World of O News
Finally a big orienteering relay again! Although this year’s Jukola organized in Lapland will not beat the 2019 record of 21.500 registered competitors due to the pandemic, Jukola will also this year be a gigantic relay with more than 12.000 registered competitors, divided onto 1200 teams in the men’s relay and 1000 teams in the women’s relay.
While the number of registered Finnish teams is around 25% less than in the top year of 2019, the number of international teams is around 50% less than in the top year. Still, most of the international top teams seem to have many top runners in their lineups, and it looks like Venla and Jukola 2021 will be just as difficult to win as any other recent editions of the world’s biggest orienteering relay.
The 2021 edition of the relay is set to be a very special relay – the relay is named the Arctic Circle Jukola, and this is the first time the Jukola returns to Lapland in 27 years. All those missing this year’s Jukola may have to wait another 27 years to experience this again.
There will again be a high quality international webTV-broadcast available from both the Jukola and Venla relays (Euro 18.-). Live stream footage is offered in English, including GPS service.
Live TV/results/tracking/startlists
- Live TV feed: Buy access for Euro 18 here.
- Live results
- There is GPS Tracking on all legs. Live GPS Tracking will only be shown on the TV feed – there is no separate tracking offered. On some legs there will be little tracking shown so that later runners will not see the forking, as usually.
- Startlists for Jukola and Venla. Running order will be public for all teams Friday at 6 pm (local time)
- Jukola webpage and competition information
Map and Terrain
The ground profile in the competition area of the Arctic Circle Jukola is varied, gently sloping mire and peaty forest terrain. The southern parts are lower, while the northern parts are hilly, typical to Western Lapland, with vast open sloping rocks. The total climb between the lowest and the highest point is around 130 metres. See a large old map of the competition area at the top of this page, and a smaller part above this paragraph.
The trees in the area are typical to commercial forests in Lapland, dominated by pines. It is mainly fast terrain with peaty forests, with occasional mires, densely grown ditches and stony areas that may slow you down.
- Browse old Jukola maps in omaps.worldofo.com
- See also an old article about forking in Jukola relays (via o-training.net)
Jukola Relay: Legs and start times
The competition will start as a mass start on Saturday, 21st August 2021 at 23:00 Finnish time (22:00 CET).
| Leg | Length | Climb | Time | Changeover |
| 1. | 12,9 km dark | 230 m | 74 min | 23.14 CET |
| 2. | 12,9 km dark | 230 m | 74 min | 00.28 CET |
| 3. | 16,6 km dark | 300 m | 93 min | 02.01 CET |
| 4. | 9,1 km dark | 120 m | 50 min | 02.51 CET |
| 5. | 8,9 km dark | 120 m | 50 min | 03.41 CET |
| 6. | 11,0 km dusk/daylight | 180 m | 59 min | 04.40 CET |
| 7. | 16,4 km daylight | 280 m | 85 min | |
| Total | 87,8 km | 1460 m | 8 h 5 min |
The courses include approximately 1200 meters of marked route. All legs have forking. The sun sets on Sat 21.8. at 20:30 CET and rises on Sun 22.8. at 4.13 CET.
Venla Relay: Legs and start times
The competition will start as a mass start on Saturday, 21st August 2021 at 13:45 (12:45 CET).
| Leg | Length | Climb | Time | Changeover |
| 1. | 7,3 km | 70 m | 45 min | 13:30 CET |
| 2. | 5,4 km | 50 m | 33 min | 14:03 CET |
| 3. | 9,1 km | 110 m | 56 min | 14:59 CET |
| 4. | 8,5 km | 90 m | 52 min | |
| Total | 30,3 km | 320 m | 3 h 6 min |
The courses include approximately 1200 meters of marked route. All legs have forking.
Jukola & Venla 2019: Who won?
Jukola 2019: Stora Tuna took surprise victory!
Stora Tuna (Sweden) took the victory in the 2019-edition of Jukula after a strong last leg by Emil Svensk. Stora Tuna was a surprise victory with their very young team. Actually more than half of the team are brothers: Emil, Joakim, Viktor and Jesper Svensk won Jukola together with Anton Sjøkvist, Olle Kalered and Henrik Johannesson!
Three teams battled for victory throughout the last leg – with the young Stora Tuna team deciding the race for themselves through secure and good orienteering. Tyrving (Norway) finished second – one of the world’s very best orienteers Matthias Kyrburz did not manage to keep up with Svensk. Tampereen Pyrintö finished third with Florian Howald on the last leg.
