Donautas Lazaukas, a Lithuanian photographer, works for both his own orienteering club IGTISA and Lithuanian media in Kuopio-Jukola. Even though there are only seven Lithuanian teams in Jukola this time, one Venla team and seven teams in the Jukola relay, plenty of orienteering enthusiasts follow the event via the Internet at home.

– Our Venla team was the 13th and did better than ever before here in Kuopio-Jukola, says Lazaukas, very happy.

– Jukola is well-known in Lithuania because it is the world’s biggest orienteering event. Winning is not so important, but taking part is great fun. Muslims go to Mecca and orienteerers go to Jukola, it’s a kind of must, says Lazaukas.

– Only a few competitors can take part in the World Championships or the World Cup, but anyone can come to Jukola! Here you can see the top orienteerers and also run in a team and have a good time together. Planning the trip, travelling and doing things together creates a good team spirit. You run for the team, not only for yourself.

In Kuopio-Jukola Lazautas concentrates on taking pictures, but he is also an active orienteerer in his own club.

– Training hard together with your team mates and enjoying different kinds of terrains – that’s what orienteering is all about. I’ve often thought that I’ve seen so many beutiful places in Lithuania that I would have missed if I hadn’t taken up orienteering, says Lazaukas.

Lazaukas checks that his Jukola pictures have been successfully sent to Lithuania and starts getting ready for the start of the Jukola relay.

 

 

 

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