Kainuu Orienteering Week Expected to Be One of Finland''s Largest Sports Tourism Events Again
Published: 05.03.2025
Orienteers from Kainuu Orienteering Week arriving at the finish line in Tipasoja, Sotkamo, in 2019 (Photo: Kainuu Orienteering Week)
So far, 1,203 orienteers have registered for the competition categories of the 57th Kainuu Orienteering Week, which will be held next summer in Vuokatti, Sotkamo. The second registration phase closed last Friday.
Preliminary participation estimates suggest that Kainuu Orienteering Week will once again be one of Finland's largest sports tourism events in 2025. Secretary General Jukka Liuha anticipates that 3,250–3,500 registered orienteers will take part in the event.
Additionally, 300 participants are expected for the simultaneous Kainuu MTBO Week, and a record-breaking 600 trail runners are anticipated for the Kainuu Trail event held in Hossa National Park – which is also the event's maximum capacity. On top of these figures, approximately 1,500 spectators and support teams are expected to attend the events.
Participants for Kainuu Orienteering Week will arrive from around the world – currently, registrations have already been received from more than ten different countries.
The 5,500–6,000 visitors expected during the event week are estimated to generate 3–4 million euros in tourism revenue for Kainuu and the surrounding Sotkamo area.
Kainuu Orienteering Week – A Leading Sports Tourism Product for Kainuu
Last year, Kainuu Orienteering Week was Finland's third-largest sports tourism event including annual running, orienteering, cross-country skiing, and trail running events.
Image: Kainuu Orienteering Week is one of Finland's largest sports tourism events.
According to Secretary General Liuha, Kainuu can take pride in hosting one of Finland's largest sports tourism events.
– Our event is particularly significant for the host region, as it lasts a full week, while most other events only span a weekend, Liuha explains.
When estimating the total number of participants for Kainuu Orienteering Week, the number of competitors in the racing categories plays a crucial role in determining the overall attendance. Recreational orienteers (open courses) usually register at the end of May or on-site during the event.
– The number of competitors in the racing categories strongly correlates with how many recreational orienteers eventually participate, Liuha says. Many competitors bring along family members or support teams – such as parents, grandparents, and other supporters – who are potential participants in the recreational categories.
Image: Kainuu O Week's 2nd registration phase and final participant numbers from 2015 to 2025.
Vuokatti Attracts Recreational Orienteers and Mountain Bike Orienteers
A record-high 266 participants have registered for the recreational orienteering categories in this registration phase, the second-largest number in the event's history, reports Minna Rönkkö from the competition office. The previous record of 288 participants was set last year. Rönkkö predicts that approximately 1,200–1,300 recreational orienteers will take part in Kainuu Orienteering Week.
The Kainuu MTBO Week, held from June 29 to July 4, has also reached its second-largest registration figure in history, with 130 participants confirmed so far, according to Race Director Mika Häkkinen.
– The current participant numbers look promising. It will be interesting to see if we break last year's record of 298 mountain bike orienteers, Häkkinen reflects.
Record-Breaking Participation Expected for Kainuu Trail
The Kainuu Trail event, held in Hossa National Park, will kick off the Kainuu Orienteering Week on Saturday, June 28. Now in its fifth year, the event is expected to set a new participation record for the third consecutive year.
Currently, 333 trail runners have registered – nearly 100 more than at the same point last year, says Kainuu Trail Race Director and KRV Secretary General Jukka Liuha.
– Based on current trends, we may reach the event's maximum capacity of 600 runners, Liuha estimates.
The 600-runner cap was agreed upon in collaboration with the land manager, Metsähallitus.
Image: The number of participants in the Kainuu Trail has shown steady growth from 2022 to 2024.
