Otepää proclaimed Estonia's winter capital for 29th time
The central square in the South Estonian town of Otepää filled with revelers Sunday to welcome its traditional crowning as the country's winter capital.
While snowless so far, astronomical winter began Sunday with the shortest day of the year. Despite the gloomy conditions, many people turned out to see the winter capital flag was once again raised atop the flagpole, the 29th time the town has had this honor bestowed on it.
All is not lost so far as snow goes for the rest of the winter, Siim Kalda, head of the Otepää Winterplace leisure center told "Aktuaalne kaaamera," given artificial snow can be made with colder temperatures. "As is known, from the day after tomorrow we will be getting sub-zero temperatures here in Otepää, we will make more snow, and I am quite certain that until the end of March it will definitely be possible to ski, sled and alpine ski in Otepää," Kalda said.
Organizers of the Tartu Ski Marathon share the same view, as apparently do the over 2,000 people who have already registered for the race, which takes place in February.
"I think that right now there is nothing too bad, and the snow will come. Over 65 years, clearly on far more occasions the marathon has taken place than it has been canceled, and despite a warming climate, even over the past decade there have been many more occasions when it has gone ahead," Indrek Kelk, executive director of the MTÜ klubi Tartu Maraton told "Aktuaalne kaamera."
--
Editor: Andrew Whyte, Aleksander Krjukov
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera"
