Ruka Builds World-Cup Snow Park – Opens Already in October

Ruka’s snow park is now World-Cup scale. Stored snow ensures an October opening, drawing top athletes and holiday visitors to Northern Finland.

You can still take it up a notch – Ruka’s popular park has been reshaped to meet World Cup standards.

Ruk a has expanded its snow park to World-Cup dimensions, giving elite athletes bigger competition lines while keeping progression zones for beginners and young riders. As a pioneer in snow storage, Ruka is also able to open its park already in October, making it one of the top early-season freestyle destinations in the world.

Ruka’s park has long been a draw for freestyle skiers and snowboarders; the latest works create clearer separation between a competition-grade line and gentler progression areas. That means pros can train on big features while learners and families still find safe, manageable spots to practice tricks and jumps.

In summer 2024, Ruka’s terrain park was buzzing with activity as the slope was rebuilt to meet World Cup requirements. At the same time, snowmaking and lighting systems were fine-tuned to perfection.

Snow storage pioneer: early starts for pros

Ruka is among the global elite in snow storage technology. Thanks to massive stockpiles of stored snow, the new park line opens already in October – weeks before most resorts even start their seasons.

This early access is a magnet for international teams. In October and November, it’s common to see freestyle and snowboard athletes from multiple national teams training at Ruka, fine-tuning their tricks in excellent conditions ahead of the competition season.

Ruka’s park season will continue to be impressively long – from the first ski days of autumn all the way to May. Photo: Simo Vilhunen

World-Cup scale features – and space to learn

The core of the upgrade is a competition-grade line built to World-Cup standards: larger jumps, longer spacing and pro-level takeoffs that allow high-speed aerial training. Alongside the big line, Ruka has deliberately expanded progression areas — smaller jumps, rollers and rails – so riders can build skills step by step. The result is a park that works for both elite training and grassroots development.

Designed for athletes, visitors and events

With the bigger park, Ruka strengthens its ability to host training camps, national teams and freestyle events, while keeping the atmosphere welcoming for holiday guests. Park shaping and maintenance have been emphasised to create reliable landings and consistent features throughout the season. A key detail for both safety and performance.

Progression first: safe learning spaces remain central

Ruka’s approach balances spectacle and education. Coaches and ski schools can use the progression zones to introduce tricks in a controlled way, then move riders up to the larger features when they’re ready. This step-by-step progression helps maintain safety and encourages more riders to try freestyle skiing and snowboarding.