A new indoor mogul course has opened at Norway’s SNØ, providing a way for both athletes and recreational skiers to train and experience the discipline throughout the year.
According to the International Ski Federation, the course officially opened on Saturday with the help of Japanese World Champion and Olympic medallist Ikuma Horishima and Norwegian freestyle skiing legend Kari Traa. The new facility is located just outside of Oslo and adds mogul skiing to a growing lineup of winter disciplines at the indoor ski facility.
New Mogul Course Opens at SNØ
The course, built on SNØ’s racing hill, is designed to fit within the training area available during the facility’s club season. The current setup includes approximately 10 moguls, a jump, and another mogul section below it. The facility plans to maintain the course weekly and potentially expand it if demand grows. Right now the course is expected to remain in place through the end of the club season on November 8th with the potential to keep it open beyond that date.
National Teams Already Training
The new mogul course has already attracted several elite athletes and national teams, including the Japanese and Swedish national mogul teams that are currently training at SNØ as they prepare for the upcoming winter season.
Ikuma Horishima has lived in Norway for the past three years, partially because he wanted to help develop mogul skiing in the country. After the opening event, Horishima and Traa moved to a more accessible mogul line below the park and invited visitors to ski alongside the two champions while trying mogul skiing themselves.
Mogul Skiing Expands in Norway
The new course provides an additional training opportunity for professional athletes while creating a new opportunity for recreational skiers to get into mogul skiing. National teams are already using the facility, and SNØ is encouraging visitors to try out the bumps. The facility hopes the project could increase interest in a discipline that’s historically had a smaller presence than traditional alpine skiing.