The Kangasala-Jukola courses are the end result of a close collaboration between two Course setters.

– I cannot objectively speak of the difficulty of the course and terrain any more, as the course has become so familiar to me over the past two years, jokes Petteri Laitinen, one of the two Course setters of Kangasala-Jukola.

Since 2017, he has completed over 70 rounds in the competition area, 75% of them with Jarkko Liuha, the other Course setter.

– It’s been a marvellous project! At first I thought it would be quite an undertaking. Obviously it has kept me very busy, but the level of work-related stress has been much lower than anticipated. And from a time management point of view I haven’t really struggled, as I would have gone out running anyway, Laitinen comments.

The third member of the team is Mikko Heikkinen, who heads the committee in charge of maps and courses. All three live within a kilometre from each other, so meetings have been easy to arrange. Jarkko Liuha is an experienced Course setter from previous mass events. He designed the course for the Venla Relay at Salpa-Jukola in 2011.

– My previous experience from Salpa-Jukola in 2011 has helped me to anticipate the work that lies ahead, minimising my level of stress and feelings of urgency. I have been able to bring to this project my previous experiences both as an organiser and a competitor.

The first versions of the course were available for TV-production in October 2017, and the final control points were marked in the terrain in July-August 2018. A group lead by Markku Huikkola constructed the control bucks in September 2018. The files for the course and maps were completed in January-February of this year, with the final finishing touches to the maps done in January.

Liuha’s area of responsibility was primarily the production of the map material. Laitinen, on the other hand, concentrated on the production of files for variance and scoring.

-The job of the course setter requires a meticulous and responsible nature, regardless of the size of the event, but in Jukola, the emphasis is on being able to work together with others. Here at Kangasala-Jukola we have had a truly active and professional bunch of people in all areas of work. It has been fun to work with them, praises Liuha with Laitinen agreeing.

They wish all the competitors a successful race and a pleasurable sporting experience surrounded by nature.

Text and images: Outi Hytönen