1988 the town of Multia in Central Finland announced the Kicksled World Championships. Events took place on lake Multianjärvi. Distances were 200m, 2000m and 4x2000m relay and mixed relay. Spectators and participant arrived in numbers. Among them were Becel-team from Helsinki, a group of young sportsmen victorious at the national championships in Kuhmo previous season. They brought home gold and growing enthusiasm. Later that year boys, led by Hannu Vierikko, founded club Ketkupolkka to promote kicksled culture. With growing interest toward the sport they six years later had to start a company to manufacture equipment for both winter and summer events. This birth of Kickbike Worldwide was in 1994 so 22th birthday is soon on hand. Multia Event and Ketkupolkka Club are now 28 years old.
Multia's races have been kicked on several arenas: Lake Multianjärvi, lake Sinervä, cross country tracks at Pekolanmäki and Nikaranperä and this year on frozen Multia athletics track. This makes races technically more demanding due to short 300m track. Program includes 100m sprint, 1 mile middle distance, the action filled team sprint and a long distance.
Multia Marathon 2005 start. Seen in front row: Matti Pesälä(78), Heikki Nyman(?9), Alpo Kuusisto(71), Erwin Borremans(72), Antti Lehtinen(61) and Anssi Lehtinen(51). (photo: Hannu Vierikko)