Swiss Loppet, the diverse series of open competitions, takes place every year between early January and mid-March. The national cross-country skiing series, featuring renowned popular races such as the Engadin Skimarathon, Mara and the Planoiras Volkslanglauf, is enjoying growing popularity and attracting thousands of cross-country skiers to Switzerland’s most beautiful ski trails. This series of races focuses just as much on the experience as the final result.

Cross-country series with cup ranking

Eleven competitions take place over the course of ten consecutive weekends. "In order to be able to participate in all the races and fight for your place, your health and your body’s ability to recover are essential - I see it as an exciting challenge," states Reto Hammer, winner of last year's event series.

For the final ranking, there are up to 100 points to be won per race and per category in each of the eleven competitions. The overall winners of the past season's Swiss Loppet are presented with their awards and honoured at the end of June. However, competitors also have the chance to show who is currently the strongest among those heading out from the starting line throughout the season, not just at its end. The women and men currently at the top of the leaderboard start the race bearing the leaders’ race numbers, so the spectators can see who the favourites are in both categories. "In addition to exciting battles, there is always time for interesting conversations and making good friends," recounts Hammer, "so it's now about much more than just the competition itself."

The Swiss Loppet popular race series is open to all cross-country skiers aged 18 and over. In order to take part in the Swiss Loppet, you must be a Swiss Ski member. Anyone registering for a race with their Swiss Ski number will be automatically included in the Swiss Loppet ranking.

More information about the Swiss-Loppet series

Discover Switzerland through cross-country skiing

The new season of the cross-country skiing series will commence on Sunday, 9th January 2022. The total of eleven open races not only offer optimal preparation for the season highlight on Sunday, 13th March, in the Engadin, but are also "a wonderful experience," says Gary Furrer, Head of Popular Sport and Swiss Loppet Event Manager, with great enthusiasm. Furrer adds: “You get to discover wonderful new areas and trails not just during the cross-country race itself, but also when travelling to the place where the race is to be held. But as a resident of Einsiedeln, the Einsiedler Skimarathon is, of course, my own personal highlight.”

You can look forward to the following cross-country highlights in 2022:

• 09.01.    Attraverso Campra '22 More info
• 16.01.    Planoiras Volkslanglauf More info
• 22.01.    La Diagonela (La Pachifica) More info
• 23.01.    Rothenthurmer Volksskilauf More info 
• 30.01.    Surselva-Marathon More info
• 06.02.    Kandersteger Volksskilauf More info
• 13.02.    Einsiedler Skimarathon More info 
• 20.02.    Franches Nordique More info
• 27.02.    Gommerlauf More info 
• 06.03.    Mara More info 
• 13.03.    Engadin Skimarathon More info 

Registration is via Swiss Ski or, for many of the races, via Datasport.

Swiss Loppet pass: become a Swiss Loppet Gold Member

Get your Swiss Loppet pass and complete all eleven Swiss Loppet cross-country races. Anyone who completes the 323.5 km and 3400 m elevation change over the course of a single winter automatically becomes a Swiss Loppet Gold Member. If you finish all the open races within three years, you will be awarded the title of Swiss Loppet Member.

You can request your Swiss Loppet pass free of charge by contacting [email protected]. Passes can also be obtained each time race numbers are issued.

iSKI XC Nordiq App is here!

For anyone who is interested, the iSKI Nordiq app is also available for smartphones. The app is available to Android and Apple users for free download from your respective app store and contains everything you need to know about cross-country skiing in Switzerland:

• Overview of all of Switzerland’s major cross-country skiing areas (around 150)
• Live ski trail status data (open/closed)
• Trails classed as Classic/Skating/Night-time
• Weather information and forecast
• Snow depth and forecast
• Livecams/webcams
• Travel information
• Contact details for the cross-country skiing areas
• Map view of the ski trails
• Cross-country ski pass – shop
• Tracking; also allows track import from smartwatches
• Gamification – Helvetia Challenge