New route in Finlandia Ski Maraton: changes bring more snow security and improve service

The Finlandia Ski Maraton route will change for the winter of 2025. To strengthen the snow security, field parts have been reduced from the route. To keep the length of the longest route, 62 kilometers, some new parts have been added. Additional Orinkarkaus service station will become two-way, so there will be a new service station between 40 and 50 kilometers.

Old route has been marked with a yellow dotted line on the map above.

Autumn has once again been a time of development for Finland's largest mass skiing event. Before the snow will arrive, some work on the route was completed. These improvements which will strengthen the snow security of Finlandia Ski Maraton next year.

"For some time now, we have been planning route changes so that the field parts would be removed or at least reduced for minimum. If there is a bad snow conditions, it is difficult to keep the open areas snowy and skiable. On the other hand, the snow flurries during the event also blocks the classic track in the field parts first. This autumn we were able to implement the plans, and the new route is waiting for the snow to come”, says Heikki Kivikko, who became the Finlandia Ski Maraton Master of Course last year. 

Snow reliability is an absolute competitive advantage for Finlandia Ski Maraton. The goal is that event will never have to be cancelled again.

“If we can promise that Finlandia Ski Maraton will be skied with a guarantee, that is definitely our biggest promise and our best marketing tool”, continues Kivikko.

The biggest changes to the route concern the areas of Savistenpää and Hollola Kirkonseutu. Henri Rauhamäki, the chairman of the Finlandia Ski Maraton Committee, says that the renovation work went well.

“The newest section of the route was completed with relatively little effort. After clearing and removing a few trees and stones, the surface was leveled and widened. In addition, the load-bearing capacity of the soft terrain was increased with crushed stone. A big thank you must also be given to the landowners for the implementation of the renovation. Without their ongoing cooperation, this would not have been possible,” says Rauhamäki.

New 62 km route profile

Orinkarkaus serves in two directions – there are no longer long, maintenance-free parts

Although the ski station services and their functionality were raised to excellent grades in the visitor survey conducted after the 2024 Finlandia Ski Maraton, with ski station satisfaction at exactly 9.0, service is being developed systematically every year.

Previously, the distance between the Papinkaivo and Heinsuo service stations was over 10 kilometers, which can cause challenges for skiers, especially at the end of a long distance. Now, Orinkarkaus will be in that gap thanks to its new location. Orinkarkaus will move about 2 kilometers further from its original location to the intersection of the routes.

“A small change in the location of the service station gives us the opportunity to use the station’s services in two directions: when going towards the farthest Papinkaivo and when returning from there before the Heinsuo energy point,” says Master of Course Heikki Kivikko about the background to the change.

The service stations are offering energy drinks and candies as well as other hydration and nutrition services, additional ski waxing, extra poles and first aid, not to mention strong encouragement and cheering.