersprint
Cross-country supersprint
Various activities, shows, and concerts will take place in Sandnes throughout the festival, and you also get the chance to ski on the city course yourself.
Skiing in the summer using roller-skis is actually a popular pasttime in Norway, particularly for those who take their winter skiing seriously, as the technique is very similar to the cross-country skiing technique. First begun as a method to keep in shape during the summer, roller-skiing has now grown into a competitive sport.
This year's Blink Festival is included in the NorgesCup Rulleski (Norway Cup of roller-skiing), which began at Oslo's Aker Brygge in June and ends at Rudskogen Motorsenter near Sarpsborg later this month.
