Orivesi ja villasukkajuoksu Iso-Britannian markkinoille

Hyvän mielen villasukkajuoksusta on tullut ilmiö, joka kiinnostaa ulkomaita myöten! Orivedellä järjestettävät Villasukkajuoksun SM-kilpailut sekä Suomalainen villasukkajuoksuilmiö niittävät mainetta ulkomailla.

Visit Finland luo kansainvälisesti kuvaa Suomesta haluttavana matkakohteena ja tukee alan yrityksiä ja yritysryhmiä kansainvälisille markkinoille tarkoitettujen matkailupalvelujen kehittämisessä ja markkinoinnissa. Visit Finland julkaisi 25.2.2021 Venäjän markkinoille suunnatun tiedotteen, jossa kerrottiin Suomessa leviävästä ilmiöstä nimeltään villasukkajuoksu. Tiedotteeseen haastateltiin Oriveden kaupunkia, koska Orivedellä järjestetään talvisin Villasukkajuoksun SM-kilpailut sekä Orivesi on julistautunut Suomen villasukkapääkaupungiksi. Myös olympiavoittajan, hiihtäjä Juha Miedon kommentit villasukkajuoksuun liittyen kerrotaan tiedotteessa. Nyt samansisältöinen tiedote on julkaistaan myös Isossa-Britanniassa Visit Finlandin toimesta.

Voit lukea alta Visit Finlandin tiedotteen, joka on suunnattu Iso-Britannian markkinoille.

Finns take to running in the snow in wool socks

Running in snow socks, is a Finnish pastime that has become an increasingly popular hobby throughout the pandemic. In an attempt to avoid crowded places and gyms, Finns started running outside and many doing so without shoes – just in wool socks.

Running barefoot from sauna to an ice-cold lake, or just in the forest, has been practiced by Finns for a very long time, and the new “snow” variation of it is considered an evolution of this practice. The runners say that it invigorates and strengthens the body and the spirit, brings more oxygen to the body and freshens the mind, all of which makes Finns happier. The Finns don’t only run in socks, they also walk and slide on slopes. Junior hockey players and skiers warm up in wool socks before practice.

In 2019 in Orivesi, Finland, the first Woolsock Run Finnish Championship took place and attracted 350 participants.

Jenni Koponen, Orivesi City administration said “We launched the Woolsock Run Championship to revitalize a tradition started by one of our Finnish athletes, Juha Mieto. It is a fantastic way to bring people together to connect with nature and enjoy the Finnish landscape.”

“We launched the Woolsock Run Championship to revitalize a tradition started by one of our Finnish athletes, Juha Mieto. It is a fantastic way to bring people together to connect with nature and enjoy the Finnish landscape.”

The 2021 championship was cancelled, however the sport has continued to grow in popularity. The next championship will take place in Orivesi on January, 22, 2022. The city has been declared the Capital of Woolsocks of Finland.

As with any other kind of sport, this one has its champions and famous athletes. Finnish Olympic medalist Juha Mieto was an early adopter of woolsock running in the 1960s and is considered one of the pioneers of the sport. Here he gives some tips on how to try the sport:

How did you take up running in socks? When and where?

I started running in woolen socks in winter in 1963 in Kurikka, my home town. I was 13 at the time.

Does it require any special preparation? What can one start from?

I have been actively doing sport since I was a child, so once I had an interesting idea – why not run a five-kilometre distance in wool socks. I enjoyed the experience so much, that I decided to continue. During my professional international sports career I also ran in wool socks a lot. You don’t need anything special for this kind of exercise, your desire and wool socks are all the requirements.

What was your longest run?

20 kilometres in freezing cold. I didn’t run too fast, speeding up and slowing down from time to time. My advice to beginners concerns pace: don’t try to be fast from the very beginning, start slowly and gain more speed when you get used, but not too quickly.

We heard that there are special fasteners for the socks. Could you please give some tips for the beginners – what should they pay attention to when choosing socks, outfit, etc.?

Don’t choose clothes that are too tight. Also consider the temperature outside in order not to freeze. You should choose socks that stay on your feet comfortably and are tight enough around the ankles and calves – then you won’t need any fasteners. I, for the matter of fact, don’t use them. The most important thing is that the socks fit the foot well and not come down as you run.

Do you have any followers?

Yes, of course, especially in the years of my professional international sports career, a lot of my colleagues ran with me during training camps. In general, a lot of professional Finnish skiers of international level practiced winter running in wool socks as a refreshing and invigorating element of their training.

And a traditional question – what’s the secret of Finnish happiness in your opinion? Is it somehow connected to running?

I’d say that those who are happy by nature and embrace a positive attitude to life can do anything, even run in snow in wool socks. They don’t feel uncomfortable or ashamed for doing that.

The championship is open for international participants. For more information visit: www.villasukkajuoksunsm.fi 

Discover more on social media #visitorivesi #villasukkapääkaupunki and @visitorivesiofficial.