The cross-country week runs as the Masters World Cup, with classes from 30 to 90+.
Lahti will host the Masters World Cup in Cross-Country Skiing (MWC 2028) in January 2028. The event will be staged as part of the Winter World Masters Games 2028, which will bring thousands of masters athletes from around the world to Finland. Cross-country skiing is expected to be the largest sport at the Winter World Masters Games, with approximately 1,000 participants.
At present, the Masters World Cup in cross-country is being raced in Sappada, Italy. In 2027, the event will be held in Tromsø, Norway. Hosting the Masters World Cup in Lahti is a natural part of the Winter World Masters Games 2028, which will take place in Lahti, Levi and Heinola from 14 to 23 January 2028.
The President of the international association, the World Masters Cross-Country Ski Association (WMA), American John Downing, is pleased with the cooperation that will result in masters championship title event being held for the first time in history at the same venue that will host the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships the following year. Previously, Vuokatti has hosted masters competitions in Finland.
“The WMA Executive and our global family of National Directors are all enormously excited about this historic partnership with Salppuri Oy and the Lahti Ski Club to combine the 2028 Masters World Cup and the Winter World Masters Games 2028 cross-country ski events. WMA is tremendously confident that the combination of experience, resources, and knowledge of all this combined effort will produce a truly exceptional and world-class masters cross-country ski event.”
The Masters World Cup 2028 will be raced on the tracks of Lahti Sports Centre. The same world-class competition facilities will serve as the venue for the Lahti 2029 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, one year after the masters event. The courses will be adapted to masters level, and the official WMA course inspection is scheduled for spring 2026.
The event will be organised by Salppuri Oy in cooperation with the Lahti Ski Club. The competition organisation has extensive experience in delivering major international events.
“Hosting the Masters World Cup in cross-country skiing in 2028 is an important milestone for our organisation as we prepare for Lahti2029. Our goal is to create a memorable international event for masters skiers. At the same time, the other sports competing alongside cross-country skiing will add their own flavour and help create the atmosphere of a true major multi-sport event”, says Tomi-Pekka Kolu, CEO of Salppuri Oy.
The cross-country competition programme includes short, middle and long distance individual races in both classic and free technique, as well as relay events. Age groups will be for athletes aged 30 and over. A detailed competition schedule will be published at a later date.
Lahti is known for its excellent snow reliability. The city is committed to ensuring competition conditions through artificial snow production, snow farming and extensive experience in hosting major championship events. The Lahti Sports Centre provides an ideal setting for a large-scale skiing event. A shared “Masters Hub” for all sports will be located at the Lahti Sports & Exhibition Centre, close to the main competition venues. The Masters Hub will serve as the centre for accreditation, race offices, ceremonies and social programmes.
Lahti receives praise in the international community – Finnish masters community is strong
Lahti will join the group of Finnish winter sports cities that have hosted Masters World Cup events in 2028. Previous competitions in Finland have been organized in Kuusamo, Kuopio, Rovaniemi, and Vuokatti.
“Lahti is known worldwide as the cradle of Finland’s most famous skiing tradition, and its expertise in event organization is highly respected. International colleagues have been asking when the Masters World Cup will be held in Lahti. Lahti is held in very high regard within this community,” says Finnish team leader Jouko Kärki with enthusiasm.
Kärki confirms that Finland has an active masters community that participates widely in the annual Masters World Cup events. In Sappada, Italy, 72 Finnish skiers are competing. The last time the Masters World Cup was held in Finland, in Vuokatti, the Finnish team had 200 participants.
“Masters skiing is thriving at the Masters World Cup level. For many years we have been at the top of the medal table — and the same is true now in Sappada. I believe the Lahti event will give visibility to masters sports and serve as an example of the importance of lifelong physical activity, without forgetting the joy of exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Versatile physical activity teaches humility, requires passion, and may also offer a touch of beautiful frivolity in life.”
Pre-registration for the event is currently open at masters2028.com. Pre-registration is free of charge and provides priority access to official registration, which will open in 2026.
See the full programme of Cross-Country Skiing.
The Winter World Masters Games (WWMG) is the world's largest multi-sport winter event for masters and active movers aged 30+. Open to all levels, it brings together recreational participants, competitive athletes and ex-pros, united by challenge and well-being. In 2028, the Games will take place across three Finnish winter destinations: Lahti, Levi and Heinola. WWMG2028 will welcome around 4,000 athletes competing in 12 winter sports for a high-quality, unforgettable Masters experience.
www.masters2028.com · Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn: @wwmg2028finland
"Nothing Stops Us – We Are Masters."