Orientation Led Einari Heinaro to His Profession
The geospatial PhD hunts for dead trees in satellite images. For Helsingin Suunnistajat and the experienced orienteer, there is only one goal at the Kotka-Jukola: “Someone has to knock that one Swedish club off the top.”
Top-level orienteer Einari Heinaro, 34, ventures deep into the world of forest geodata in his work.
– I’m a Master of Science in Geoinformatics. My doctoral dissertation focused on laser scanning and mapping ecological features related to biodiversity, Heinaro explains.
A year ago, Heinaro jumped from university research into the expert team of a startup company. Combining elite-level orienteering with a demanding career is not easy.
– It was easier as a researcher, but in a company the days are longer. The stress and pressure are also higher. But that’s the same for everyone. For very few people is orienteering a full-time profession, he says.
Orienteering ultimately guided Heinaro toward his career path.
– Understanding maps helped me choose my field of study, says the Aalto University graduate.
The main product of KOKO Forest is maps identifying dead trees in forests using high‑resolution satellite imagery, but the company has other innovations as well.
– For example, by identifying aspens, it’s possible to predict forest biodiversity, Heinaro believes.
Into Orienteering School at Age Six
Heinaro, now 34, got his spark for orienteering almost literally with his mother’s milk.
– My mother orienteered, and I started in an orienteering school when I was six. Swimming remained my second sport until I was about 14 or 15. Thanks to success in junior categories, I ended up on the competitive path in orienteering, he says.
The peak of his individual career came in the late 2010s. His résumé includes World Championships participation in long distance and success at the national elite level.
– Success motivated me to continue, even though I never quite made it into the national team in the main class (H21)—though I did get close, Heinaro notes.
His goals remain high, even though he would be eligible to move to the veterans’ category (H35) this year. That, however, is not on the agenda.
– Maybe my best years are behind me, but I’ve decided that at least this year I won’t run a single race in the veterans’ class, Heinaro says.
“This Old Guy Wants Back In”
Heinaro’s club, Helsingin Suunnistajat (HS), is the most successful team in Jukola history with eight victories. The last win dates back more than 50 years (1970). In the 2020s, HS has again been the top Finnish team, finishing third three times.
When it comes to Kotka-Jukola, the mindset within HS is crystal clear.
– Someone has to get that Swedish club off the top,” Heinaro says, referring to Stora Tuna, winner of the last six Jukolas.
Heinaro has been part of the HS first team almost every year for the past 15 years and is determined to be among those who dethrone Stora Tuna.
– One time I was sick, and last year the younger guys passed me. But one thing is certain: this determined old guy wants his place back, he says.
Old Maps Brought Out
Competition for a spot in the first team is tough. The coaching group began preparing for Kotka-Jukola right as the season ended—or really already after Mikkeli‑Jukola in the summer.
– We dug out old maps and took part in a Viestiliiga race that acted as a pre‑Jukola, Heinaro says.
As the years have passed, Heinaro’s interest has increasingly shifted toward the relay team.
– It’s great to prepare for a race together with like‑minded friends. Both successes and failures give extra motivation, he explains.
HS’s coaching group meets five times a week during winter under head coach Henrik Tala, but preparation is very much a team effort.
– We do a lot of physical training together, and on weekends long runs and orienteering practices. One athlete takes weekly responsibility for planning.
HS also has two foreign reinforcements: Frenchman Mathieu Perrin and Austrian Mathias Peter. The team for Jukola is selected based on spring qualification races, with the most important being the Tiomila relay in Sweden.
– I believe I’m at my strongest running a night leg in Jukola.”
The Jukola Night Is Always a Celebration
Jukola night is a celebratory moment for all orienteers, regardless of level or results.
– The atmosphere and the starting moment—especially if you get to run in the first team—is one of the most nerve‑wracking moments of the year, Heinaro says.
Success elevates the experience to an entirely new level.
– In Porvoo in 2023, we had an incredibly strong team behind me. Tuomas Heikkilä opened only 10 seconds behind the lead. When I brought the relay into the exchange with the lead group, the relief was huge.
In Kotka, the runners will face dry pine heath terrain—fast but almost the opposite of the Mikkeli terrain, yet still with its own challenges.
– There are empty areas in Kotka where there’s hardly anything on the map. At night, you absolutely have to pull out the compass.
This suits Heinaro, who is strongest on night legs. He believes HS has what it takes to fight for victory.
– If everyone performs at their own level, we have a chance. No extraordinary performance is needed. You always lose seconds in the forest, but big mistakes must be avoided.
Challenge for the Seuraava Chapter
Einari Heinaro challenges Samuel Heinonen—who runs the Metsänterä company in Jyväskylä—to the next part of the Life in the Forests of Jukola article series.
Writer: Jorma Jyrkilä
Photo: SSL / Juho‑Veikko Hytönen