The youth Jukola 2012 is arranged in my childhood sceneries in Vehmaa as the Seurala Sport Centre acts as a competition centre. It is these woods, I have taken my first steps in orienteering. I was still too young for school and it happened that I had my first feeling: ”I am not completely sure where I am”. At that time, a basic map was used in orienteering in Vehmaa. This map did not include for instance, the jogging track at all. Fortunately, the area is securely bounded with roads and fields and with help of those, I finally found a way home. The first orienteering map from the area came out 1978 and it is still used in schools. I have had a bit bad conscience for this but now the situation gets better when the new map, accurately drawn by Raimo Jalonen, is put to real test.

I find that the competition instructions depict the terrain correctly. I would like to add to the rampantness that the grass which is growing on newly logged areas might slightly decrease the runnability of these areas.

One of the hardest parts of the Course Setter work is to set courses with right skill level for children and young people. The competitors of the Youth Jukola have very varying skill levels and experience in orienteering. The courses and control points set and chosen under Jarmo Jokilas direction are challenging yet there are enough so called safe points which make the orienteering easier.

There are controls near to each other, check the control codes!

I wish happy orienteering for the competitors of Youth Jukola!

Jukka Suominen, Course Controller