Solfestuke 2008 I

As the 8th of March is the day when the sun touches the stairs of a long gone hospital in Longyearbyen (the stairs are still there, but the building is gone), the week before or after is the Solfestuke (week of the sun-fiesta, no less). This year it´s celebrated the week before, starting yesterday.

One of the big traditions during the week, is "Ta sjansen", an informal race of more or less elaborate sleds. The competition took place yesterday, on the slope just across Adventdalen, and 8 teams participated - plus a huge part of the inhabitants of Longyearbyen.

Most of the spectators came on snowmobiles.


Some travelled by bus,


others by crawler,


and some with the help of happy huskies,



- but we came on skis!


The sun peeked over the mountains for a short time.


Some images from the race:




I think actually this team under was quickest and in that sense won the race - but I might be wrong.


It was all rather confusing, but good fun!