17.12.2004
MY NEW TEAM IS TERÄ FROM VAAJAKOSKI


It really happened, although for me it was sure many weeks ago, that I'm orienteering for Vaajakosken Terä from now on. The decision was quite easy at the end, because the possibility, that I'm orienteering for a team from Jyväskylä region - where I've been studying for six years and established my home with my wife - had been in my plans for couple of years. The team is Terä, because that is the only club that had the right persons at the right time to lift Terä with its new generation to top of orienteering world. Terä had a top team in the 1980's. With the orienteering friends I have in Terä it truely is reality, that we are able to fight the top places in every relay we take part in, and as a Team we train hard to become better individual orienteers as well.

The most important things in Terä: 1) We know each other quite well and train together many sessions per week, if not elsewhere training or competing. 2) The organization of Terä is near my home, so I can participate more than before. 3) Potential and enthusiastic orienteering friends, who want to develop themselves as orienteers. 4) The "best" possible and recent knowledge of orienteering including the knowledge of Sports and Health Sciences in Jyväskylä. It's hard to understand that it took so long to establish a top orienteering team in Jyväskylä. The only minus in Jyväskylä is the lack of top terrains. Anyway, we have tens of tough and beautiful terrains and maps in the region. We only miss easy running forests - stony ground everywhere. But, it's also a good thing, because our training is usually tougher than the competitions elsewhere.

It's sure that my inner motivation is better than for several years and I really love the orienteering. It's interesting to see, what will the next season be like.

-jani-