Nordic Games

For the video game publishing label formerly known as Nordic Games, see THQ Nordic.

Not to be confused with Nordic Game.

First Nordic Games poster featuring telemark, 9–17 February 1901

The Nordic Games was the first international multi-sport event that focused primarily on winter sports, and was held at varying intervals between 1901 and 1926. It was organized by Sweden’s Central Association for the Promotion of Sports,^[1] and more specifically by Viktor Balck, a member of that association and one of the five original members of the International Olympic Committee. It was, in many ways, a precursor to the modern Winter Olympic Games,^[2] whose success was a contributing factor (along with the social and economic turmoil following World War I) to the Nordic Games's discontinuation in the 1920s.^[1]

The Nordic Games began in Stockholm, Sweden in February 1901, after being conceived in 1899 by the Swedish Central Association for the Promotion of Sports (SCFIF) led by Viktor Balck, a well-known Swedish sports figure. He is quoted as saying, “Above all we placed the national goal of rendering a service to the fatherland and bringing honor to our country.” The Nordic Games have now become a national concern for our entire people.” They were held every four years thereafter through 1926. Many believe that this event led to the implementation of the Winter Olympics as we know them today. The Nordic Games began as an effort to bolster both Swedish National sentiment along with Swedish tourism. The Nordic Games featured not only the snow and ice related sports that the country excelled in but also showcased Swedish cultural events such as thereafter, opera and folklore. The beautiful countryside and tourist attractions were also highlighted

History

Sports

The Nordic Games consisted of the winter sports that were popular in Scandinavia at the time, such as ski jumping, downhill racing, cross-country skiing, skeleton, speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey and curling. Some non-winter sports were also included like fencing, swimming and a long-distance equestrian ride. Many other winter sports that we think of as strange today were also played. These included skeleton, sledding behind horses, hunting, skiing behind reindeers, military sports, car racing, motorcycle racing, ballooning, kick-sled, and pulka racing.

Ties to Winter Olympics

The Nordic Games were one of the first to lead to international championships in winter sports. For example, the skating championships raised the international appeal of the Nordic Games. Viktor Balck, the founder of the Nordic Games, was also a charter member of the International Olympic Committee and a President of the International Skating Union. He is credited with holding the ISU together through the end of World War I. He also established the World Championship Events for Ladies and Pairs, who were not recognized before this. Balk was known as the ISU President with the longest tenure of 30 years of any President before him. He was elected the first honorary President of the ISU. All of his participation helped the Olympics take hold. The Winter Olympics as we know it today began in Chamonix, France in 1924. Prior to this time, some winter sports such as figure skating an ice hockey were held during the summer Olympics.

Decline

The Nordic Games mainly included only competitors from the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway. These countries ended up opposing the establishment of a separate Winter Olympics because it would take away from their nationalistic efforts. Sweden and Norway had political differences during this time which led Norway to not participate in the games, which caused some controversy. After Viktor Balck died in 1928, there was no one to champion the cause, especially after the 1930 games had to be canceled due to lack of snow. The Olympics turned out to be highly successful right from the beginning and their international appeal overshadowed the Nordic Games.

References

1 2 SCIF: "Nordiska spelen" (in Swedish), retrieved February 1, 2015
↑ Swedensport: " The Nordic Games ", retrieved February 1, 2015

Multi-sport events

Global

Olympics	Olympic Games Summer Winter Youth Olympic Games

Disabled sports	Deaflympics Défi sportif Invictus Games IWAS World Games Paralympic Games Summer Winter Special Olympics Summer Winter Transplant Games

Professions	Lumberjack World Championship Military World Games World Police and Fire Games European Championship in Forestry Skills Southern Forestry Conclave Stihl Timbersports Series World Logging Championship

Youth and students	Gymnasiade International Children's Games SELL Student Games Universiade World Interuniversity Games

Other types	Arafura Games Dew Tour Mind Sports Olympiad SportAccord World Mind Games World Combat Games World Games World Masters Games X Games

Regional

Africa	African Youth Games African Games All-Africa University Games

Americas	ALBA Games Bolivarian Games CANUSA Games Central American and Caribbean Games Central American Games North American Indigenous Games North American Outgames Pan American Games Parapan American Games South American Beach Games South American Games

Asia	Pan-Asian Asian Games Asian Beach Games Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Asian Para Games Asian Winter Games Asian Youth Games Southeast Southeast Asian Games ASEAN Civil Service Games ASEAN School Games ASEAN University Games ASEAN ParaGames Central Asian Games South Asian Games West Asian Games

Europe	Black Sea Games EuroGames European Games European Masters Games European Sports Championships European Youth Olympic Festival Games of the Small States of Europe

Oceania	Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games Australian Youth Olympic Festival Micronesian Games Pacific Games

Intercontinental	Arctic Winter Games AsiaPacific Outgames Asia Pacific Deaf Games Indian Ocean Island Games Island Games Mediterranean Games Pan Arab Games

Intercommunity	Commonwealth Games youth CPLP Games Croatian World Games Gay Games Invictus Games Islamic Solidarity Games Jeux de la Francophonie Lusophony Games Maccabiah Games Pan Arab Games Pan-Armenian Games Transplant Games World Eskimo Indian Olympics World Indigenous Games World Nomad Games World Outgames

National

Africa

South African Games¹

Americas

Canada Quebec Western Colombia United States amateur juniors seniors Warrior Games

NCSG, United States³	Alabama California Florida Massachusetts Missouri Montana Nebraska New York North Carolina North Dakota¹ Texas Wisconsin

Asia

Europe

Netherlands
Poland (youth)
All-Union Spartakiad¹
Spartakiad of Albania¹
Spartakiad of Peoples of the USSR¹
- youth¹

Oceania

Western Australia (high school)²

Historical¹

Pre-Modern Olympics (in order, from 1900BC to 1859AD)	Tailteann Games Panhellenic Games Ancient Olympic Games Pythian Games Nemean Games Isthmian Games Heraean Games Panathenaic Games Roman Games Cotswold Olimpick Games Gog Magog Games Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games Zappas Olympics

Alternatives to the Modern Olympics	Aryan Games Friendship Games Goodwill Games Inter-Allied Games Islamic Games Liberty Bell Classic People's Olympiad Workers' Olympiads

Defunct regional or community events	Afro-Asian Games Asian Indoor Games Asian Martial Arts Games Central African Games Children of Asia International Sports Games East Asian Games Far Eastern Asian Games FESPIC Games Games of the New Emerging Forces Nordic Games Pacific Ocean Games Spartakiad of Peoples of the USSR Women's Islamic Games World Youth Games

Winter games

International	Olympics Paralympics Winter Universiade Commonwealth¹ World Scout Arctic Winter Games Kennedy Memorial¹ New Zealand Winter Games

Regional	National Winter Games of China Asian Winter Games European Youth Olympic Festival Winter X Games Europe

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