A wind net and a cooled track have mitigated ski jumping problems in Kuusamo.
Ruka suurmäki has had a wind network on the side of the village since the 2016–17 season. Pasi Liesimaa
This year’s hill farce of the Ruka World Cup reminded many of the massive problems in Kuusamo in previous years. For example, between 2002 and 2011, the hill races of the Ruka World Cup could be carried out as planned in only two seasons.
Former hill coordinator of the International Ski Federation Walter Hofer was about to throw Ruka out of the World Cup, but the investment of around one million euros was saved by the games.
– The message was very clear: if no changes are made to the hill, that’s it. The Ruka World Cup is such a big deal for us locals that the city decided after the normal council hearing to invest in improving the performance venues, said the long-time general secretary of the Ruka World Cup Seppo Linjakumpu For Iltalehti in 2016.
With one million euros, a cooled pace-taking track was built on Ruka’s suurmäki and a massive wind net on the side of the village for the 2016–17 season.
The investments have mitigated ski jumping problems. In the 2018–19 season, one qualifying competition was canceled and the following winter, the World Cup competition was cancelled. The seasons 2020–24 went without any major problems, until last winter one qualifying competition had to be postponed.
This weekend, Friday’s qualifier was postponed, only one-round qualifying was contested on Saturday, and Sunday’s event was canceled entirely.
This is what it’s all about
At Suurmäki in Ruka, the side facing Valkeisenvaara is also protected by a wind net. Pasi Liesimaa
Although the wind protection has provided significant relief, even that does not eliminate the basic problem: Finland’s largest ski jumping hill is located in a dangerous terrain in an environment highly exposed to winds. Wind direction and strength change quickly, especially in mild weather.
– It was a clear thing that you couldn’t jump on Sunday. The wind was on average 6–7 meters per second and at most over 10 meters per second, comments the former head coach of Finland, who works in Japan Janne Väätäinen.
In his long career, he has seen numerous wind problems in Ruka.
– The reforms made to Mäki have been necessary and successful. But when the wind direction is against the jumpers, nothing can be done. There are also similar problems in different parts of the world.