November 16, 2015 – The first snow control of the winter starts with a very positive report: winter has arrived at the Finnish venue of Ruka. Snow Controller Jyri Pelkonen reported that about 20 to 30 centimetres of natural snow have arrived and it is still snowing. The OC is now hard at work to prepare the facilities with a mix of natural and artificial snow.

Winter has arrived in Ruka © FIS

The 2.5-kilometre-track is already skiable with a base of man-made snow and right now, last preparations are done in the stadium and the hill leading into it which will be groomed today. Also on today’s schedule: finish the 5-kilometre-track followed by the ski test area.

The jumping hill is also not giving the OC any headaches. The preparations on the landing area and outrun will be finished by Thursday. The inrun is covered in artificial snow and the cooling system works, an inrun track will be set at the beginning of the week and it looks like jumping activity can begin on Friday, the 20th of November.

“Altogether, the Nordic Opening 2015 is fully on schedule – all venues will be 100 % ready for the upcoming World Cup openers”, Pelkonen concludes.