Helsingin Suunnistajat finishes second in Jukola relay after close final leg

Helsingin Suunnistajat secured a second-place finish at the 77th Jukola relay in Kotka, a prestigious orienteering event. The Finnish team held a slim lead heading into the final leg, but it wasn't enough to fend off Sweden's Stora Tuna OK.

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I thought I had broken away with a mistake. It was a surprise that Langedal Breivik's back still came towards me.

Tuomas Heikkilä, running the anchor leg for Helsingin Suunnistajat, started with a 1.5-minute advantage. However, Viktor Svensk of Stora Tuna OK, starting nearly three minutes behind, closed the gap and eventually overtook Heikkilä, along with competitors from Nydalens SK and IFK Göteborg.

The race culminated in a surprisingly close finish at Kymin Airport, with the top four teams finishing within a minute of each other. Heikkilä, considered a strong runner, mounted a fierce charge in the final kilometer, narrowly missing out on the win by just 12 seconds. He expressed surprise at the close finish, stating, "I thought I had broken away with a mistake. It was a surprise that Langedal Breivik's back still came towards me."

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I thought about where Stora Tuna was, as I hadn't seen them. Then I saw them on the final stretch and knew the silver medal was secured.

Stora Tuna OK's dominance in the Jukola relay is remarkable, with their current championship streak beginning in 2019. This latest victory marks their seventh consecutive win, an unprecedented achievement in the history of the event. The team's success is partly attributed to the Svensk brothers, with Viktor being the one to cross the finish line first this time. "It's a big deal to win seven times in a row, and especially great when four brothers are involved," Viktor Svensk shared.

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It's a big deal to win seven times in a row, and especially great when four brothers are involved.