Crazy awesome in Lapland, but not yet official Olympic sport
The fastest and most insane sport on skates, see video from this weekend’s downhill skaters race in Saariselkä.
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While most winter sports enthusiasts were watching the opening of the Winter Olympics in South Korea, a small crowed gathered in Saariselkä, Europe’s northernmost ski resort, to watch a thrilling new up-coming winter sport.
The Ice Cross Downhill World Championship is a sport not too well known, but what a great sport to watch. For the first time, the Riders Cup was arranged in Finnish Lapland.
136 participants from 21 countries competed straight down the icy 400 meters in a speed you would not believe was possible on skates. Several places along the track, the skaters jumped several meters, just like slalom skiers jump in Super G competitions.
American Maxwell Dunne won the race, followed by Scott Croxall (Canada) and Cameron Naasz (USA). Maxie Plante (USA) became winner of the women’s race followed by Jacqueline Legere (Canada) and Marjut Klemola (Finland).
Saariselkä ski resort is about 250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle.
