The Ski Track of Friendship international race for Barents Sea region states will kick off in the village of Rayakoski, Murmansk Region, on March 12, the region's Committee for Physical Education and Sports reported. The annual ski race's route crosses through three countries — Russia, Finland and Norway.

The committee announced that there is a sufficient amount of snow and a safe ice thickness on the Paatsjoki River to hold the race this year. In 2003, 2012 and 2014, the event was canceled due to a lack of snow.

The Ski Track of Friendship has been held every year since 1994, when the Kirkenes Declaration was signed forming an alliance of four northern states ‒ Russia, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Several thousand skiers, both professionals and amateurs, compete in the race annually.