Vikingskipet Olympic Arena

Vikingskipet Olympic Arena "(lit: "The Viking Ship")" is an indoor speed skating facility in Hamar, Norway. It opened in 1993, originally built for the 1994 Winter Olympics.

The hall is also used for other purposes, such as soccer, the Speedway Grand Prix of Norway, bandy - the arena hosted the Bandy World Championship 1993 - and other categories of events, like concerts, trade fairs and the annual computer demo party The Gathering. It also hosted the 1993 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. The velodrome was torn apart after the championships. Graeme Obree set a new Hour record on July 17 1993 in sports.

The arena has hosted concerts with among others Beyonce and Andrea Bocelli.

The Vikingskipet is currently owned and operated by Hamar Olympiske Anlegg ("HOA").

The name means "the Viking ship", and the roof construction of the arena makes it reminiscent of a ship turned upside down.

The arena is one of two venues for the 1994 Olympics that were built in Hamar. The other arena is the Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre which hosted the short track speed skating and figure skating events.

Rink records

The Vikingskipet is among the best and fastest speedskating rinks in the world, and it can boast a long string of world records. As of January 2007, its rink records are:

Male contestants

* 100 metres: 9.78, Pekka Koskela, Finland, November 6 2004
* 500 metres: 34.31, Jeremy Wotherspoon, Canada, January 26 2008
* 1000 metres: 1:08.38, Shani Davis, United States, January 20 2007
* 1500 metres: 1:44.74, Simon Kuipers, Netherlands, January 2008
* 3000 metres: 3:45.60, Eskil Ervik, Norway, January 29 2006
* 5000 metres: 6:19.06, Gianni Romme, Netherlands, November 14 2004
* 10000 metres: 13:14.15, Lasse Sætre, Norway, January 15 2006
* Sprint Combination: 138.775, Lee Kyu-Hyuk, Korea, January 20 - January 21 2007
* Mini Combination: 151.949, Johan Röjler, Sweden, February 12 - February 13 2002
* Small Combination: 155.699 Jarmo Valtonen, Finland, November 1 - November 2 2003
* Big Combination: 150.748 Chad Hedrick, United States, February 7 - February 8 2004
* Team Pursuit (8 laps): 3:48.67, United States, November 13 2004

Female contestants

* 100 metres: 11.15, Linda Olsen, Norway, November 3 2002
* 500 metres: 37.52, Jenny Wolf, Germany, January 25 2008
* 1000 metres: 1:15.12, Anni Friesinger, Germany, January 20 2007
* 1500 metres: 1:54.65, Ireen Wüst, Netherlands, January 25 2008
* 3000 metres: 4:00.26, Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann, Germany, February 17 2001
* 5000 metres: 6:51.83, Martina Sablikova, Czech republic, January 26 2008
* 10000 metres: 17:14.7, Trude Nielsen, Norway, January 17 1998
* Sprint Combination: 151.935, Anni Friesinger, Germany, January 20 - January 21 2007
* Mini Combination: 166.904, Maren Haugli, Norway, October 22 - October 23 2005
* Small Combination: 161.479, Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann, Germany, February 6 - February 7 1999
* Team Pursuit (6 laps): 3:05.30, Japan, November 9 2003

Technical data

*Extreme length: 260 metres
*Extreme width: 110 metres
*Highest point above ice surface: 36 metres
*Base area: 22,000 m²
*Total area: 26,000 m²
*Area of ice surface: 10,000 m²
*Hall volume: 350,000 m³
*Concrete poles: 33,000 metres
*Reinforcing rods: 1,400,000 kg
*Concrete: 14,000 m3
*Laminated wood girders: 17 pcs.
**Extreme length: 96 metres
**Extreme height: 4 metres

External links

* [http://www.hoa.no/ HOA website]