Mauno Korhonen’s courses await in Neulaniemi

Challenge and enjoyment near Kuopio

If an orienteer has time to pause at one of Neulamäki’s high terrain points to admire the expanse of Lake Kallavesi, they won’t be disappointed. And Mauno Korhonen, the head course planner for WOC Tour’s Neulamäki event, promises some orienteers a stunning scenic view. Of course, there’s plenty of enjoyment all the way to the final meters on these challenging courses.

Neulamäki is located near Kuopio, but according to experienced competitor and course planner Korhonen, the city’s proximity is not an issue.
– Naturally, being this close to the city means new paths form easily as outdoor enthusiasts, fitness lovers, and nature wanderers move through the terrain. These changes are kept up to date. The Vuorilampi nature reserve and several smaller protected areas have created quite a bit of extra work in course planning, Korhonen admits.

Korhonen has spent quite some time in the terrain. Neulaniemi will have a total of 125 control points and a set of RR controls.
– Last summer, I visited the terrain a couple of dozen times, spending 1–3 hours there each time. I’ve surely accumulated 60–70 hours at the laptop, so in total, more than 100 hours have gone into this.

Mauno Korhonen started orienteering at age 11 in Kuopio with Vanun Veikot. As an adult, his interest in the sport rekindled in Rovaniemi, and the thrill of finding control points led him to competitions. His most memorable achievements include four Finnish veteran championships in ski orienteering relays, as well as success in veteran categories during the summer.
Additionally, he has gained experience as a director for Finnish championship relays and national competitions, as well as serving as the head of logistics for Jukola and working as the course planner for Fin5 Orienteering Week in 2019.

Text and photo: Hannu Keränen