83 participants altogether, with different starting levels, delved into the sport of orienteering in the four groups of Intersport Jukola schools. The final goal of these schools organized during autumn was next summer’s Louna-Jukola, even though aiming particularly at Jukola was absolutely no obligation for attendance. About half of the participants already had experience in orienteering through fitness orienteering events, whereas the other half was pretty much in the very beginning of the sport. Even full Jukola teams took part, already with a whole lot of plans of running orders and tactics for next summer.

Feedback of the school was mainly avidly positive. Many said the school opened exceptionally well orienteering as a sport and especially the continuous anticipation-and-observation “thinking mill” of an orienteer.

– Even some of the more experienced fitness orienteers were downright elated with the completely new knowledge they received, describes Lasse Suonpää, the person in charge of Jukola schools.

Among other things, the participants went to an exercise with a map including contours only. In a way, the contours are the prime information on the map for an orienteer, which is why their significance was also emphasized in these schools.

– The participants found this exercise even easier than normal ones, as the information content of the map is lesser and thus simpler. I also gave the participants the same map with paths included, so they could compare the orienteering challenges, says Suonpää.

Four exercise sessions won’t take you that far. A good way to continue training is fitness orienteering events. Initiative and do-it-yourself attitude are pivotal – no one else can install orienteering skills into you. But what does the participants’ situation look like considering the upcoming Louna-Jukola?

– A great deal of the participants were women and thus primarily involved in the lighter and shorter-legged Venla Relay, which makes it somewhat easier. Sure, many still have a long way to go considering orienteering skills, but with at least a couple of visits to fitness orienteering exercises anyone will be able to cope with his or her Jukola leg without major problems, encourages Suonpää.

Due to wide popularity, preliminary plans of a follow-up school in March–April have been outlined. So, in case you didn’t fit in this autumn or maybe shied your attendance, keep following this website!

« Back