Kainulainen and Karppanen won the Finlandia Ski Marathon Classic Events on National Skiing Day
The classic skiing events of Finlandia Ski Marathon 2025 were held on National Skiing Day, Saturday, February 22, 2025. The first group of skiers took off at 8:00 AM in -1°C temperature with gusty winds reaching 8 m/s. The snowfall from Friday evening had cleared overnight, providing competitors with a dry and stable skiing environment.
Miro Karppanen won ahead of Juuso Mäkelä.
Photo: Marianna Sarén.
Karppanen and Mäkelä ensured the double victory for the Team Mäenpää
A total of 1,288 skiers participated in Saturday’s longest distance event. Due to early winter's poor snow conditions, the traditional 62 km course was adjusted into two laps of approximately 34 km, making the total distance around 66 km.
Right from the start, Juuso Mäkelä and Miro Karppanen of Team Mäenpää set a high pace using double poling and quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the field. The decisive moment came on Intiaanikukkula Hill, where Karppanen attacked on the climb, gaining a lead over Mäkelä and securing his victory. Karppanen finished in 2:51:14, with Mäkelä crossing the line just five seconds later (2:51:19).
"I planned to make my move on Intiaanikukkula, hoping to create a small gap. My skis were working well, and Juuso couldn’t catch me on the downhill," Karppanen explained after the race.
The duo's strategy was to ensure a one-two finish for their team by taking turns leading.
"I knew the last two kilometers would be tough for me compared to Karppanen. I tried to drop him earlier in sections where I was stronger, but I couldn’t create a gap," Mäkelä summarized.
The third place went to Niko Husu of Jämin Jänne, who broke away from the chasing group after about 40 km and maintained his position. Finishing in 2:55:24, Husu, also skiing double poling, was pleased with his performance and confirmed that he would also compete in Sunday’s freestyle main event.
Kainulainen Dominates the Women’s 62 km Race
Anni Kainulainen dominated the women’s 62 km race.
Photo: Marianna Sarén
In the women’s competition, Anni Kainulainen led the race from start to finish, gradually increasing her lead over Niina Virtanen and Marja-Terttu Repo. She secured a convincing victory in 3:23:43.
– "The track was excellent today, and I had a great time skiing with good company. The atmosphere along the course was fantastic," Kainulainen said after her win.
Niina Virtanen (Lahden Hiihtoseura) took second place in 3:33:43, despite dealing with illnesses leading up to the race. She praised the race organizers and volunteers for maintaining the track conditions.
Marja-Terttu Repo (JPV Remontteja) finished third in 3:39:08, satisfied with her progressive performance throughout the race.
Tarvainen and Ikonen Fastest Over 32 km
A total of 429 participants competed in the 32 km distance.
In the men’s category, Emil Tarvainen (Isometsä Training) took the victory in 1:36:35, followed by Leevi Passila (1:37:29) and Juho Koskinen (1:37:51), both representing Hollolan Urheilijat.
In the women’s category, Meri-Leija Ikonen (X-Tri Lahti) claimed first place in 2:08:37, just ahead of Viktoria Forsberg (2:09:44) and Peppi Kärkkäinen (Isometsä Training) in 2:09:53.
Young Skiers Shine in the 20 km Race
The 20 km event attracted 216 skiers, including former biathlete Mari Eder, who skied alongside her six-year-old godson Juuso. Eder emphasized that Finlandia Ski Marathon is an event for everyone, regardless of age or experience.
In the men’s race, Hannes Seebacher from Austria secured victory in 1:01:46, followed by Jani Mikkonen (1:05:39) and Matti Sippola (1:12:31).
In the women’s race, Taru Vuorinen (Espoon Hiihtoseura) crossed the finish line first in 1:13:23, with Henna Wirman (Myrskylän Myrsky) taking second in 1:32:46, and Anni Pekkala-Mikkonen (CustomSports) finishing third in 1:34:27.
The youth categories featured over 20 young competitors this year.
In the U16 boys' category, Adam Jaron (Poland) took first place (1:02:54), followed by Samra Pohjonen (1:06:50) and Leevi Bruun (Lahden Hiihtoseura, 1:16:40). In the U16 girls' category, Saara Pohjonen won in 1:45:55, ahead of Karolin Serg (Estonia, 1:59:43) and Venla Välisalo (Länken Ski Team, 2:00:49).
Trails in Prime Condition for the Finlandia Ski Marathon Weekend
Despite challenging snow conditions earlier in February, Finlandia Ski Marathon organizers and volunteers worked hard to prepare the tracks for the race weekend. Service stations kept skiers energized with refreshments and enthusiastic support.
The Papinkaivo service station, which was excluded due to the shortened route, was relocated behind the ski jumping hills, along the early-season snow trail. Here, 62 km skiers passed by before heading into their second lap.
With spectacular performances, an electric atmosphere, and memorable moments on the course, Saturday’s classic ski events set the stage for an exciting freestyle races on Sunday!
