Competitors from Spartan Race Finland represented 42 countries. After Finland, the largest groups arrived from the United States, Italy, Germany and Austria. International visitors accounted for 45% of all participants. Local residents made up 11% of the event attendees.
According to the Spartan organisers, Finland’s first Spartan Race succeeded exceptionally well in attracting Finnish participants. Pre-event expectations estimated that Finns would make up roughly one-third of competitors.
– The inaugural Spartan European Championships was  fantastic, and the draw of Lahti was clear with 3,500 Spartans from our community travelling from all four corners of the world to share in it. Lahti’s unrivalled and varied terrain, combined with the exceptional hospitality and warm reception shared, created an electric atmosphere, making this a truly memorable and profound sporting spectacle, said Matthew Brooke, Senior Vice President of Global Operations at Spartan.
Participants gave the event an overall rating of 4.7 on a scale of 1–5, and the recommendation score was 4.8. Participant satisfaction was also reflected in Lahti’s reputation as a Host City for major international events: 96% of respondents rated Lahti as a good or excellent organiser of international events. For more than half of the competitors, the Spartan Race Finland was their first Spartan event.
Lahti’s appeal as an event destination was further strengthened by the Spartan Passport activation, in which 250 participants visited at least six pre-selected local attractions during their stay. The event also generated a local charity initiative in cooperation with Mielilava and Kuusakoski Oy. Through a scrap metal and electronic device collection, 3,000 euros was raised for Mieli ry community mental health work.
Regional economic impact approximitely 4 million euros
The event’s regional economic impact is estimated at approximately 4 million euros. This consists of the spending brought to the area by non-local visitors and their travel companions. According to the study, total non-local attendance amounted to about 7,800 visitors, with an average stay of 2.65 nights.
– Spartan event reached its target participation numbers and achieved the desired economic impact, so we can be very satisfied. I am also extremely pleased with the positive feedback we have received from our visitors. This demonstrates that Lahti knows how to deliver outstanding events and that we have a great deal to offer that is of genuine interest to tourists, says Henna Eskonsipo-Bradshaw, Director of Culture for the City of Lahti.
Daily spending per event visitor was comparable to other major international events – approximately 190 euros per day. Expenditure included accommodation, dining, on-site purchases, transportation, and other activities, excluding event registration fees. The data is based on the participant study conducted by Sport Business by JAMK. The methodology is widely used both nationally and internationally in analysing the impact of events.
Lahti Sports Centre served as an iconic venue, particularly for international visitors. The course design made excellent use of Lahti’s strengths as a natural environment: the Vesijärvi shoreline, the hilly Salpausselkä terrain, and forest trails extending to Likolampi lake. The routes also included climbing the ski jump landing as a distinctive local obstacle.
Lahti received extensive international visibility across social media platforms. Over a two-week period around the event, social media reach exceeded 3 million. In addition, the combined potential reach of media coverage – including print and online articles as well as radio and television interviews—rose to approximately 4 million throughout the year.
Spartan Race Finland 2026 will take place in Lahti on 21–23 August 2026.