Tartu Ski Marathon () is a long-distance

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

competition, held annually in

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

, on third Sunday of February. It debuted in 1960 and has been a part of Worldloppet since 1994. Initially, the track stretched from

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

to Kääriku, partially on the

Emajõgi The Emajõgi (; meaning 'mother river') is a river in Estonia which flows from Võrtsjärv, Lake Võrtsjärv through Tartu County into Lake Peipus, crossing the city of Tartu for . It has a length of . The Emajõgi is sometimes called the Suur E ...

river ice. For years the marathon's start was given in Matu (in

Aakre Aakre () is a village in Elva Parish, Tartu County in Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea ...

) with the finish in Elva. Nowadays, the full 63 km marathon track stretches from

Otepää Otepää (formerly Nuustaku) is a town in Valga County, southern Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Otepää Parish. Otepää is a popular skiing resort, popularly known as the "winter capital" of Estonia (in contrast to the "summer ca ...

to Elva. The event is part of the Worldloppet events, and places itself among the biggest ski races in the world with nearly 12,000 participants in its peak years.

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Skiing in Estonia International sports competitions hosted by Estonia Cross-country skiing competitions 1960 establishments in Estonia Sport in Tartu Otepää Parish Elva Parish Recurring sporting events established in 1960 February in sports Ski marathons Winter in Estonia {{estonia-sport-stub