Arctic Grind

Arctic Grind takes gravel racing north of the Arctic Circle, to the fells around Saariselkä. It is part of a local series of Arctic events run by Outdoor Expert Saariselkä, and in 2026 it hosted the Finnish gravel championships.

The course is true wilderness: fast, rolling roads through the backcountry, including the long Kuutuantie that riders call the highway of the wilds, smaller cart tracks with loose stones, and a knee-deep wade across the Luttojoki river before a hard climb. A few early kilometres on stony ski-track base cannot win you the race but can lose it, which sets the tone.