Ruka Nordic’s organisational model is renewed – new agreement strengthens preparations for the anniversary year

Press release 6 February 2026

Ruka Nordic’s organisational model is renewed – new agreement strengthens preparations for the anniversary year

The organising parties of Ruka Nordic, the FIS World Cup event in Nordic skiing – the Finnish Ski Association, Kuusamon Erä-Veikot and Ruka Nordic Oy – have agreed on a new cooperation model. The updated agreement clarifies areas of responsibility and allows the parties to focus on the 25th anniversary event to be held in November 2026.

Under the new operating model, Ruka Nordic Oy, the event company owned by the Finnish Ski Association, takes overall responsibility for organising the event. Kuusamon Erä-Veikot (KEV) will in future be responsible, as a purchased service, primarily for producing the conditions, such as storing snow and preparing the competition venues, including the tracks and the jumping hill. The change clarifies the club’s role and allows it to focus on its core activities. The City of Kuusamo continues to play a key role as the owner of the venues and as an enabler of the event, and the volunteers remain the guarantors of the seamless running of the competitions.

– It is excellent that the operating model has been agreed so well in advance. This gives us complete peace to prepare an even better and more impactful event. We will continue our stakeholder discussions to strengthen regional cooperation and will soon invite local operators to the same table, says the Chair of the Finnish Ski Association and Ruka Nordic Oy, Sirpa Korkatti.

– On behalf of Kuusamon Erä-Veikot, I am very pleased with the solution we have reached, which fulfils the shared goal of all three parties to simplify the organisation of the World Cup competitions. Our club has a very high level of expertise in making and storing snow for the autumn competitions. We also have strong experience in building the competition venues. With this solution, we can focus fully on delivering these areas. The agreement previously made with the City of Kuusamo strongly supports this goal. Cooperation with the City of Kuusamo is of paramount importance. Our club is also ready to deliver other parts of the competition organisation in good cooperation with Ruka Nordic Oy. This is a good basis to continue from, says the Chair of Kuusamon Erä-Veikot, Matti Heikkilä.

Looking towards growth and a broader event concept

Ruka Nordic is on a strong upward trend. The autumn 2025 event broke attendance records with almost 30,000 visitors, and the event’s regional economic impact rose to 4.5 million euros. Particularly gratifying was the high level of spectator satisfaction (NPS 65).

The event company’s CEO and Secretary General continues to be Harri Keskiaho. The organisation has been strengthened by appointing Marko Hiltunen as the event’s Commercial Director. Hiltunen will focus in particular on sales and developing partnerships. The aim is to build a broad event concept which, as in autumn 2025, also includes a round of the Finnish Cup in skiing and possibly other events in the future.

– Last year’s records and the feedback we received from spectators show that we have done the right things in developing our services. I am really pleased that we have reached a solution based on utilising the strengths of both Ruka Nordic Oy and Kuusamon Erä-Veikot and on a clear division of responsibilities. The new model builds confidence in the long-term development of the event and provides a good foundation for building a growing and even more impactful Ruka Nordic. The eyes of the sports world are now turning towards the Olympics, but winter will continue to start at Ruka, says a delighted Harri Keskiaho.

Ruka Nordic is increasingly seen as a joint effort of the whole region. The close stakeholder cooperation started last autumn will be continued and deepened so that the World Cup weekend and the event concept built around it continue to develop into an impactful whole that supports the vitality of the region.