The world’s biggest relay orienteering event will be arranged in Kotka this summer, and Port of HaminaKotka Ltd is one of the partners of this hugely popular event.
The slogan of Kotka-Jukola 2026 “Life from the forest” highlights the core of Jukola – the significance of the forest and orienteering as a physical, mental and communal experience. The forest is not only a place of competition, but it is a life-giving, developing and deeply experienced environment. The slogan also connects to the forest industry, export revenues and employment. Its meaning expands, bringing together the forest’s diversity. It also refers to the role of the forest not only as a physical competition environment and a source of well-being, but as an economic pillar through which the forest provides livelihoods, jobs and international visibility for Finland.
The forest is also essentially linked to the operations of the Port of HaminaKotka, as the Port of HaminaKotka is the biggest export port in Finland, and a wide range of forest industry products, such as paper, board, pulp and sawn timber, pass through it to the world. As much as 45% of the exports of Finnish sawn timber are carried through the Port of HaminaKotka.
At the core of the partnership between Port of HaminaKotka Ltd and Kotka-Jukola is the desire to support the vitality of the region of Kymenlaakso and to enable a successful major event that will bring tens of thousands of visitors to the region.
“We are proud to be involved in supporting an event that brings the Kotka and Hamina region to the world map. It is natural for us to be involved wherever the people and visitors of our region are. Jukola is a huge effort, and we want to make sure that the arrangements go smoothly and that the guests enjoy themselves in the port city of Kotka,” says Eija Rossi, CEO of Port of HaminaKotka Ltd.
For Kotka-Jukola, co-operation with a significant local operator is an important step towards the summer of 2026.
“The Port of HaminaKotka is one of the cornerstones of our region’s economy and logistics. It is great that we share a common goal in building a responsible and impactful event. For us, this partnership is also one indication that the whole region is working together,” say Jyrki Metsola and Toni Häkämies, who are responsible for the sales and marketing of Kotka-Jukola.
The partnership will be reflected in event communications and at the competition centre, but above all, it is a promise of co-operation aimed at creating a better and smoother major event. Welcome to Kotka-Jukola on June 13-14, 2026!
