Puijo’s K-90 normal hill is out of use, and the conditions require extensive updating for the 2020s.
The year-round training center for ski jumping in Kuopio requires investments of millions of euros, if the training conditions for ski jumping and combined training are to be raised to the level of competing countries.
The Ski Association’s ski jumping and combined sport coordinator Mika Kojonkoski gives five years for investments.
Puijo’s K-90 jumping hill was found to be in danger of collapsing during a condition inspection in the spring of 2024. Vauhtimäki’s frame and structure have serious damage, and the hill is now closed for use.
The construction of a new speed hill and downhill slope would cost a total of 7 million euros.
In addition to this, the new plastic coating of the K-120 jumping hill has yet to be done from the Mäkikeskus’ previous repair list. Its cost estimate is around 450,000 euros.
Kuopio has submitted applications to the Ministry of Education and Culture for the renewal of suurmäki plastic and the renewal of the K-90 normal hill and downhill slope as a nationally significant sports venue construction. Kuopio expects a significant contribution from the state.
Conditions for years behind competitor countries
Former mountain eagle and sports coordinator Mika Kojonkoski is very worried about the future of Winter Sports.
– If these conditions cannot be updated in the next five years, then it seems that in the future we will not have successful hill or combined athletes, says Kojonkoski.
According to Kojonkoski, dozens of new training facilities have been built around the world in the 21st century, but none have been built in Finland.
– We are at least ten years behind (competitor countries), says Kojonkoski.
Kojonkoski and Kuopio combined World Cup medalist Ilkka Herola list several shortcomings that should be fixed in the training centers if they want to get back to the top.
– Modern profiles of jumping hills and training places, easily accessible jumping towers and appropriate lifts, Kojonkoski enumerates.
– Speedometers and anemometers that can be used to test suits and equipment. Unfortunately, such things have lagged badly here, so that investments are needed, Herola continues.
The city: “We expect a very significant involvement from the state”
The city of Kuopio has made calculations on how the K-90 normal hill, which was banned from use, could be returned to the use of athletes.
The cheapest option would be to repair the hill for just under 400,000 euros. However, its life cycle would only be two years. After that, we would be in the same situation as now.
The most expensive and sustainable option would be to demolish the old jumping hill built from glulam beams and build a new one from either concrete or steel, as well as repair the structure and profile of the descent slope.
The head of Kuopio’s sports venue services Saku Kekäläinen according to the purchase of wind and speed meters will not be a problem if only the jumping hills are fixed.
The city of Kuopio is clear that the investments of the national training center must receive strong state support.
The chairman of the city council Aleksi Eskelinen (central), Finland’s national sporting success cannot be left to the investments of one city.
– If it is felt that this is an important issue, then yes, we expect a very significant involvement from the state, Eskelinen says.