Bib Numbers Awarded to Last Season’s Top-10 Sprinters at Ruka Nordic Public Event

“Our goal is to bring athletes as close to the fans as possible.” 

The Ruka Nordic Opening will bring the World Cup atmosphere alive in Ruka village square on Friday evening at 6:30 Pm, when the top ten Cross-Coutry sprinters from last season receive their bib numbers at the live event. According to Secretary General Harri Keskiaho of Ruka Nordic, a large crowd is expected for the ceremony. 

“Everything is ready in Ruka — even the northern lights seem to be smiling on us. With this Bib Draw Event, we want to tune into the World Cup mood and bring the athletes as close to the spectators as possible,” Keskiaho says. 

A Record Number of Teams Registered 

An all-time high number of teams and athletes have registered for Ruka Nordic — which opens the FIS Cross-Country Skiing and Nordic Combined World Cups. Ski Jumping World Cup events will also be held at Ruka. The record participation is influenced by the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. 

“As a World Cup season opening joint event, Ruka Nordic offers teams an excellent opportunity to collect the FIS points required for Olympic qualification.” 

Athletes will also come from countries not traditionally associated with winter sports — such as Thailand, the Philippines, and India. Ticket sales already suggest this will be the biggest Ruka Nordic in a decade: VIP tickets are nearly sold out, and advance sales for spectator tickets are proceeding at record speed. 

Sponsors Enable New Side Events 

For the first time, Ruka Nordic is organized by the newly founded Ruka Nordic Oy, which has commercialized the World Cup and brought in sponsors. Thanks to these sponsors, new side events are made possible — including the first-ever Bib Draw Event. The Bib Draw is sponsored by NG Nordic, the leading circular-economy company in the Nordics. 

Further Information:

Harri Keskiaho
Secretary General, Ruka Nordic
CEO, Ruka Nordic Oy
harri.keskiaho@rukanordic.com
+358 50 590 6666