Lofoten: Codfishing World Championship - March 23-24/2012

Every year in March,  fishermen from all over the world team up to fight for the world championship in Cod-fishing in Lofoten. Last years winning Cod weighed 19,2 kg.

The Lofoten islands are at their best during March/April. This is when the World Championship in cod-fishing takes place.  For centuries adventure seekers has been drawn here to harvest the treasures of the ocean, securing their families well-being for a new year to come. Beginning in December, the Cod migrates along the Norwegian coast from the North (Barents Sea) to breed in warmer waters from the Golf Stream. As the Lofoten Islands stretch out into the Atlantic, Vestfjorden captures warm waters, and provides excellent breeding conditions for the "Skrei". There is enough for everybody.

Since 1991 the event has grown to a major happening in Lofoten, drawing people from all corners of the world. The main event takes place in Svolvær and all events are well organized, but accomodation has to be organized well in advance

The natural phenomenon of the cod-fishing in Lofoten has given ground to a number of stories from ancient times, and here is one of them:

Taking part in the competition some years ago, I was told it was important to have a good "hall", or "hold" before you went out on the sea. This aroused my curiosity, and I asked several people what this meant. I was told it was having "good sex before the fishing".

It all sounded strange. Good fishing luck should have nothing to to with good sex. Further investigations were needed , before the most sensible explanation emerged from en elderly fisherman on the wharf.

"In the old days, when the times were hard, many people from Sweden, Finland, and all over Norway fled to Lofoten to provide for themselves. There were tough times for everybody, and especially for women. Being a woman, - in search of a man. You had to look for a man with "hall", or "hold". A man with "hall" or "hold", I was told,  is a fisherman that kept the boat steady in high waves where the the catc hwas good. Keeping the boat steady in stormy waters requires skills,  physical and mental strength. A guy with these capabilities would become wealthy, due to the good catches, - and would be able to provide for his wife, also in hard times.

There are plenty of stories to be heard in Lofoten these days, - and the biggest one is always lost. Good luck and

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