Finland will host 2027 Worlds (Provisional)

[Mathematician]

Kind of a strange choice given the ISU's mission of growing the sport. Small remote city far from a major airport, probably a lack of accommodation to handle such an event, possible visa issues for some skaters (the Israeli skater only received her visa 4 days before the competition and her coach couldn't get one for Boston that is completely unacceptable we can't have a repeat of this).

It's more befitting a Challenger event or Europeans but again there are probably more suitable cities for a large event like Europeans. Just doesn't have the grandeur and doesn't tick any boxes like close to major population centres, easily accessible, adequate supply of accommodation, liberal visa issuance.

I'm sure it is a nice town though.

I checked some streetwalks its a really charming city. Huge open walkways with low population. Low tourism. It seems the local public transport there is high quality all the way from the airport. Easy city once you're in. In this sense it seems like an awesome destination. However I agree the airport connections are an issue. You have to go through Riga or Malaga it seems like. There are direct flights from Newark or Montreal to Malaga. Thats it. Lots of connections and flying to get all the way up to Finland. Don't know how they are gonna drag a full arena's worth of spectators over there. Expensive too I imagine especially for us NA fans. Ultimately a bizarre choice for a world final. Charming little area for a European local stage though for sure.

 

[TT_Fin]

I checked some streetwalks its a really charming city. Huge open walkways with low population. Low tourism. It seems the local public transport there is high quality all the way from the airport. Easy city once you're in. In this sense it seems like an awesome destination. However I agree the airport connections are an issue. You have to go through Riga or Malaga it seems like. There are direct flights from Newark or Montreal to Malaga. Thats it. Lots of connections and flying to get all the way up to Finland. Don't know how they are gonna drag a full arena's worth of spectators over there. Expensive too I imagine especially for us NA fans. Ultimately a bizarre choice for a world final. Charming little area for a European local stage though for sure.

Well, I wrote already before but repeat: Tampere has hosted twice Ice hockey worlds on that Arena, which is the biggest one in Finland. Ice hockey is much more popular in Finland than FS - not my piece of cake but it is the fact. Why would there be more problems hosting FS than hosting hockey? Only accommondation maybe a problem as it has been talked a lot Tampere needs more hotels - but for example some who live in Helsinki can go home at night by train.

 

[Mathematician]

Well, I wrote already before but repeat: Tampere has hosted twice Ice hockey worlds on that Arena, which is the biggest one in Finland. Ice hockey is much more popular in Finland than FS - not my piece of cake but it is the fact. Why would there be more problems hosting FS than hosting hockey? Only accommondation maybe a problem as it has been talked a lot Tampere needs more hotels - but for example some who live in Helsinki can go home at night by train.

Good point I guess you could fly into Helsinski and take a train. I forget how convenient the rail system is in Europe. You dont even need a car. I guess my question is still the popularity of skating versus hockey. Hockey will fill up an arena in the deep mountains of Kyrgyzstan if it had to. For FS I think decisions should be more prudent. Though maybe you're right. If I had the time and my favourite athletes were there it wouldn't be the biggest issue to get into Tampere.

 

[ElSoteroLoco]

I thought it was gonna become a normal for Japan to host the worlds the year after Olympics, 2019 and 2023, but also in 2014 right after the Olympics...it was having a nice pattern

 

[lariko]

I don't think there are direct flights to Helsinki from Western Canada, plus a train, plus hotels' scarcity, plus the tickets' price tag — I will probably stick to the home GP stage, but I hope folks in Europe will go. If the global geo-athletical situation stays the same.