Not everyone has access to glaciers, but there are other options for snow skiing in the summer.
There is nothing wrong with the ski tunnel in Torsby (SWE) or in Oberhof (GER), or anywhere else for that matter. In fact, the Torsby ski tunnel is one of Madshus standard test locations, a hangout for national teams, pro teams on the Ski Classics circuit, clubs and masters alike.
But there are other options. Vuokatti is well known to elite skiers, as the small town in east central Finland is host to the Finnish Ski Team training center and the FIS Scandinavian Cup, the race series that has been a stepping stone for racers aiming for the national teams and the World Cup. But while many skiers travel to Vuokatti in the winter, far fewer have experienced the town’s opportunities for dryland training.
As one of the Finnish national team training centers, Vuokatti offers state of the art opportunities for roller skiing, running and other dryland training methods, and a ski tunnel with 1.2-kilometers of groomed tracks and a fully equipped biathlon range. All of this is available in Torsby as well, but Vuokatti also offers indoor snowboarding with rails, jumps and other park features. The snowboarding section of the tunnel, which is 80 meters long and 20 meters wide, is also open to tubing and sledding. The Vuokatti ski tunnel was the first snow tunnel in the world, opening in 1998. The snowboarding department was added on in 2000.
Now that’s all great, but Vuokatti has a final trick up its sleeve: The Angry Birds Theme Park – an activity center with endless entertainment, a huge park with options for all ages and tastes. So if you’re planning a training camp and want convince the whole family to come along, this could be your secret weapon in gaining approval for the project.
ABOUT VUOKATTI
Where: The Sotkamo Region, east in Finland
Travel: Fly to Helsinki, then connect with domestic flight to Kajaani (roughly 1 hour) or take train/bus from Helsinki.