Helsinki Wednesday Skates
After 30 years of diligent skating, Helsinki and Street Gliders’ Wednesday Skates were featured on National Geographic as one of the best skating destinations in Europe!
Street Gliders invites all inline skaters to meet on Wednesdays at 6 p.m by the Paavo Nurmi Runner Statue close to the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Our Wednesday Skating season starts on the first Wednesday of May and ends on the last one in August (note the vacation season in July*).
If you are at the Helsinki main railway station with Your skates, you can reach our meeting point by skating via Töölönlahdenkatu to the Finlandia Hall / Finlandia park, and then through the Hesperia park to the National Opera (the distance is about two kilometers). Closest free parking is available at the Helsinginkatu end of Mäntymäentie (free parking on weekdays starts at 5 p.m.)
Skating is a perfect way to see Helsinki: on Wednesdays, the skating destination and the route is chosen based on the skaters’ preferences. So do not worry about Your skating speed; it is enough that you are able to skate and slow down — the distance is chosen to match Your interest and experience. Compared to events in other countries, Wednesday Skates are not any mass events; we have time for each participant. Typical number of attendees is 5–10 skaters.
You do not need to register for a Wednesday Skate, just pop up there with Your skates and helmet. However, if You are coming from other city/country or with a bigger group, we recommend notifying us by email, info@katukiitajat.fi (preferably a few weeks beforehand) — this way can invite all our helpful members to meet You.
NB! Wearing a helmet is required. Skating is at your own risk.
Welcome!
* There are less skaters in the city on four weeks starting from the first full week of July. On those Wednesdays, there might be no skaters at all!