The responsibility for organising Vuokatti‑Jukola 2027 is shared between Sotkamon Jymy and Vuokatti Sport. Sotkamon Jymy oversees all orienteering‑related tasks, while Vuokatti Sport handles everything else.
Vuokatti Sport celebrated its 80‑year history last year and has long worked to promote physical activity in Vuokatti.
“We have organised many events at Vuokatti Sport, but Jukola is on an entirely different scale,” says Vuokatti Sport CEO Kosti Puurunen.
According to him, bringing Jukola to Kainuu is an excellent opportunity – a chance for the whole region to shine.
An experienced first‑timer
The co-organiser, Sotkamon Jymy, is a traditional sports club founded in 1909. Over its 117 years, it has accomplished a great deal.
“Kainuu Orienteering Week has been organised since 1966, and roughly every fifth year it has been our responsibility. Altogether, we have organised it 14 times,” says Ari Korhonen, vice‑chair of Sotkamon Jymy.
Jymy also has experience with major championships: in 2013 it organised the World Orienteering Championships in Vuokatti. In June 2026 it helped organise Pre-Jukola in Rönkkö.
“Behind all this expertise is a large volunteer workforce and a broad organisation that is already eagerly waiting to carry out the biggest event in the orienteering world,” Korhonen says.
Jukola cannot be organised solely by Jymy and Vuokatti Sport, even though they share the main responsibility. Both emphasise the importance of the municipality of Sotkamo, partners and volunteers.
Although volunteer recruitment has gone well, Korhonen encourages anyone still hesitating to sign up. Vuokatti‑Jukola will also host a community event at Sotkamo on Monday, 28 September.
A shared achievement for all of Kainuu
According to the organisers, all of Kainuu can be proud to host its first Jukola ever.
“We are happy to have been given the honour of organising Jukola. It is a privilege. Jukola has previously been held in northern Finland twice in Rovaniemi, once in Pyhä‑Luosto, once in Iso‑Syöte and once in Rautavaara,” Korhonen says.
Vuokatti‑Jukola is being built not only as a weekend event but as a full week celebrating sport and culture. Vuokatti is lively year‑round, and the entire region offers plenty to see – from Finnish baseball to cultural events, and from MTB‑orienteering to both protected and unprotected nature.
Korhonen and Puurunen list many reasons to visit Kainuu next summer.
“You should come to Vuokatti and Jukola for the vaara hills and lake scenery. We want to show visitors more than just orienteering. For us, Jukola is a week‑long event offering a wide range of activities for those interested in sport and culture,” they say.
Preparations well underway
Less than a year before the big moment, preparations have progressed smoothly, and the scale of the event is becoming concrete.
“The maps are ready for printing, the courses are finished, and we are eagerly waiting for spring 2027 when we can start building the courses in the forest,” Korhonen says.
He emphasises that the Vuokatti‑Jukola competition centre differs from many typical Jukola centres, which are often located on former airfields, in open terrain or even on racetracks. Seuraava year, for example, there will be shops indoors at the competition centre.
“Our competition centre is designed next to the sports institute, so we don’t need to build much besides telecommunications and electrical systems,” Korhonen explains.
Text: Mervi Simoska