57th Kainuu Orienteering Week – Experience an unforgettable week of orienteering and summer vacation in Kainuu’s Sotkamo-Vuokatti
Published: 19.12.2024
Last summer, 3962 orienteers participated in the Kainuu Orienteering Week. (Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week)
Enjoy spectacular terrains and breathtaking landscapes with top-quality orienteering maps during next summer's Kainuu Orienteering Week in Sotkamo-Vuokatti, held from June 29 to July 4, 2025. The event takes place in terrains adjacent to the Vuokatti-Jukola 2027 area, which also represents the terrain type of the World Orienteering Championships, to be held in Kuopio from July 7–12.
– Kainuu Orienteering Week is an event suitable for almost everyone, where beginners and elite orienteers alike compete in the same terrains and even share some of the same controls, explains chief of competition Antti Flöjt.
Both open orienteers and elite orienteers can enjoy the exceptional terrain simultaneously. Rest days offer opportunities to continue orienteering or explore the diverse additional activities in the Kainuu and Sotkamo-Vuokatti region.
Expect Elevation Changes and Old Forest Landscapes
In Vuokatti, the competition centre of the Kainuu O Week will be the historic Heikkilän Pirtti at the summit of Ohravaara, a well-known stopping point for skiers and outdoor enthusiasts. The area around the Pirtti is rich in trails, facilitating the planning of courses for children and youth. Meanwhile, the surrounding hill terrain offers the chance to design demanding courses for orienteers of different ages.
– The elevation changes and rugged, sparsely-trailed wilderness terrain make the courses suitably challenging for orienteers, says course setter Joni Korhonen.
According to Korhonen, Vuokatti's terrain closely resembles Tahko, the venue for next summer's World Orienteering Championships. Both areas feature significant elevation changes and diverse forests with cliffs and rock formations.
– In both terrains, it's possible to pause and admire the ancient conservation forests and far-reaching views, Korhonen describes.
In the majestic landscapes of Vuokatti’s Porttivaara, orienteers will experience breathtaking views.
(Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week / Jussi Simula)
Diverse Fitness Orienteering Courses for Everyone
Kainuu Orienteering Week offers a wide range of open orienteering courses (recreational orienteering) tailored for families, children, youth, beginners, regular orienteers, active fitness enthusiasts, and elite athletes.
| Categories: | Scale | Skill level | Distance |
|
A long |
1:10000 | Hard | 8,5 km |
| A middle | 1:10000 | Hard | 6,0 km |
| A short | 1:7500 | Hard | 4,5 km |
| B long | 1:10000 | Medium | 6,0 km |
| B middle | 1:10000 | Medium | 4,5 km |
| B short | 1:7500 | Medium | 3,5 km |
| C long | 1:10000 | Easy | 4,5 km |
| C short | 1:7500 | Very easy | 2,3 km |
| Family orienteering Family-RR / Open-RR* |
1:10000 | Marked route | 1,8 km |
| Activity route** | Marked route | 0,5-1 km |
* Participation fee includes maps for the whole family and one Emit card. The route is the same as in the H/D8RR categories. The entire family/group can orienteer with the same participation fee.
** In adventure track, participants receive a small prize each competition day. The entire family/group can orienteer with the same participation fee.
Family Orienteering – A Great Way to Start Orienteering Together
– Last summer, one of the most popular fitness orienteering courses was the family course, known as Family-RR, says Kainuu Orienteering Week’s secretary-general, Jukka Liuha.
The Family-RR course is a clearly marked taped route that can be completed as a family, in a group, or by a child alone or with a friend. Typically, a child is accompanied by a parent or guardian, or they orienteer together in a larger group.
– The taped route is an excellent and safe way to start orienteering, even as a whole family, Liuha encourages. The popularity of the series is evident, as last summer, 850 performances were recorded on Family-RR courses, with a total of 322 unique participants, Liuha explains.
The taped route begins at the starting point and continues as a continuous ribbon all the way to the finish line. It’s possible to follow the ribbon alone, but the map is helpful for shortcuts, as the tape often takes a longer path than the shortest possible route.
Other open courses cater to a variety of skill levels. Liuha mentions that the easiest C-level courses are especially suitable for beginners and occasional participants. Slightly more challenging B-level courses, requiring some orienteering skills, are the most popular among open orienteers. These courses are aimed at experienced hobbyists and active recreational orienteers.
– The A-level courses are primarily designed for competitive orienteers, but experienced open orienteers are also welcome to try them, Liuha encourages.
Open orienteers enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Kainuu Orienteering Week 2024.
(Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week / Touho Häkkinen)
Side Events of the Orienteering Week – Experiences for the Whole Family
The side events of the Kainuu Orienteering Week offer a unique opportunity to combine your passion for orienteering with an unforgettable summer vacation in Kainuu.
The Kainuu Orienteering Week kicks off with the Kainuu Trail, a trail running event held on the stunning trails of Hossa National Park on Saturday, June 28, 2025. Run through the magical landscapes of Hossa, covering distances such as 10, 21, 38, 55, or even 78 kilometers. Shorter routes are also available for young runners, with a special category for 12-17-year-old boys and girls in the 10 km race!
Kainuu Trail offers breathtaking views, including the scenic landscapes of Julma-Ölkky canyon lake in Hossa National Park. (Photo: Kainuu Trail / Hannu Huttu)
For MTBO enthusiasts, the Kainuu MTBO Week will be held from June 29 to July 4, offering fantastic mountain biking orienteering courses in both competitive and recreational categories.
The Kainuu MTBO Week consists of four stages, held in the Salmela districts and the beautiful pine forests of Sotkamo. The competition centers for the first two races will be the Hiukka baseball stadium, for the third race it will be the Tipsakka village hall, and the final stage will be held at the Vuokatti Sports Institute.
– The program is designed so that participants can choose to combine both the mountain bike orienteering and the regular orienteering events during the week, as they wish, says Mika Häkkinen, the event director of the mountain bike orienteering competition. The first stage will take place before the opening race of the Kainuu Orienteering Week, the second and third stages will be held during the rest days of the orienteering week, and the final stage start times can be coordinated with the last race of the Kainuu Orienteering Week, Häkkinen explains.
The Kainuu MTBO Week participants will enjoy the best terrains of Sotkamo and Vuokatti. (Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week / Touho Häkkinen)
This year, it’s especially worth arriving early in Vuokatti, as just before the Kainuu O Week, from June 24 to 28, 2025, the Vuokatti Elite Sport Week (in Finnish called Vuokatin Huippu-urheiluviikko) will take place. This event offers a versatile program for sports and physical activity enthusiasts. The program includes a series of seminars, elite sports and exercise events, the Elite Sport Business Forum, and the "Wellness and Sports Technology 2025" fair.
For those eager to do more orienteering, an open sprint orienteering event will be held in Sotkamo town centre on Monday, June 30. Additionally, other fitness orienteering events will be available during the Orienteering Week's rest days.
Looking for something completely different? The Sotkamo-Vuokatti area offers plenty of options:
- Challenge yourself on the climbing routes of Vuokatti Adventure Park, surrounded by the most beautiful nature.
- SuperPark Vuokatti offers a wide range of fun indoor activities for all ages.
- Relax on the sandy beaches of Hiukka, perfect for spending summer days.
- Refresh yourself at the Katinkulta Spa or the Vuokatti swimming pool.
- Frisbee golf enthusiasts can enjoy several high-quality courses in the area, such as the Vuokatti Frisbee Golf Course and the course near Salmela School in Sotkamo.
- Catch a Super-Jymy baseball game at the legendary Hiukka Stadium.
The legendary Hiukka baseball stadium also attracts crowds during the rest days of the Orienteering Week. (Photo: Super-Jymy)
For lovers of traditional culture
The Sotkamo-Vuokatti area offers diverse activities for those interested in cultural heritage:
- Visit Hiidenportti National Park to enjoy Kainuu's traditional landscapes and explore the unique nature of the area, for example, by hiking through the stunning gorge valley.
- Learn about housing and its history at the Tervajärvi Homestead Museum and the adjacent granary museum.
- Naapurinvaara, Kainuu’s oldest inhabited area, provides breathtaking views and a network of outdoor trails.
- Naapurinvaara’s dances attract dance enthusiasts with entertaining programs and top performers.
Useful Links:
- www.vuokatti.fi
- Discover local sports areas in the Vuokatti and Sotkamo regions.
- Learn about the services in the Vuokatti area.
- Sotkamo-Vuokatti Frisbee Golf Courses.
- Explore cultural offerings.
- Check theater programs and other cultural events conveniently via the Kainuu events calendar.
Welcome to Kainuu and Sotkamo-Vuokatti to enjoy an active holiday, stunning nature, diverse experiences, and the rich cultural heritage of Kainuu!
Vuokatti serves as the competition village for the Kainuu Orienteering Week, offering a wide range of additional activities. The competition village is located at Vuokatti Sport. (Photo: Municipality of Sotkamo)
