Night Sprint Returns: World's Best Skiers Set to Electrify Tallinn's Iconic Venue

The penultimate stage of the 2024/25 COOP FIS Cross-Country World Cup season will take place at Tallinn's Song Festival Grounds on March 19, 2025. Following Oslo, the world's elite cross-country skiers will converge on Estonia before the season finale in Lahti, Finland. The evening sprint event combines urban accessibility with a challenging racing course.

The technically demanding 750-meter circuit, which athletes complete twice, features two sharp climbs from the iconic Song Festival Arch towards the statue of Gustav Ernesaks - the beloved conductor who helped maintain Estonia's singing tradition through difficult times. The 2025 course profile has been enhanced with an extended finishing straight, promising even more exciting sprint finals. For athletes, this intensive sprint distance results in completion times of approximately 2:15 for men and 2:30 for women.

The venue will host 8,000 spectators for a six-hour evening festival of sprint racing. The program features a live concert between races, while the historic Song Festival Arch will amplify the crowd's cheers, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for both athletes and spectators.

"While there are many competitions in the skiing world, the Estonians have shown how to transform a sprint event into a true spectacle that draws crowds," said FIS Cross-Country Competition Manager Michal Lamplot after the first Tallinn event. The event will be broadcast live on Eurosport to viewers worldwide.

Weather permitting, the track will open to the public several weeks before the event, allowing recreational skiers to test the World Cup course.

The history of FIS Cross-Country World Cup events in Estonia began in 1999 in Otepää. The first three competitions were held there biannually: in 1999, 2001, and 2003. After that, the competitions became an annual tradition that lasted until 2012. Following a break, Estonia's winter capital hosted the skiing elite again in 2015, 2017, and 2019. A new chapter in Estonian cross-country skiing history opened with the 2023 World Cup event, which was held for the first time at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds.

Event Details:

- Date: March 19, 2025

- Venue: Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, Estonia

- Format: Individual Sprint (Free Technique)

- Tickets available at: https://www.piletitasku.ee/et/event/7078 

- Full event information: www.tallinn-nordic.ee

- Live coverage on Eurosport

The complete World Cup competition calendar can be found here: https://shorturl.at/Pz7UZ