From cross-country skiing to management – a passion for sports

Jonas Jensen has always had a passion for sports – a passion that was ignited in his childhood in the small North Greenland town of Qasigiannguit.

From his first steps on cross-country skis to his role as Secretary General of the Greenland Sports Federation, Jonas has followed his passion and dedicated his life to both the sport and the community it creates.

Where it all began

Jonas Jensen was born in 1981 in Qasigiannguit – the North Greenlandic town whose name means “small spotted seals”. Here he spent his first twelve years of life, surrounded by a large and close-knit family, where commitment and community are a natural part of everyday life. The family is active, both physically and in the local community, and this leaves its mark on young Jonas early on.

– As a little boy, I saw my father volunteering at board level in what was then called Christianshåb Idrætsforening, CIF-70. That was where I had my first encounter with sports, says Jonas Jensen.

Jonas is one of the youngest in a large and close-knit family, where there have always been many people to look up to and draw inspiration from. He remembers the many weekends when the family gathered at his grandparents'. Each time, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends would flock to the house, and the house would be filled with a special scent of security.

– There was a very special smell of medova tea, and it has always had a special place in my memories. To this day, I offer guests medova tea if I want to create a little extra coziness, says Jonas with a smile, as he thinks back to childhood weekends at his grandparents'.

An athlete becomes

Jonas grew up north of the Arctic Circle, where the darkness is deeper and the cold bites harder than in Nuuk, where he lives today. But for Jonas, the weather is never a problem. He stays warm by always being on the move, full of energy and activity.

As a child, he looks up to his father and admires his volunteer sports involvement in the local community, but it is his mother who opens the door to the world of sports for him. She lovingly holds his hand and introduces him to various sports.

– I start playing football in CIF-70, later badminton comes, and in 1989 my mother takes me cross-country skiing, says Jonas with enthusiasm before he continues.

– I am deeply grateful that my mother introduced me to cross-country skiing. I have always loved many sports, but it is cross-country skiing where I really feel I belong, says Jonas, who still has a love for his cross-country skis to this day.

Jonas enjoys sports, and in particular the communities that are built around sports. In the early nineties, a new sports hall is built in Qasigiannguit, and this gives sports a boost. This is where a young athlete really starts to take shape.

Cross-country skiing, cross-country skiing, cross-country skiing

In 1993, the family moved to Maniitsoq, where they lived for the next four years, after which they moved to Sisimiut. With the first move comes a change of club for Jonas, who becomes part of KS-69, a cross-country skiing club with high ambitions and a strong community. Here, Jonas has the opportunity to develop as a cross-country skier, is influenced by the club's core values and makes friends for life. For a number of years, he also plays football, badminton and handball, but not at a competitive level. He enjoys them for the joy of it and because grassroots sports have room for everyone. When he turns 14-15, he realizes that there is no longer time to do all the activities. He chooses to focus on cross-country skiing, and this leads him all the way to the junior national team.

– I was one of the youngest on the junior national team. I remember that I wanted to put everything into cross-country skiing, but my mother had slightly different plans. When I started secondary school, she told the national coach before a training camp in Italy that I should now focus on my education. I disagreed at the time, but today I completely agree, laughs Jonas Jensen.

A journey that shapes life

In 1998, Jonas participated in the Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife, Canada, an experience that would be both unforgettable and life-changing. Inspired by it, he decided to return to Canada as an exchange student the following year. Although he was confronted with a completely new culture, he quickly settled in. He alternated cross-country skiing with running most of the year, and his host family quickly became an extension of his own.

– I have often visited my host family, and they mean a lot to me, says Jonas, who in 2022 took his son and girlfriend, now fiancé, to Canada to introduce the families to each other.

When he returns home to Sisimiut after his time in Canada, he starts at HTX, and subsequently spends a year at a sports college in Norway.

– I chose the study line ‘sports and health’, where I was introduced to a wide range of sports. It has helped shape me and is certainly a contributing factor to why I stand here today as Secretary General of the Greenland Sports Association, says Jonas and smiles.

When he returns to Sisimiut, he decides to train as an Arctic engineer. Here he meets Nivi Geisler, and together they share a passion for the sport. They have two children, a daughter, Upaluk, and a son, Qunaaq.

Although their relationship did not last, the children remained their common compass. Both children have now followed in their father's footsteps and sought out the world to find life and learning. Daughter Upaluk is now studying at a university in the Netherlands, while son Qunaaq is attending a ski gymnasium in Norway.

– Upaluk is creative, while Qunaaq is interested in sports – probably a bit like me, says Jonas and laughs before adding:

– I am infinitely proud of both of them, says a moved Jonas.

More than a job

Jonas worked as a structural engineer for seven years until 2016. A solid education and a good job, but there is still something else that tugs at his heart. Throughout his entire life, Jonas has stuck to sports and volunteered as a coach and on boards where he can. Among other things, as chairman of the cross-country skiing committee and as part of the ski association's board.

– No matter what I do or where I am, it is always the world of sports that I am passionate about. That is where my passion lies, says Jonas with a weight in his voice that leaves no doubt that his work today is a true matter of the heart.

When Jonas is offered the opportunity to start as an organizational consultant at the Greenland Sports Association, he is quick to accept. At first, he sees it as an opportunity to test his passion, with the idea of returning to his job as a structural engineer. But that idea is quickly put to shame. Jonas doesn't look back and finds his rightful place in life. In 2019, he becomes the association's general secretary.

– That's just what I needed, says Jonas with a broad smile that reveals that he has found his true path.

Jonas joins the Greenland Sports Association at a time when membership is declining and there is a need for innovation. Fortunately, it is precisely in these types of processes that Jonas thrives. Together with his passionate colleagues, they develop a new strategy, and after further training in management and strategy, Jonas takes on the role of strategic leader for the project ‘The World’s Most Physically Active Country’. An ambitious project that, as the name suggests, aims to make Greenland the world’s most physically active country by 2030. For Jonas, this is more than just common sense – it is a mission he is passionate about.

– I want to help create change in Greenland. Change the role of sports in society and make both Greenland and Greenlanders stronger, healthier and happier. That is my vision, says Jonas with burning conviction before continuing:

– Sports can do so much. You make friends, develop skills and learn to win and lose, laughs Jonas.

And even though he believes he is good at losing in the world of sports, it is something he rarely practices at work. With Jonas' entry and the strategic measures he, together with his colleagues and partners, has implemented, the Greenland Sports Association is starting to see increasing membership.

New perspectives and focused work have sparked change, and the hope for a healthier, stronger and more active future for Greenland is now closer to becoming a reality.

A new year

In addition to sports, hunting and fishing are deeply embedded in Jonas' DNA. Since childhood in Qasigiannguit, the whole family has practiced trout fishing, and as an adult, Jonas buys his own boat and continues the proud traditions of reindeer and grouse hunting.

– I relax in nature, in the mountains and on the fjord. Just like when I'm cross-country skiing. That's where I really feel at home, says Jonas.

Jonas seeks nature both alone and with those he loves. One of them is his fiancée Uiloq. In 2020, Jonas and Uiloq find each other, and in addition to their shared passion for sports, their friendship develops into true love. Since then, they have been an inseparable couple. Together, they share both the joy of nature and the pleasure of moving in it. The future is bright and full of hope, not only for the Greenland Sports Association, but also for the couple, who in 2026 are facing a completely new beginning. In June, they are expecting their first child together.

– 2026 will be an exciting year, both at work and in private, says Jonas, the soon-to-be father of three, and smiles broadly.