Volunteers build Finlandia Ski Marathon
In the morning of Finlandia Ski marathon, the adrenaline of the coming event keeps the skiers warm when they arrive at the wintery Lahti Sports Centre. After getting their bibs, some of the skiers warm up on the freshly made tracks, some stay and chat at the race expo area with other participants. Before the start, the skiers are divided into starting groups and soon the crisp air is filled with voice, as the announcer proclaims the Marathon to have started. The journey on tracks weaving through traditional Finnish landscapes is made easier by service stations, where the skiers get something to eat and drink - as well as cheering, of course. The wax service takes care of the skis during the race, and as the cherry on top, the skiers get a medal and a warm meal after crossing the finish line.
Something like this could describe the Finlandia Ski Marathon in February. A high-quality sport event means that you don’t need to pack your bag full of waxes or snacks, or go home cold or hungry. A successful Ski Marathon is something to remember and requires hundreds of volunteers. The work starts as early as the previous fall, when the tracks are being prepared for the next year’s event. Before the race day, the volunteers build the service stations and are part of the marketing of the skiing event. During the race, they serve as first aid officers, bib distributors and have many other responsible tasks. Even if these people are not always the first people you notice, they enable a high-class, memorable event.
Near 500 volunteers are building up and organizing Finlandia Ski Marathon.
Serving as a volunteer is a way of feeling connected to others, an annual tradition or a lifestyle for many people. The most experienced volunteers have attended Finlandia Ski Marathon since the very first years of the event and seen the history of the traditional event. The changing world has also offered new ways of volunteering - The Ski Marathon is streamed online and more and more social media content is created. In addition, the Finlandia Ski Marathon enables fundraising for a wide range of local clubs and unions - for example, the service stations are maintained through organizations that promote free time activities for young people, and they get compensation for their work. In 2023, the Finlandia Ski Marathon also rewarded the best service station with an additional bonus. Hollolan Hirvenhiihtäjät, a local scout group, won the bonus.
Maaret Liljaniemi and Kimmo Ahonen from the scout group Hollolan Hirvenhiihtäjät volunteered at the Papinkaivo service station. In their opinion, the best part of volunteering is experiencing new things and working with different people. The scout group made a tent, lit a campfire and served the skiers food and drink. They also provided wax service and, of course, cheered the skiers on. Volunteering is essential for scouts since the weekly activities and fundraising depends on volunteers. Liljaniemi and Ahonen think that the most memorable experiences at Finlandia Ski Marathon were the frozen energy drinks, the joy of working together and the international atmosphere. Thanks to volunteers, Finlandia Ski Marathon offers an unforgettable experience for thousands of winter sport enthusiasts.
This article is part of Finlandia Ski Marathon’s Behind the Scenes -series, which introduces the story and background of the skiing event. Building up some new structures, responsibility actions and a versatile network of partners are interwoven as themes in Finlandia Ski Marathon in 2024.
