On 10 October 2026, it will be 192 years since the birth of author Aleksis Kivi, who later became Finland’s national writer. The blue‑and‑white flags will fly proudly this coming Saturday in honour of Kivi, who died at the age of 38. The Jukola Relay was established in the late 1940s to honour the memory of Aleksis Kivi, a great friend of the forest.
In 2027, the 78th Jukola Relay will be held in Kainuu, in Vuokatti, Sotkamo. The world’s largest orienteering relay is owned and overseen by Kaukametsäläiset ry, founded in the summer of 1948 at the initiative of Finnish orienteering clubs in the Helsinki region.
The association’s task is to ensure that the Jukola Relay, which it created, is organised and delivered with high quality. The relay was intended to honour Aleksis Kivi by creating a seven‑man orienteering relay inspired by Seven Brothers. Any club granted the right to organise the relay must commit to Jukola quality and uphold its traditions, especially the spirit of Seven Brothers.
Powered by seven men
The names used in the Jukola Relay come directly from Kivi’s Seven Brothers. The women’s relay, Venla Relay, later established, also takes its name from Kivi’s famous work.
Jukola was the birthplace of the seven brothers. Venla was the daughter of a neighbouring croft, whom the brothers – led by the eldest, Juhani – attempted to court, only to be rejected. Later, Venla agreed to marry Juhani.
The Jukola Relay teams consist of seven runners. The same courses are raced by world‑class athletes, hobbyists and friend groups alike. In recent years, Jukola has had more than 1,600 teams, and the Venla Relay up to 1,500.
The world’s most respected and largest orienteering relay attracts teams from many countries, with more than one‑fifth of the teams coming from abroad. Swedish and Norwegian teams have been particularly successful.
Traditions upheld by Kaukametsäläiset
Kaukametsäläiset, the founding and owning association of the Jukola Relay, preserves the legacy of Seven Brothers in all its activities. The association may have up to 77 members, and membership is by invitation.
Members are invited based on distinguished contributions to orienteering – organising Jukola or other events, coaching, organisational work, competing – or otherwise being exceptionally merited in the sport.
The association’s board has seven members, each carrying the name of one of the brothers. The eldest brother, Juhani, serves as chair by tradition.
Since 2025, Juhani has been Petri Paukkunen from Kaarina, the sixth chair of the association. The board includes the full brotherhood: Eero, Tuomas, Timo, Lauri, Aapo and Simeoni.
A sought‑after event
The first Jukola Relay was held in 1949 in the Helsinki region with 41 teams. Since then, it has been organised annually across Finland. The northernmost Jukola has been held in Rovaniemi and the southernmost in Tammisaari.
In 2020, the relay was supposed to take place in Rovaniemi, but due to COVID‑19 it was postponed by a year, shifting all future Jukolas accordingly.
Organising Jukola requires years of work, even though the event itself lasts only a weekend. Over the decades, the event has developed and become known for its “Jukola quality”. According to Petri Paukkunen of Kaukametsäläiset, it is important that a high‑quality event can be organised in different parts of Finland.
– For the organising club, delivering a top‑quality event is a matter of honour. This is supported by a guidance system developed over decades and the Jukola leadership group, which represents continuity and, with its experienced members, constantly advises and supervises the arrangements. Jukola is also unique in its open sharing of knowledge between organisers, which helps develop the event further. And because this is a competition, the courses must be excellent, Paukkunen says.
Paukkunen reminds that municipalities or cities cannot apply for the right to organise Jukola. – The right can only be granted to clubs. The most important partners are landowners – without their selfless help, the event would not be possible. In Vuokatti, for the first time, a company serves as a co‑organiser. In addition to active and committed club members, the support of the local community – especially municipalities, cities and local businesses – is crucial, Paukkunen notes.
Text: Mervi Simoska
Photo: Pia Hakala