We finally have snow! The Virkiä Jukola competition center in Lapua is covered with beautiful sparkling white snow.

The starting point. The course starts at the northern end.

This picture is at the start. 40 competitors in a row with maps hanging over their heads at 2,20 meters.

The start manager built himself a tower to scan for possible false starts.

This photo was taken at the same spot as the Jan 10th photo. There is 30 centimeters snow which makes it
hard to move around, so we'll keep waiting for the summer.

Rabbits are also training hard for the summer's main event, as you can see from the tracks.

A great wintery scene towards the competition center. The poles have been built for electric wiring and other cables
that are needed during the Jukola week.

The photogprapher's footsteps in the snow which makes walking slower than usual.

This is the place for the giant screen. And see the TV tower in the middle of the photo: an unsuspecting cameraman
shall shoot the competition from there - it's 200 meters high.

This is the place fof the competitors' tents and caravans. There's some 10 hectars of open fields for campers.
The main road of the camping site shall be called Aleksis Kiven tie.