Last year’s winned Koovee finished down in 7th place, and one of the big pre-favourites IFK Göteborg finished 5th.
| 1 | 8 | Stora Tuna OK | SWE | 7:14:39 | |||
| 1 Jesper Svensk | 1:05:28 | ||||||
| 2 Henrik Johannesson | 1:01:02 | 2:06:31 | |||||
| 3 Olle Kalered | 1:18:14 | 3:24:45 | |||||
| 4 Joakim Svensk | 45:25 | 4:10:11 | |||||
| 5 Viktor Svensk | 49:02 | 4:59:13 | |||||
| 6 Anton Sjökvist | 1:04:07 | 6:03:21 | |||||
| 7 Emil Svensk | 1:11:18 | 7:14:39 | |||||
| 2 | 11 | IL Tyrving | NOR | 7:16:37 | |||
| 1 Wojciech Kowalski | 1:07:01 | ||||||
| 2 Björn Ekeberg | 59:26 | 2:06:28 | |||||
| 3 Torgeir Nörbech | 1:18:11 | 3:24:39 | |||||
| 4 Olle Boström | 45:31 | 4:10:11 | |||||
| 5 Håkon Jarvis Westergård | 49:26 | 4:59:37 | |||||
| 6 Andreas Kyburz | 1:03:46 | 6:03:24 | |||||
| 7 Matthias Kyburz | 1:13:13 | 7:16:37 | |||||
| 3 | 14 | Tampereen Pyrintö | FIN | 7:16:55 | |||
| 1 Otto Simosas | 1:05:45 | ||||||
| 2 Severi Kymäläinen | 1:02:53 | 2:08:39 | |||||
| 3 Elias Kuukka | 1:17:19 | 3:25:59 | |||||
| 4 Johan Runesson | 44:06 | 4:10:05 | |||||
| 5 Mikko Eerola | 47:54 | 4:58:00 | |||||
| 6 Aleksi Niemi | 1:05:17 | 6:03:17 | |||||
| 7 Florian Howald | 1:13:38 | 7:16:55 | |||||
| 4 | 13 | OK Linne | SWE | 7:17:20 | |||
| 1 Vincent Coupat | 1:07:22 | ||||||
| 2 Jan Troeng | 1:03:49 | 2:11:12 | |||||
| 3 Rassmus Andersson | 1:19:26 | 3:30:38 | |||||
| 4 Oskar Sjöberg | 47:40 | 4:18:19 | |||||
| 5 Milos Nykodym | 45:59 | 5:04:18 | |||||
| 6 Albin Ridefelt | 1:02:00 | 6:06:19 | |||||
| 7 Lucas Basset | 1:11:01 | 7:17:20 | |||||
| 5 | 2 | IFK Göteborg | SWE | 7:19:29 | |||
| 1 Håvard Sandstad Eidsmo | 1:05:29 | ||||||
| 2 Andreas Sölberg | 1:05:43 | 2:11:13 | |||||
| 3 Johan Högstrand | 1:13:36 | 3:24:49 | |||||
| 4 Vetle Ruud Bråten | 45:49 | 4:10:39 | |||||
| 5 Morten Jarvis Westergård | 52:22 | 5:03:01 | |||||
| 6 Kasper Fosser | 1:06:16 | 6:09:18 | |||||
| 7 Max Peter Bejmer | 1:10:11 | 7:19:29 | |||||
| 6 | 6 | Kalevan Rasti | FIN | 7:23:20 | |||
| 1 Jan Prochazka | 1:06:16 | ||||||
| 2 Hannu Airila | 1:02:19 | 2:08:35 | |||||
| 3 Markus Räsänen | 1:18:12 | 3:26:48 | |||||
| 4 Santeri Silvennoinen | 50:27 | 4:17:15 | |||||
| 5 Graham Gristwood | 47:09 | 5:04:24 | |||||
| 6 Pavel Kubat | 1:04:56 | 6:09:21 | |||||
| 7 Miika Kirmula | 1:13:59 | 7:23:20 | |||||
Venla 2019: Fredrikstad took the victory!
Norway’s Fredrikstad SK took the victory in the 2019 edition of the Venla relay after a strong leg by Kamilla Olaussen on the last leg. IFK Göteborg went out onto the last leg in the lead, but after first a bad routechoice and later a quite big mistake, IFK’s Sara Hagström lost nearly 4 minutes and had more than enough to keep Finland’s Tampereen Pyrintö behind.
Several top teams did quite big mistakes in the tricky terrain around Kangasala; notably one of the top favourites Halden went from a nearly two minute lead to five minutes behind on the 2nd leg. IFK Lidingö was in a small lead group after two legs, but also did a big mistake and lost the possibility for battling for victory.
Top 6 results here – read on for a recap of the race development as it happened and full team results at the bottom.
| 1 |  |
Fredrikstad SK (22) | 2:45:17 | Kamilla Olaussen | 47:40 | |
| 2 |  |
IFK Göteborg (19) | +3:40 | Sara Hagström | 52:00 | |
| 3 |  |
Tampereen Pyrintö (23) | +4:00 | Venla Harju | 48:10 | |
| 4 | |
Alfta ÖSA OK (5) | +6:31 | Natalia Gemperle | 48:14 | |
| 5 | |
Nydalens SK (77) | +6:36 | Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg | 47:16 | |
| 6 | |
Halden SK (15) | +6:55 | Marika Teini | 47:27 |
