Important Update

Unfortunately, after 12 hours, 225km, and 523 laps on the Stockholm Stadium track, Virtanen stopped his attempt to break the 24-hour world record.

The goal is to reach more than 472 kilometers in 24 hours. The attempt takes place at Stockholm Stadium, on the 400-meter-long track. 

“I have been preparing for this attempt for two years now and have trained more than ever, close to 900 hours a year. But I know at the same time that everything must be in place for it to go the right way. My form, weather conditions, and the service team’s efforts must be at its peak this weekend,” says Teemu Virtanen.

The record attempt is not new for Virtanen. Already in 2010, he set a world record when he skied just over 433 kilometers in 24 hours.

But records are set to be broken, and in 2016, the Swedish cross-country skier Erik Wickström set the distance to 438 kilometers, later considered unofficial.

In 2018, both records were broken by a good margin when Virtanen’s Finnish compatriot Hans Mäenpää managed to extend the official world record to 472 kilometers in Levi, Finland.

“Now I am ready to take back the initiative and be able to call myself a Guinness World Records holder in 24-hour cross-country skiing,” states Teemu Virtanen.

To beat the 472-kilometer mark at the Stockholm Stadium, Teemu Virtanen must maintain an average speed close to 20 km/h or about 3 minutes per kilometer during the day. 

Putting together a world record distance takes over 1.180 laps around the Stadium’s 400-meter track. This makes the challenge extreme both mentally and physically.

A ski track is being prepared at Stockholm Stadium for the attempt, close to the inner court. The record attempt is scheduled to start at 10:00 CET on Saturday, February 5, and end 24 hours later, on Sunday, February 6.

The record is set as an official Guinness World Record. This means, among other things, requirements on measurement and timing, that the entire attempt is recorded, and that two witnesses continuously monitor Virtanen’s progress.

You will be able to follow Virtanen’s record attempt live here.