The spring competition season and the traditional Jukola Relay are now behind us, and Inray Oy's sponsored orienteer, Vinski, is preparing for an important series of competitions later this summer.
One of the highlights of the spring was the Finnish Sprint Orienteering Championships in Kerava, where Vinski finished 17th. He missed a top-10 finish and a championship diploma by just 20 seconds.
"Overall, the race went well, but one long route-choice leg still bothers me. I lost around 30 seconds there," says Vinski.
The Finnish Championship weekend in Oulu, however, did not go as planned. Vinski was eliminated in the qualifying heat of the Knock-Out Sprint, and in the Finnish Sprint Relay Championships, punching the wrong control ended the team's chances for a strong result.
At the Jukola Relay, Vinski ran the anchor leg for Navi's first team. Personally, the race went well, and he gained 13 places during his leg. The team's goal of finishing among the top 25 was not achieved, however, as too many mistakes were made during the night legs. The team eventually finished 39th.
The late-summer schedule is packed. First up is the Esi-Jukola race in Vuokatti, held in terrain adjacent to next year's Jukola Relay venue. After that, Vinski will compete in the Kainuu Orienteering Week, continue preparations for the Finnish Long Distance Championships in Posio, and then take part in the Fin5 Orienteering Week in Salla.
The Fin5 Orienteering Week is one of the season's key events, as it also serves as the selection races for both the Orienteering World Cup and the World University Orienteering Championships.
We wish Vinski the very best of luck and success in the competitions ahead!