Kainuu adventure race challenges teams for up to 24 hours

Some 420 people are taking part in the Lost in Kainuu Adventure Race in Kajaani this weekend, Yle reports. The event is being held for the 16th time.

The competition includes races lasting from three hours to 24 hours. In the longest category, three-person teams must cover at least 240 kilometres, mainly by mountain bike, as well as travelling on foot and by canoe.

Oulu residents Jani Vuoti and Joni Ranta-Eskola have taken part in the event with their Team Tellervo every year.

“We are competing against ourselves here, as surely most others are too, and you always win that way,” Vuoti said. “We switch off our phones and enjoy the peace of nature throughout beautiful Kainuu.”

Ranta-Eskola said the appeal of adventure racing lies in its simplicity.

“You do not have to think about anything else except looking at the map to see where to go next. It is quite therapeutic,” he said.

The number of participants is similar to previous years. Anni Heikkinen, a communications specialist at Kainuun Liikunta, which organises the race, said the growing number of adventure-sport events was good for the sport.

“At the moment, things are going well in Finland. I think these events support each other and the sport is becoming better known,” she said.

Heikkinen said the route takes competitors through some of the finest terrain and landscapes in Kajaani, including places that tourists would not otherwise easily reach.

Despite the event’s name, competitors are not left alone in the wilderness. Every team has a GPS device, and its progress is monitored in real time. Organisers contact teams that appear to be heading in the wrong direction, and send help into the terrain if necessary.

The event is also financially important to Kainuun Liikunta, a non-profit association that supports sports in Kainuu.

Jussi Komulainen from Laukaa, who has competed in similar events since the late 20th century, said the sport had become more accessible over the years.

“They have become increasingly participant-friendly and diverse. Good-spirited people, overcoming yourself and enjoying nature. That is what this is at its best,” he said.