Participants of Ylläs-Levi Hiihto come from all over Finland and around the world to challenge themselves on what is perhaps the most spectacular ski marathon course in the country. One of these skiers is Eetu Mattila, who last year, inspired by our social media post, took on a slightly more unusual challenge as well: an Ylläs-Levi tattoo, which secured him lifetime free entry to the event.
First Ylläs-Levi Hiihto
Last spring’s Ylläs-Levi Hiihto was Eetu’s first mass ski event, and it was a joint project with his brother and father. “I started with a ‘let’s just make it to the finish line’ mindset, even though I had a significant amount of training behind me and a secret dream of going under five hours,” Eetu says.
The race didn’t go exactly according to plan. Between Pyhäjärvi and Aakenuspirtti, one of Eetu’s poles broke, forcing him to ski five kilometers with just one pole before receiving a spare. “At that point, the fear of having to quit crossed my mind, and all time goals went straight out the window. I had already taken the Ylläs-Levi bear tattoo before the race, so I even wondered whether I’d have to get it removed if I didn’t make it to the finish,” Eetu laughs.
Whether it was the fear of tattoo-related embarrassment or excellent nutrition, his faith in reaching the finish line fortunately returned. Along with the spare pole, meeting his brother at Aakenuspirtti — whom he had dropped earlier in the race — lifted his spirits, and the rest of the journey felt more like a relaxed ski tour. In the final sprint, Eetu still managed to leave his brother in second place, claiming the family championship. The sub-five-hour goal ended up being just 16 minutes away. “An unforgettable ski marathon in every way and absolutely worth a tattoo!” Eetu sums up.
The story behind the Ylläs-Levi tattoo
To our knowledge, Eetu is the only person outside the Ylläs-Levi event organization who has taken on the challenge and gotten an Ylläs-Levi bear tattoo. Altogether, there are only three such tattoos. The bear has sparked curiosity and plenty of laughter. “One sports doctor genuinely laughed and said, ‘What a lovely bear,’ when he saw it on my leg before a fitness test. So the bear has definitely been spreading the Ylläs-Levi message,” Eetu says.
This was Eetu’s first tattoo, though within a year he has already gotten a second one. “I like to throw myself into things, but this Ylläs-Levi bear tattoo was definitely a bit of an exceptional leap for me,” he laughs
Goals for the upcoming ski season
This spring’s Ylläs-Levi Hiihto is approaching fast, and Eetu will line up for the 70 km classic race. The goals are to keep the equipment intact and beat last year’s time. “My brother will be on the start line again this year, so at the very least I need to secure the family championship again,” Eetu says.