April 16th - 19th 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we try to answer all questions regarding Fossavatnsgangan. If you do not find answer to your question, please submit it here to the left.
All international flights to Iceland arrive at Keflavík airport. From there you can continue to Ísafjörður either by plane or by car:
- By plane: Take a fly-bus or a taxi to Reykjavík (approximately 40 minutes). The Reykjavík domestic airport is located right at the heart of the city. Air Iceland is a Fossavatn partner and offers two daily flights between Reykjavík and Ísafjörður. The flight only takes 40 minutes. Upon arrival at Ísafjörður airport, take a taxi or the fly-bus to town (approximately 8 minutes). Air Iceland offers a special discount for Fossavatn skiers. You will receive your discount code by email once you have registered for the race.
- By car: Driving to Ísafjörður is a great way to explore Iceland and enjoy some of its unique nature. The distance from Keflavík airport to Ísafjörður is 495 km and you should expect it to take 6-7 hours, depending on weather and road conditions. You can get your rental car right upon arrival at Keflavík airport and start your journey immediately. Our Fossavatn partner, Hertz Car Rental, offers a special deal for Fossavant skiers. You will receive your discount code by email once you have registered for the race.
- Note that you can also combine flying and driving, i.e., fly one way and drive back or vice versa.
As the popularity of Fossavatnsgangan has increased, the guesthouses in the area tend to get fully booked quite early. There are hotels and guesthouses in the villages around Ísafjörður, in 15 to 40 minutes’ driving distance. If you stay in one of those places, it is necessary to have access to a car. For information on available accommodation, it is best to contact the Westfjords Tourist Information Office ([email protected]) or our partners Wild Westfjords ([email protected]).
Our partner Craft Sport offers waxing services at their store, where you can leave your skis and have them done for you. The guesthouses usually try to provide some facilities for their guests who want to wax their skis themselves. There are waxing facilities at the parking behind Hotel Isafjordur, Silfurtorgi 2 where skiers can wax their own skis. You have to bring your own stuff though.
All tracks are open the days before the race, although some of them might not be in perfect condition while our track team is working on them. Seljalandsdalur Ski Area (the start and finish of the race) is at ten minutes’ driving distance from the town center. If you do not have access to a car, you can take a taxi or use the ski bus. The ski bus will run from Tuesday to Saturday. All bus trips to race events are included in your registration fee. All other bus trips to the ski area cost ISK 1000 . If you are driving your own car, please note that the ski area is closed for private vehicles on Saturday, except for a quick drop-off. Skiers are urged to use the ski bus.
It only takes around 10 minues by car.
Ísafjörður is a small town and the restaurants are easy to find. We have six restaurants, ranging from fast-food to first class, plus cafés and bakeries. Our partner, Hótel Ísafjörður, has an excellent restaurant where they offer special Fossavatn meals and deals.
The short answer is: You are going to Iceland, so nobody knows! We have had all possible types of snow for the past few winters, from the wonderful red klister crust to the cold new snow that calls for a blue hard wax. Hence, be prepared for everything and remember that even though you find a wax that works perfectly when you try the track on Friday, we may have completely different conditions on Saturday morning. To help you, though, our partner Craft Sport will share their waxing tips on the Fossavatn Facebook site the last few days leading up to the race.
The Worldloppet passports will be stamped at Hotel Ísafjörður, in the center of town. Only at Race office during opening hours.
All feeding stations have sports drinks, water, chocolate and bananas.