One of the favourites in both Venla and Jukola relays, Halden SK, is has quite a success in the big relays. It has taken four Venla wins: three years ago in Vantaa and three times in the 1980’s and 1990’s. The Jukola relay has been conquered a whole seven times, the last one in Virolahti in 2011. Especially on the last decade the men’s team hoarded almost everything in Tiomila, and neither did the women leave without a victory.
This year in Tiomila the men were in the victory fight up until the very end, finishing narrowly second. Women, on the other hand, screwed up the relay and will certainly look forward to a rematch in Louna-Jukola.
With a Jukola relay victory on Sunday morning, the club would take the number one position on the number of victories, abreast Helsingin Suunnistajat. At the same time, a kind of circle would be closed, as Halden took its first Jukola win in the previous Jukola in Paimio, in 1993.
One of the newcomers of the international bunch is the Finnish national team runner Fredric Portin, who just on the last season ran for the Jukola-hosting Paimion Rasti. On the other hand, the has club has several ex-stars still active and on a high level, of whom at least the Swede Emil Wingstedt as well as the Finns Jarkko Huovila and Mats Haldin are likely to run in their first team now. A clear setback is the absence of the world champion Olav Lundanes due to a slight overtraining situation.
One of Halden’s “relay icons”, Tore Sandvik, is not competing on top level anymore. Instead, he acts as the men’s coach in the club. Sandvik himself has four victories in Jukola and a whopping eight in Tiomila – more than anyone in the world. According to Sandvik, Jukola and Tiomila are very important to the club and are really invested in, even more in Jukola due to its high quality and huge size.
– One of our advantages are many old stars who work in a close cooperation with head coach Eva Jurenikova. Also our Finnish guys have many good hints concerning the terrain type in Jukola. The terrain is technically very demanding and a lot like home in Halden, although clearly faster, says Sandvik.
Despite the absence of Lundanes, Sandvik regards Halden as one of Jukola favorites, although a couple of rivals are better on paper.
– Our natural goal is winning. It’s hard to accomplish, but possible. We get a little extra kick out of Halden’s first Jukolan win that took place just in Paimio, in the neighboring terrain.
Sandvik sees Kalevan Rasti as a favourite, even though not an outstanding one. The favorites’ list includes nearly ten teams with potential to win.
– Two last legs are decisive, you need to have enough power to hang on there. The Swiss OLV Baselland might be surprisingly high. And I wonder whether the Danish OK Pan Århus could make its breakthrough to the top also on men’s side? Sandvik predicts.
