The 2026 Ylläs-Levi Hiihto provided the ultimate cross-country skiing experience as nearly 2,000 participants skied between the two fells in stunning spring conditions.

The king of the weekend was Norway’s Magnus Vesterheim, who dominated both days, while local favorite Riitta-Liisa Lassila was crowned the queen of the freestyle race.

The April sun and firm tracks, hardened by overnight frosts, created a perfect setting for the two-day skiing festival. According to Race Director Mikko Koutaniemi, the event was a resounding success; the smiling faces at the finish line and a lower-than-usual dropout rate spoke volumes about the successful track maintenance and the peak fitness of the participants.

Friday: A Celebration of Classic Style

On the first day of the event, 767 skiers took to the tracks. In the Men’s 70 km classic race, Norway’s Magnus Vesterheim took a convincing victory with a time of 2:59:32.

"Perfect conditions – a tailwind and hard tracks. I’ve skied here three times before, but the weather has never been this good," Vesterheim rejoiced at the finish line.

In the Women’s main distance, Switzerland’s Marlies Nipius celebrated her first victory with a time of 3:57:38. In the 55 km categories, the fastest skiers were Kasper Kuorinki and Signe Jakobsson.

Saturday: Freestyle Draws Crowds

On Saturday, the number of participants grew to 1,135 for the freestyle technique races. The Men’s 70 km race turned into a thriller, with Vesterheim being challenged by young biathletes Arttu Heikkinen and Jimi Klemettinen. However, the Norwegian managed to sprint to a double victory with a time of 2:42:05.

The Women’s 70 km race was a masterclass by Riitta-Liisa Lassila. The multi-time Olympic and World Championship medalist, who recently moved to Levi, won by a clear margin with a time of 3:06:55.

"I felt really good. I was incredibly nervous this morning, but the race got off to a great start. I'm very happy," Lassila commented after her win.

In the 55 km freestyle races, the victories went to Alvin Nordin and Aino Aarnio.

Ylläs-Levi Hiihto 2026 Results Summary

70 km Classic (Friday)

• Men 70 km: Magnus Vesterheim (2:59:32)

• Women 70 km: Marlies Nipius (3:57:38)

70 km Freestyle (Saturday)

• Men 70 km: Magnus Vesterheim (2:42:05)

• Women 70 km: Riitta-Liisa Lassila (3:06:55)

OneWay Double – Combined Results

For the ultimate endurance athletes in the OneWay Double category (combined times for both days), the champions were:

• Men 70 km: Magnus Vesterheim (5:41:37)

• Women 70 km: Ruth Cecilie Jakobsen (9:07:43)

• Men 55 km: Isak Finskas (4:52:30)

• Women 55 km: Signe Jakobsson (5:26:44)

Thank you to all participants, volunteers, and the audience for a fantastic weekend! Full results can be found at:my.raceresult.com