Where to go for cross-country ski holidays? The Team Halti athletes tell their favorite cross-country ski resorts
Do you have your ski holidays planned? Or are you already dreaming about the next one? We gathered some tips for you on where to go cross country skiing. The tips come from the world’s best cross-country skiers: Anne Kyllönen and Ristomatti Hakola from the Cross-Country Ski Team Finland and Ilkka Herola from the Nordic Combined Team Finland. So when it comes to cross country ski resorts, they really know what they are talking about.
Anne loves the genuine Finnish Lapland and the high altitudes of the Suisse Alps
The nordic ski resorts of Pallas and Saariselkä have mesmerized our top skier Anne Kyllönen. “I just love the real Lapland with treeless fells. There you can really go deep into the nature and enjoy its beauty and calmness”.
The ski resorts of Pontresina and St. Moritz in Switzerland are also Anne’s favorites. “There are so many ski tracks in beautiful surroundings. They also give you extra challenge because the tracks are in quite high altitude, 1800 – 2000 meters above sea level”, Anne says.
Ristomatti Hakola praises Vuokatti
The sprint expert of the Finnish National Ski Team, Ristomatti Hakola is seen a lot in the fell sceneries of Vuokatti, Finland. He thinks it’s the best cross-country ski resort for an athlete: “Here is everything you can think of, in a small beautiful package”. And he is right. There are 120 kilometers of track for both classic and skate techniques. The quality requirements of Vuokatti Sport Olympic Center insure the best possible tracks and services for top athletes and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
“If I could recommend a place for cross-country ski holidays outside of Finland, it would be Davos in Switzerland”, says Ristomatti. ”The scenery is awesome and the tracks are brilliant”, he says. And he knows Davos very well as it is the legendary location of the FIS Nordic Ski World Cup.
Nothing beats Puijo but also Seefeld gets Ilkka Herola’s recommendations
The number one guy of the Nordic Combined Finnish National Team, Ilkka Herola, recommends Puijo, Kuopio for all cross-country ski enthusiasts. In the heart of the Finnish Lakeland rises a legendary hill called Puijo, which Ilkka calls home. “Puijo has the best ski tracks in Finland because they are very versatile, the scenery changes nicely and the track net is so wide you can hop on or off your skis practically anywhere in Kuopio. When there is enough snow, that is, of course”, says Ilkka. His training in Puijo has been proven successful as he carries the best skier -bib in the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup at the moment.
Of all the nordic ski holiday resorts in Europe, Ilkka would go to Seefeld in Austria. “Along with the stunning alpine scenery there is almost always sunshine”, smiles Herola. And he has proof as he visits Seefeld yearly to compete at the world cup races.
