Kainuu Orienteering Week course setters present: elite categories and their characteristics during the Orienteering Week

Published: 21.05.2026

Kainuu Orienteering Week course setters present: elite categories and their characteristics during the Orienteering Week

Mira Kaskinen won the D21E category at the previous Kainuu Orienteering Week held in Suomussalmi in 2021. Back then, the competition terrain consisted of the fast pine flats of Haverinen. (Photo: Touho Häkkinen)

The course planners of the Kainuu Orienteering Week want to create gaps between competitors in the elite categories through orienteering skills, rather than via running sections or easy control points.

In this part of the article series covering the courses of the Kainuu Orienteering Week, the elite categories of the Orienteering Week are presented, namely the 16E, 18E, 20E, and 21E categories.

The Kainuu Orienteering Week will be orienteered in the summer of 2026 in the Säynäjä kettle-hole terrain in Suomussalmi, and over the four days, the elite categories will offer the most physically and technically challenging courses. Anyone is allowed to participate in the 21E main category.

At the Kainuu Orienteering Week 2024 in Joutenlampi, the European Championship selection trials were held at the same time. On the men's main category course, route choices were largely based on navigating around individual steep-sided ridges and depressions. (Map sample: Kainuu Orienteering Week 2024 Kajaani / Mapline Oy)

Physically demanding nature is a significant factor that separates the elite categories from other adult courses, says Joona Hirvilahti, a member of the course planning team. The elite courses are approximately 1.5 times longer compared to the corresponding age categories.

"Over the four days of the Orienteering Week, the elite courses are among the few that reach the most difficult or distant parts of the terrain in terms of distance," he says.

Even though the aim is to make the main categories as challenging as possible, the course must still remain meaningful to orienteer. According to Joni Korhonen, who is also part of the course planning team, the course planners strive to utilize the best areas of the terrain in terms of orienteering when designing the elite courses.

In Lehtovaara, Sotkamo, the route choices for the men's main category at the Orienteering Week 2025 were based on tracks, elevation changes, ground surface, and the density of the terrain. (Map sample: Kainuu Orienteering Week 2025 Sotkamo / Mapline Oy)

Success in the overall competition requires performing well on multiple days

The course planners design orienteering challenges for each competition day to be as diverse as possible so that they do not repeat themselves. With route choices in mind, the course planners look for different types of ground surfaces for the legs between controls, so that every orienteer can make the choice for the best route option for themselves.

"In our opinion, the best route choice is not necessarily the same for all orienteers; instead, the choices are individual," Korhonen explains.

According to Hirvilahti, the changing sections of the terrain also require the orienteer to prepare diversely for the Orienteering Week. One might have to change their orienteering style even during the same race, as different terrains affect the running speed.

"If you want to succeed overall in the elite categories during the Orienteering Week, you must perform well on every single one of the four days," Hirvilahti says.

In the summer of 2026, the Orienteering Week will be orienteered for the first time in the Säynäjä kettle-hole terrain, and the map of the area was completed in September 2025.

"It makes the situation equal for everyone, as no one has prior knowledge of the terrain at the competition venue," Hirvilahti says.

In Jämäsvaara, Kuhmo, orienteers made their route choices using elevation changes as well as the runnability of the hilltops and marsh depressions. (Map sample: Kainuu Orienteering Week 2023 Kuhmo / Mapline Oy)

High-level Orienteering Week courses are a benchmark for orienteers

The elite courses provide a high-quality and important benchmark for orienteers compared to their competitors. Based on the results of the first three competitions, the battle for the victory in the elite categories will kick off as a chasing start on the final day of the Orienteering Week.

Over several years, the main categories at the Kainuu Orienteering Week have been of a very high standard: for example, European Championship selection trials were organized during the Orienteering Week in Kajaani in the summer of 2024, and two events of the Huippuliiga (Top League) were also orienteered during the Orienteering Week in the terrains of Itäjärvi in Suomussalmi in 2015.

Over the years, the elite courses of the Orienteering Week have also received praise for their high quality. The Finnish Orienteering Federation awarded Timo Kokkonen from Kajaanin Suunnistajat, who designed the courses in Kajaani, as the Course Planner of the Year 2024.

Starting from 2027, the 16E category will be removed from the Orienteering Week based on the new sports rules of the Finnish Orienteering Federation. The change will officially come into effect in orienteering competitions already this summer, but during the summer 2026 Orienteering Week, the 16E category will still be orienteered, and the change does not affect the difficulty level of the category. In the future, 16E will change into the 16A category at the Orienteering Week, with the 16B category remaining as an alternative.

In both main categories of the Kainuu Orienteering Week, i.e., the men's and women's elite categories H/D21E, the best performers in the overall competition will be awarded cash prizes at the end of the orienteering week: The winner of both categories receives 2,500 euros, the runner-up 1,250 euros, and the third-place finisher 750 euros. In total, 9,000 euros worth of prize money will thus be distributed at the Kainuu Orienteering Week.

Joni Hirvikallio progressed to the overall KRV competition victory in the H21E main category on the pine flats of Haverinen, Suomussalmi, in 2021. (Photo: Touho Häkkinen)

The final, more affordable registration tier for the 58th Kainuu Orienteering Week closes on May 31, 2026, at 23:59:59

By registering by the end of May, you can still save up to -28% on participation fees. Late registration for competitive categories is open until June 7, 2026. For recreational orienteering (open courses), you can also register on-site, but pre-registering for recreational orienteering can still save you up to -26% on participation fees compared to on-site prices.

Welcome to the Kainuu Orienteering Week in Säynäjä, Suomussalmi, from June 28 to July 3, 2026 – the forest challenges, and the scenery rewards!