The GUINNESS record for the longest skis in the world 

In 2002, the KESKINADA LOPPET, together with the Norwegian Embassy, decided to take up the Guinness challenge of skiing with the longest skis in the world and the largest number of skiers ever seen.

But to get there, first and foremost, skis had to be built.

This crazy idea came to life thanks to the skill of two Quebec artisans, Marcel Bélanger and Gérald Boucher. The idea is simple: make wooden sections that can accommodate 8 to 10 skiers each. They are connected to each other with barn door hinges. The fasteners fit all the different kinds of boots. After several tests, the final version required that each skier use poles and that supervisors be present to avoid falls. The rhythm must absolutely be synchronized and set by the front skier with the help of a crier on the speaker.

Therefore, it is on the cold and sunny day of February 2nd, that the start is given at Dow’s Lake. The distance to be crossed is 120 meters. Everyone is feverish. Our honour is at stake. 

And it was a great success under the gaze of journalists and an enthusiastic crowd: 80 skiers, on a pair of skis with a length of 76 meters, crossed the distance of 120 meters, without ice jam. 

The Guinness World Record is set.

These long skis were subsequently used almost every year for the Governor General’s Open House. 

Governor General Clarkson tried it herself and made a memorable fall captured by photographers, but without consequences. An unforgettable memory. 

Further attempts to break the record were made in the following years. In 2005, Norway celebrated the centenary of its independence from Sweden and the Norwegian Embassy once again worked with the Gatineau Loppet to set a new record.

This time, 104 skiers took place on the skis that were 100 meters long. The media talked a lot about this event but despite the impressive number of skiers, it was not a record!

Long skis are also used to animate the Gatineau Loppet site during its weekend of activities.

As for the record of 2002, it was later broken. It now belongs to a group of 170 skiers from Arendal, Norway, who have crossed 13.5 meters on skis with a length of 555 meters. The event took place on February 20, 2011.