On Wednesday evening, the preparations at the SBS Betoni Oy factory area are almost complete for the Jukola Relay to be held this coming weekend. Volunteers, brought in by bus from the city, are queuing for their passes. For many, this is their first volunteering task at an orienteering competition, and the anticipation for the general rehearsal has been high. The sheer scale of the event is a topic of discussion, and the atmosphere is charged with expectations. The announcement urges those in line to express gratitude to the other volunteer for coming to make the event happen. The spirit is being lifted.
Testing Deviations in the Final Rehearsal
The final rehearsal is intended to provide the organizers with as genuine event experience as possible. All committees are present for the rehearsal. In particular, the competition functions are thoroughly tested to identify any areas that may need refinement before Saturday.
Orienteers have been specifically recruited for the rehearsal to perform a simulation of the competition, which helps in evaluating the arrangements for areas such as the start, changeover, and finish. The start area is buzzing, just as it would be in a real competition but on a smaller scale. The pre-defined challenges, designed to test the organizational machinery, are revealed to be the cause of this buzz. At the start, there is even a “rule violation” that later leads to the team’s “disqualification”: the map cannot be opened prematurely! Orienteers also have various tasks out on the course – this time, even punching at the wrong control might be part of the challenges.
Volunteer Energy and Large Quantities of Provisions
Leila Rapo-Jääskeläinen, head of the catering committee, is serving volunteer meals.
“A lot of food is consumed even before the event. The quantities are huge. For example, we’ve ordered 5,000 kilograms of grilled sausages, and we can order more if needed,”
Rapo-Jääskeläinen explains her preliminary work plan.
“On the day of the general rehearsal, 70 sliced cinnamon loaves are provided. I have about five Excel spreadsheets for this event!” She adds, “And yes, you can get tea here too, with a selection of several varieties.”
Preparations for serving 30,000-40,000 different meal portions are well underway. By the time the competitions begin, Rapo-Jääskeläinen and her team will have already fed a large number of volunteers working in various capacities.
The Jukola Spirit is Present – Let’s Get to Work and Enjoy Together!
The rehearsal is over, and each committee is processing the lessons learned. The responsible persons gather for a joint meeting.
“We learned a lot during the final rehearsal, thanks to everyone!” exclaims Competition Director Heikki Tonteri.
“A good spirit and cheerful attitude were everywhere; it was pleasant to go around to the different points,” smiles Organizing Committee Chairman Juho Siikilä, despite the rain.
“There were already so many volunteers here today. The volunteer bus transports worked well, and there was a nice atmosphere on them,” says Niina Liukkonen, Director of Support Functions.
Now there’s still time to finalize the things that are still work-in-progress. The committees are helping each other as needed. There’s no doubt that Mikkeli-Jukola will offer an authentic Jukola atmosphere – exactly what the final rehearsal today offered today.
Text: Virva Korpinen
Photos: Sari Ursin
Translation: Mariya Loginova
In the final rehearsal, the orienteers are also volunteers, playing a crucial role in testing various things and functions. Photo Sari Ursin.
The competition volunteers, in turn, practiced, among other things, guiding those arriving at the changeover. Photo: Sari Ursin.