Finland hasn’t hosted a Ski Classics Pro Tour race since Ylläs-Levi, which was a favorite among many skiers. While the race still exists, it no longer has the Ski Classics status that would bring international visibility.

Finland, being a major skiing nation, has a significant need for a Pro Tour event. Last week, it was announced that Finland’s largest mass skiing event, Finlandia Ski Marathon (Finlandia-hiihto), is joining the Ski Classics family. At this stage, it will be part of the Challengers series, but the Pro Tour is likely on the organizers’ minds.

The Ski Classics Pro Tour will start again in December in Bad Gastein, Austria, as it did last year. The upcoming winter tour will have events in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Norway, but once again, Finland is left out. With Finlandia Ski Marathon (Finlandia-hiihto) now joining the club, the possibility of participating in the Pro Tour increases, but for now, eager long-distance skiers should remain patient about joining the main series.

However, Finlandia-hiihto strengthens its position by entering the prestigious Ski Classics Challengers series. Finlandia-hiihto’s main events, the 62 km classic and the 62 km freestyle races, will be counted as Challengers races, allowing participants to earn points for the Pro Tour. This increases the race’s appeal among competitive skiers who actively follow the Ski Classics series, as they can earn points (up to 50 for winning a race).

Read more: Finlandia Ski Marathon Classic and Freestyle: Two new Ski Classics Challengers in Finland

With this agreement, Finlandia Ski Marathon gains the status of a Ski Classics Challengers race. This status enhances Finlandia-hiihto’s goal of being an attractive event not only for mass and recreational skiers but also for competitive skiers from Finland and abroad.

The event director of Finlandia-hiihto sees many positives in this new agreement for Finland’s leading marathon ski event.

“Ski Classics Challengers status raises Finlandia-hiihto’s competitive profile and appeal among ski teams. Highlighting the competitive aspect, increasing visibility on international platforms, and taking steps toward possibly gaining Pro Tour status are valuable for us,” said Finlandia-hiihto’s event director Markku Levanen, reflecting on the effects of the agreement.

Finlandia-hiihto’s prize pool is nearly €8,000

Finland’s leading long-distance ski event aims for success among both competitive skiers and recreational participants. Raising the competitive aspect does not exclude consideration for recreational skiers and vice versa.

Good skiing conditions, cash prizes, and now the Ski Classics status are attracting competitive skiers to participate. The total prize pool is around €8,000, equally distributed between the top three men and women in the 62 km classic and 62 km freestyle races.

In 2024, Finlandia-hiihto produced its first-ever live stream, which was broadcast on IS TV and Ruutu. The stream was well-received, and with the Ski Classics Challengers status, the live stream and event highlights will also be shown on the Ski Classics series’ channels.

“We need to increase our international visibility and build appeal beyond Finland. Our winter conditions have been favorable compared to Central Europe, and I believe that by growing our international network, Finlandia-hiihto can significantly increase the percentage of foreign participants from the current 15%,” Levanen added.

Ski Classics is a long-distance skiing series that has been held since 2011, with 35 professional skiing teams competing on the Pro Tour. In addition to the Pro Tour, Ski Classics also features the “Challengers” series, which, according to organizers, can be a step towards Pro Tour participation. Time will tell if that next step happens, and if so, when the Pro Tour will come to Finland. Local long-distance skiers are surely pleased with Finlandia-hiihto’s inclusion in the Ski Classics community, and this step strengthens the sport’s position in Finland while bringing international attention to an event with over 50 years of colorful history.

Visit Ski Classics for more information.