Skårdal Quits the World Championships Committee

The latest Nordland / Lofoten news from the past 48 hours has been dominated by Atle Skårdal’s withdrawal from the sports committee of the 2029 Alpine Ski World Championships in Narvik. The issue of noise from the Kjøpsvik cement plant and the discovery of three rare species in Lofoten round out regional news dominated by development projects, the environment, and economic life. Local news briefs and incidents are grouped at the end of the article. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten, Lofotposten)

Nordland / Lofoten News: Skårdal Steps Down as Sports Director of Narvik World Cup

Atle Skårdal, a former alpine skiing hero, has chosen to step down as sports director of the Narvik Alpine Skiing World Cup in 2029 for personal reasons, according to the newspaper Fremover via NRK Nordland / Lofoten. He played a central role in planning the sports programme and designing the downhill courses at Fagernesfjellet. He will remain for a transition period, while deputy director Pete Anderson temporarily takes over the duties. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

This departure comes shortly after the resignation in September of business manager Roger Fagerheim. World Cup director Knut-Eirik Dybdal says he understands Skårdal’s decision and emphasizes that the organization has a solid sporting foundation to continue. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

Economy and environment: Kjøpsvik requests a larger sound margin

In Kjøpsvik, the Heidelberg Materials cement plant grinds limestone and produces a lot of noise. The factory is located in the heart of a village with just over 800 inhabitants. For about a decade, the company has implemented measures to reduce noise. These measures have lowered the sound level, but not enough to comply with the 50-decibel limit set for the nearest neighbours in the emissions permit. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

The plant now asks Miljødirektoratet to raise this limit by 3 decibels. This corresponds to a doubling of the sound energy, but is barely perceptible to the human ear, according to NRK. Plant manager Jakob Vikingsson hopes to obtain the new permit in order to fall within the prescribed limits. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

At the same time, Avisa Nordland reported on Saturday 31 October that a municipality lacks radon measures and risks daily fines of 1,000 kroner. The newspaper does not state the name of the municipality concerned in the article. (Avisa Nordland)

Three rare species reported in the Lofoten

Lofotposten reported on Sunday 1 November the presence of three rare species in the Lofoten. The newspaper highlights the fact that « Noe har skjedd », without detailing any of the three species concerned. The information is published in the editorial team’s nordland / lofoten news section. (Lofotposten)

The same newspaper states that the bankruptcy of a carpentry company has been closed and that the creditors will receive a payment. No amount is specified in the headline. Lofotposten also published on Saturday 31 October an article on the salary level to aim for after the settlement, with the phrase « Dette er en god lønn ». (Lofotposten)

Sport: Bodø/Glimt and the Arctic Arena issue

Bodø/Glimt’s general assembly rejected the controversial name “Arctic Arena”. A one-million agreement is now suspended, and the name could be proposed again, according to the general manager cited by NRK Nordland / Lofoten. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

On the pitch, Viking captain Zlatko Tripic criticized Bodø/Glimt and spoke of a “culture of disputes” after Friday night’s 3-2 match at Aspmyra. Coaches Kjetil Knutsen and Morten Jensen were sent off and got into a scuffle. In the second period, Tripic struck Ole Didrik Blomberg in the face with his arm during a duel. The replays did not provide a clear answer on the intent, but Jens Petter Hauge and Patrick Berg felt the gesture was deliberate and that Tripic should have been sanctioned. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

📌 Local briefs

Police received an alert at 09:40 on Friday after a deceased person was discovered at Dønna in Helgeland. Relatives have been notified, and an autopsy will be carried out to rule out a criminal offence. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

On Saturday evening, the Nordland police reported numerous calls related to Halloween: noise, reckless use of fireworks, and intoxicated minors. Patrols asked parents to contact their children. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

A power cable broke, and more than 2,600 people were still without electricity, according to NRK. A person found dead at sea at Vestvågøy was also identified as one of the 3 people missing after the shipwreck near Grip; relatives in Czechia have been informed. (NRK Nordland / Lofoten)

Sources: NRK Nordland / Lofoten, Avisa Nordland, Lofotposten, The Local Norway — Period: 31 October 2026 and 01 November 2026