Ski friends Nils Skogstad (88) and Thore Berglund (73) have skied many miles together.
Now the police have made it clear that they must stay on each side of the border in the tracks in the facility they have been involved in building - in the middle of the national border.
- The police understood the problem, but made it clear that they must have the same rules for everyone.
So there was a stop, says Nils where he stands and waves to Thore on the Swedish side of the border street.
73-year-old Thore Berglund lives on the Swedish side of the border.
Photo: SVT
Jump from Sweden to Norway
Kölen sports center is a joint project for the ski clubs in Norwegian Örje and Värmland's Töcksfors.
The ski stadium is located in Norway, but the tracks run back and forth across the border.
It becomes clearest at the ski jump.
There jumps but literally from Sweden and into Norway.
But when Norway tightened the rules bit by bit, the Norwegian police have made it clear that the border crossing is not allowed and that all passage in the tracks must be stopped.
- This was not something anyone thought of when we built the track.
It is not a conflict like during the war.
Now it is another, invisible enemy we are fighting against, says Thore.
Norwegian Nils Skogstad is 88 years old
The skiers now have to turn in the middle of the track, and even the track machine changes driver at the border.
"Feels weird"
The two zealots Thore and Nils follow the rules as best they can and keep their distance where they ski on each side of the border street.
And says they long for each other.
- We are friends.
We keep our spirits up, but it certainly feels strange, says Nils.