Just over a month ago, Beyond Skiing appointed its new board of directors.
Susanne Martinsson is Vice Chair of the Beyond Skiing board and also Falun 2027’s board representative:
— I strongly believe in close, unpretentious collaboration where we make the most of each other’s strengths, says Susanne Martinsson.
Until about a month ago, Beyond Skiing AB had a board that mirrored Falun 2027’s board. But at the end of March, a new board was appointed for the Beyond Skiing business network (read more here).
In her day-to-day role, Susanne Martinsson serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Municipality of Falun and represents Centerpartiet. She is also Falun 2027’s representative on Beyond Skiing’s newly appointed board.
How do you see the collaboration between the organizations developing in order to contribute to a successful championship?
— I strongly believe in close, unpretentious collaboration where we make the most of each other’s strengths. Beyond Skiing creates engagement and business relationships within the corporate sector, while Falun 2027 is responsible for delivering the event itself. Together, we can help create a championship that performs at the highest level while also becoming a true public celebration where many people feel involved, says Martinsson.
You have several years of experience as a volunteer during both the Svenska Skidspelen and the World Cup. How can you bring those experiences into your work on the board? And how important is the volunteer perspective ahead of the upcoming championship?
— Volunteers are the heart of every successful event — without volunteers, there is no championship. My experience as a competition secretary working alongside the international jury has given me a strong understanding of what it takes to create engagement, enjoyment, and pride among everyone who contributes. If we have happy volunteers, we are not only creating a successful World Championships — we are also creating an experience that people want to be part of and carry with them for a long time, says Susanne Martinsson.
How do you view Beyond Skiing’s role leading up to Falun 2027?
— Beyond Skiing plays a key role in bringing the business community together around something bigger than an ordinary network. It is about business, connections, and opportunities — but also about being part of a journey toward a home World Championship. We also have an incredibly exciting sporting situation, where our Swedish athletes have great chances of winning medals. Our women are already among the world’s best, and on the men’s side we see several young, promising — not least local — athletes emerging.
What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in the board’s work right now?
— The opportunities are truly many — there is strong interest from companies that want to be involved, build business relationships, and follow the journey toward the World Championships up close. Many are also driven by a genuine passion for skiing, which adds another dimension to the network. The challenge lies in harnessing that energy and turning it into concrete long-term value. We also need to start thinking now about how Beyond Skiing will continue after the World Championships — this should not end with the final competition day, but continue to develop.