At a media event held at the Mikkeli town square, Olli-Markus Taivainen, the course planner for Jukola, was the most energetic to jump on stage for interviews. He shared that despite spending most of his time working on the Jukola courses this year, he has still managed to participate in a few orienteering competitions. Planning the seven-leg relay has demanded a great deal of sweat and effort.
When did your work as a course planner begin?
– This work really started already during the application phase—six years ago. Of course, I’ve had a team with me—about ten people have been involved at various stages in different roles to advance the course planning. For various reasons, there have been quite a few small changes along the way.
The Mikkeli-Jukola terrain has been described as demanding. How have you considered elite orienteers as well as fitness enthusiasts and first-timers in your course designs?
– I’ve designed the courses with elite orienteers in mind. The terrain is indeed demanding, but no special compromises have been necessary for the sake of recreational runners. There are cliffs and steep areas, but even for fitness-level participants, they are not excessively difficult.
Can we expect more route choice options than usual?
– That’s certainly what I’ve hoped for and aimed to achieve as the course planner.
What kind of orienteers do the courses suit best?
– These courses would suit my own club, Navi from Mikkeli, very well. I believe the courses offer a diverse test, both physically and technically, for all teams.
In the Jukola Relay, the fourth and fifth legs are quite short—just over 6 km. How do you see their importance in the overall relay?
– The night legs are long enough, and a lot can happen during them. On the shorter legs, the pace increases, which also raises the level of difficulty and the risk of mistakes. I believe the relay will be decided at control number five on the sixth leg.
Who is your favorite to win the Jukola Relay?
– My personal favorite is the team called Helsingin Suunnistajat, which includes some orienteers originally from Mikkeli.
Do you have any final tips for those heading into the forest?
– This is no casual hiking terrain!
An exciting and challenging orienteering competition awaits. May the fittest and most skilled team win!
Text: Tuomo Vuorenpää
Photo: Sari Ursin
Translation: Sari Parkkinen