[Q&A] Joona Kangas and Arttu Heikkinen on Early Season at Ruka

Featured Picture: Arttu Heikkinen | Skier: Joona Kangas

As many people within the U.S. are itching to get again on skis, the season is already nicely underway in Finland. At Ruka, they’ve been open for driving since early October. They’re at the moment serving up a implausible providing of options from rails to a small leap line. Positioned simply south of Article Circle, a couple of four-hour drive from the nation’s capital metropolis of Helsinki, Ruka is understood for internet hosting an annual migration of freeskiers within the fall and spring every season.

The resort’s park choices all through the winter are world-class, but it surely’s in these shoulder seasons that the tradition right here actually shines. The operations staff at Ruka has been crafting freestyle setups for 30 years, and so they’ve been a key half in serving to develop the Finnish freeski scene into the sturdy epicenter that it’s at the moment.

Due to chilly temps and a transparent presence of passionate skiers, Ruka has grow to be recognized all through Scandinavia as being a premier spot to hit jumps and rails earlier than and after a lot of the Northern Hemisphere. However we didn’t wish to speculate on what it’s like at this distant vacation spot. No, we needed to get the data straight from the supply. That’s why we hit up certainly one of our favourite skier/filmer duos round; Joona Kangas and Arttu Heikkinen.

Each initially from Finland, Kangas and Heikkinen have been out getting clips at Ruka for a number of days in October. Kangas is likely one of the most artistic and technical riders on the already-stacked K2 roster. Heikkinen is a well-established filmmaker and photographer whose work was even featured on the cowl of FREESKIER Quantity 25 Difficulty 4 three years again. We lobbed them just a few inquiries to get a really feel for what it’s like proper now at this Finnish hotspot.

Thanks for speaking, guys. The early-season arrange at Ruka at all times seems to be enjoyable, and this yr is not any exception. Is it your house resort? 

Joona Kangas: No, it’s not. My residence resort is Levi in Finnish Lapland. Ruka is a couple of four-hour drive south slightly below the Arctic Circle.

Arttu Heikkinen: I stay fairly near Helsinki so Talma is my residence resort. It’s round a ten hour drive to Ruka. 

That’s a trek. What retains you each coming again annually?

JK: I normally go to Ruka like every year nowadays, principally for the season-opening when there are movie premieres occurring and all the great homies are round. It’s a fantastic spot early within the season, with so many nice skiers gathering there and a fantastic presence of freeski tradition.

AH: The early-season park is simply the very best. And the homies are there. When you have the possibility to go throughout this time of the yr, I can’t suggest it sufficient.

When did Ruka open for snowboarding this yr? Are there some other resorts close by that supply a comparable expertise and are open?

JK: They opened on the 4^th of October, similtaneously my residence resort Levi. Ruka and Levi are the 2 resorts in Finland that supply early-season shredding! Each are glorious, with Ruka simply being extra centrally situated within the nation.

AH: Yeah, I’d say Levi is the opposite best choice but it surely’s far-off.

Most individuals know that the Finnish freeski tradition is alive and rising. It is likely to be one of many strongest epicenters for the game on this planet. What elements make it so distinctive and vibrant? 

JK: The early generations of Finnish freeskiers paved the best way. They left a mark you possibly can nonetheless see within the tradition at the moment, and it’s unbelievable to have the ability to carry that on. Finnish skiers do issues correctly, and we’re very specific. We use what we have now and don’t make an excessive amount of noise about it. The skiers listed here are simply so true to it, doing it for love and at all times with a artistic method. Finland doesn’t have the identical massive mountains as different locations in Europe and doesn’t get as a lot consideration. I feel because of this the skiers listed here are so passionate; as a result of they do it for love and never for some other purpose.

AH: We have now fairly small ski resorts right here with tremendous good snowparks. You will get so many laps a day that it permits skiers to get actually good in a brief period of time. And the season right here at Ruka is sort of eight months. 

What’s your favourite characteristic of this early-season setup?

JK: The knuckle of the leap. So many prospects for enjoyable tips!

AH: I feel the leap line seems to be so good on video. All of the options are enjoyable, however sort of small. Due to that we normally movie every thing as one line, which could be powerful but it surely’s nice observe for the remainder of the season.

What’s the very best a part of driving at Ruka?

JK: For me, the highlights are hitting the snow cannon knuckles, which actually construct up in November/December, and the slushy park snowboarding within the spring, usually April and Might. The identical goes for once I’m driving at Levi. Each of these are cornerstones of Finnish freeskiing. You received’t discover the identical kind of snowboarding in the beginning and finish of the season in lots of different locations.

AH: I really like the truth that the chairlift is so quick. One lap is just about 5 minutes and you’ll hit eight options in a run. There are usually not too many individuals driving on weekdays, so there isn’t any rush and filming is fairly chill. The one unhealthy factor is the climate. It may be so inconsistent this time of the yr. It was snowing yesterday, however will probably be 10 levels Celsius [50 degrees Fahrenheit] in just a few days. 

If somebody goes to ski at Ruka, what’s one factor they need to do off the hill?

JK: Deliver a headlamp, go for a hike within the darkness, make a hearth at a wilderness hut and watch the northern lights. There’s a lot room to roam in Finland and close to Ruka, it is best to make the most of it should you’re on the market.

AH: You’ll want to hit the sauna after snowboarding after which head to the Bar Zone karaoke. It’s unbeatable.

Any massive plans or tasks for 2025 that FREESKIER readers must be taking note of?

JK: We’re lastly releasing Keesh Film 3! Keep tuned for the premiere and launch.

AH: We began the second yr of filming for the brand new Forre venture, titled “Forrever”. It’s tiring however so thrilling to be engaged on a movie for this lengthy. I’m additionally engaged on the brand new Armada Skis staff film. I can’t say a lot about both in the mean time, however each will drop subsequent fall and are shaping as much as be unbelievable.

We’ll maintain a watch out for these! Joona, favourite ski you’ve been driving?

JK: K2 Reckoner 102, all day. It’s simply the very best for my model of snowboarding. Delicate suggestions and secure underfoot. I like it a lot!

Arttu, finest digicam that you just love for taking pictures stills available on the market proper now?

AH: Sony A7 IV. Additionally love the Fujifilm xt100iv for journey photographs once I’m on the transfer.

Greatest music to hearken to whereas lapping the early-season park?

JK: [laughs] I simply desire the character sounds, truthfully.

AH: Haaveissa vainko oot mun by Riki Sorsa.

Final however not least, identify one skier and one filmer you suppose folks must be taking note of proper now.

JK: Tormod Frostad in snowboarding and Reid Ferguson in filming. Each are simply crushing proper now and I really like their work.

AH: For a skier, I’ll say Jussi Pallaskivi, and the filmer is Calle Hasselblatt.