Course setting group has formed and started its work 

The course setting group for JWOC has total seven members from different kind of backgrounds. Lauri Kahila, Venla Harju, Topias Helminen and Eero Kahila will form the group for the forest disciplines. Lauri and Eero have great knowledge of setting the courses for different size of orienteering competitions as well as planning the trainings when working as a coach of the Pyrintö men’s team Punakone. Topias Helminen is map-oriented national level relay runner and orienteering enthusiastic who are eager to get new challenges also by setting the courses for championship-level. Venla Harju does not need introducing, but let’s remind she is also Junior World Champion 2008 from Gothenburg, Sweden. After that she has won multiple championship medals in different disciplines and still competing on the highest possible level. Venla will bring the mindset of the international athlete to group. 

“It will be great to be involved in creating memorable experiences in the Tampere terrains for juniors from around the world!” says Venla Harju about joining for course setting group.

Elite athletes also in course setting group for the sprint disciplines 

JWOC sprint disciplines will be set by Mikko Eerola, Severi Similä and Arto Itkonen. Mikko is international level orienteer who has competed also by himself twice in JWOC and several times in World Cups. Beside of Mikko, also Severi represent Pyrintö and is one of the key runners for the Punakone in major relays such as 10Mila and Jukolan Viesti. Both guys are ready to take a great challenge and plan the courses for one of the most important orienteering competitions, JWOC. Like Kahila’s also Arto Itkonen has the experience from several competitions as a course setter, most recently Finnish Championships in Sprint distance fall 2025. 

Both groups will do a close cooperation with IOF Senior Event Advisor Jan Fiala and National Controllers Jarkko Liuha and Atte Lahtinen.