Skiing on the frozen sea in Laajalahti, Helsinki.

Finns are keeping up their strong attachment to cross-country skiing.

This winter, cross-country skiing has become more popular than ever thanks to the huge amount of snow that has covered the entire country.

The popularity of cross-country skiing is evident on the tracks, but also in the sports equipment factories and stores. Due to growing demand, factories are producing more skis than in previous winters.

Tour skating has grown in popularity over the past decade, with around 100,000 tour skaters in Finland currently. Tour skating takes place on natural ice, which is usually abundant even in Finnish winters with relatively little snow.

Winter sports are also popular among foreigners in Finland. Olivier Thomann, 24, came here to work for VTT as a researcher for one year. “I tried cross-country skiing at home in Switzerland and I’ve also been skiing in Finland. I like it quite a lot, but the tracks are often too crowded for my taste,” says Thomann.

Thomann has also tried tour skating on the Laajalahti track near Munkkiniemi. “Tour skating was fantastic, and the long-blade skates made it easy. I would like to try Nordic skating on the sea, but it is dangerous for a beginner like me.”

Nordic skating differs from tour skating in that it is always practiced on free, natural ice in groups, and under strict safety rules.

Thomann has done a lot of downhill skiing as well as ski touring, which he says is his favourite winter sport. Ski touring is a form of open-country skiing where people climb mountains in groups wearing their skis, and then ski down. “I love ski touring in Switzerland because you can go very far into the mountains and wilderness. I would love to do it here in Finland, but it is hard for a non-Finnish speaker because to do that, you need to have a small team and know the area beforehand,” he says. Overall Thomann is satisfied with the winter sport opportunities in Helsinki. He thinks Helsinki is quite special for winter sport, “because you don’t really need to leave the town to experience some outdoor sport. You can ski on the ice from Otaniemi to Helsinki, which is quite a trip in itself. In most cities, you have to go out of the city to do any of these things.”

MARI KAISLANIEMI - HT
Lehtikuva - Mikko Stig