OSLO, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Tromsoe's hopes of bidding to host the 2018 winter Olympic Games have been extinguished by top sports officials over potentially spiralling costs, it was announced here Monday.

The northern Norwegian town, located beyond the Arctic circle and draped in darkness throughout much of the winter, was hoping to host Norway's first Olympics since the successful Games of Lillehammer in 1994.

However a financial audit last week revealed that the cost of hosting the Games would total around 19 billion kroner (2.3 billion euros), over double the estimate proposed by bid promoters.

France is among the countries already hoping to host the 2018 Games, which follow Vancouver (2010) and Sotchi (2014).

Norway has hosted the winter Olympics twice, at Oslo in 1952 and Lillehammer in 1994.