The course setter of Venla Relay, Jyrki Kajavalta, remembers exactly where and when he received the request to be in charge of Venla courses at Louna-Jukola.
– It was on January 27th, 2013, at approximately 6:17 p.m., in vice event manager Erkki Haavisto’s granary.
Since that moment, many things have happened in the year and a half long effort. After outlining a variety of course alternatives, the first visits to the terrain took place in the autumn of 2013. As a result of a new round of pondering alternatives and terrain visits, an all but final plan of the courses was ready in the spring of 2014.
– Those courses have still been adjusted based on e.g. test runners’ feedback, and yet another major change was made in August. At the moment, with six months to go to the zero hour, everything’s ready all the way to fine adjustments with overprinting, so in that sense the maps could be printed right away, Kajavalta explains.
Still remaining are, among others, making detailed plans for radio and TV as well as – naturally – the printing itself.
Kajavalta’s course setting history comprises five Kevätyönviesti relays and two FinnSpring relays as well as a handful of national and district championship competitions, so a lot bigger feather will be added in his cap next summer. For course setter, the Jukola Relay sets a number of challenges not present in smaller events. The courses are basically planned on the terms of the competition centre, which may result in a long marked route to the starting point, for example.
– The duration of TV broadcast determines the estimated time of the winning team and, consequently, the course lengths. Another critical factor is the large number of teams, which needs consideration in terms of control points, for example, adds Kajavalta.
And even with all these preconditions, the courses should be of good quality and challenging enough. Many course setters must have experienced the feeling: I wish I could make at least part of the course such that I could be somewhat pleased with it. The Venla course setter has quite the same experiences.
– Even though the Louna-Jukola terrain is really nice, Venla courses have tended to become too long in terms of duration of the relay. On the other hand, it’s crucial to take care that each team passes through all course alternatives and forkings an equal amount of times. Controling that took about five months of trial and error, tells Kajavalta.
Besides the only natural lake in Paimio, also other ”unique” features can be found on Louna-Jukola competition area.
– I bumped into an old, wooden rowing boat – on a quite high hill. I began to wonder what might be the correct map symbol and control description for a boat, Kajavalta recalls.
If one’s route however will not pass the boat, then what could stick into the competitors’ minds as a characteristic of the Venla courses at Louna-Jukola?
– The total climb, 435 metres, is the second lowest since year 1980. For example, in Kuopio last summer it was more than double, 970 metres, states course setter Kajavalta.
Control builders finishing their product. Maybe some Venla runners will punch here? Photo: Jari Virtanen.
