Tiirismaa Trail 2024 – the weekend was started like last year with real hill festivals in the form of Messilä Vertical, UpHill and Kids Trail, this time in wonderful, quite sunny weather. More than 100 people responded to the challenges of Messilä's steep Karhu slope.
At the starting line of the Tiirismaa Kids Trail sponsored by Romuta, which started at 6 p.m., more than 60 enthusiastic skiers lined up, the youngest being under 5 years old. Kids Trail again offered two series: Kilpa and ForFun. It was wonderful to see how many self-challengers and enjoyers came to the 1.6 km Mäkinen route just for ForFu, either alone, with a family member or a friend.
In the race series, it was once again really hard and, above all, fast, with the fastest people clocking close to seven-minute times. The solutions in many series were only seen at the very end, in the exhausting final stretch. Axel Koiranen, in the colors of the Hollola Athletes, was the first to cross Messilä's streamers and loop in front of the audience, followed by Arttu Juutila of Lahti Suunnistinaje and Hollola's brothers Leo and Lukas Lehtonen. On the girls' side, Kiira Tervo of the Pakkala Palloseura had the hardest ride, leading the troops, right behind Olivia Semeri and Nelly Veikkanen from Lahti Figure Skaters.
Like last year, Aino Tenhunen (Lahdi Ski Club) won the under-10 girls' series, ahead of Mikaela Mattila and Lilian Erkkilä (Trail blazers). On the boys' side of the same age, the top three were Leo Lehtonen (Hollola athletes -46), Akseli Viero (Hyvinkä region athletes), and Aarne Erävuoma (Espoon Ski Club)
In girls under 12, the top three was structured as follows:
1. Kiira Tervo (Pakkalan Ball Club), 2. Sofia Kiuru (Lahti Ski Club Alppi), 3. Daniela Mattila.
On the boys' side, the top three were: Lukas Lehtonen (Hollolan Urheilijat -46), Leevi Bruun (LHS), Toivo Kouki (FC Kuusysi)
Top 3 of Kids Trail's oldest age group, i.e. under 14:
Girls: Olivia Sermeri (Lahti Figure Skaters), Nelly Veikkanen (Lahti Figure Skaters), Aliisa Rotko (Lahti Ski Club)
Boys: Axel Koiranen (Hollolan Urheilijat -46), who renewed his victory in his new series ahead of Aleksi Juutila (Lahdi Suunnistajat -37)
In Kids Trail, measurements were also taken as teams in teams of three in one series. The team could therefore be put together without age or series restrictions. In the team competition, this year we saw many teams from different clubs.
The best of the Kids Trail team competition:
Girls:
1. Lahti Ski Club (Aino Tenhunen, Aliisa Rotko, Vilma Vanhamäki)
2. Lahti Ski Club Alppi (Sofia Halme, Katariina Rotko, Enni Kiuru)
Boys:
1. Hollola's Athletes -46 (Axel Koiranen, Leo Lehtonen, Luukas Lehtonen)
2. FC Kuusysi 1 (Toivo Kouki, Akseli Hämäläinen, Topias Toikko)
3. FC Kuusysi 2 (Steven-Henry Loodus, Emil Kylliäinen, Vilho Vehko)
Along with the Kids Trail, the fast-paced Tiirismaa UpHill was also sprinted on the same 1.6 km route. A total of 13 brave men set out to challenge themselves and their friends to the excruciating ascent and descent of Messilä.
From the beginning of Messilä's Karhu nous, it still seemed that the competition was between Miika Heikkilä (Espoon Ski Club) and Ville Hellman. In the end, moving to the serpentine section, Heikkilä was in a class of his own and skied to the stadium in supreme solitude. By the way, let's mention Heikkilä's time; 6:03 am. It's a tough class and everyone can try it. Hellman took second place just as clearly and Uula Vainio fought for third place.
In the women's race, Essi Vuorenmaa (Hiekkaharjun Hikipyllyt) was crowned the winner with a fierce move and a new women's course record of 8:14. The women's UpHill series was a celebration of Hikipylly, as the second and third places went to Hiekkaharju by Jaana Wuoma and Emilia Osamal. Thus, the title of the team competition and Sysmä's Luomuherkkujenmyslit deservedly traveled to Hiekkaharju Hikipyllyje.
The wonderful first day and evening ended with the communal Messilä Vertical, which had already been packed from 2 p.m. during the Kids Trail and UpHill. This year's Vertical saw the very best of our country's ultra runners, when Johanna Antila and Juuso Simpanen, who had been boiled in many broths, started together with 35 other brave warriors.
The story flowed in the group well into the evening, with Juha Sorvisto pacing the group for a new round. During the check-in and maintenance of the rounds, thanks were heard for this format, which has certainly come to stay in Tiirismaa.
The first three to four hours of the Vertical were still spent thinking "everyone was so nice there", but little by little the journey (ascent and speed) started to do its job. Little by little, the group started to thin out, as one by one participant after participant stated with a smile, their legs "numb", that this wasn't enough for this batch.
On the women's side, the silver and bronze positions of the medal trio were found out after round 25, when last summer's Tiirismaa Trail 42 km silver medalist Anna Hopia (26 rounds) took the bronze and Ruut Joensuu (34 rounds) the silver.
At 8:30 p.m., when the pace was already 7 min/lap (5:50 min/km) and a distance of approx. 46 km had been accumulated, the four-person orchestra Ari-Pekka Joensuu, Juuso Simpanen, Verneri Teppo and the winner of the women's series Johanna Antila could still be seen in perfect harmony. The uphills were still "relaxed and easy", but the downhills too YouTube broadcast the running camera was allowed to put one person in front of another. It wasn't for nothing that Johanna Antila was hyped in advance, the woman flashed such a convincing performance in the company of the male trio.
At the end of lap 41 (first 6:45min/ lap) we could see the taste of the solution for the men's trio, when Verneri Teppo had to give up and thus the bronze ball after a grueling performance.
The next woman's number one, Johanna Antila, who hit the table with an AMAZING 43 rounds, jumped out of the three spots next!
In Messilä, the evening started to get dark, when the two bear-like heroes Joensuu and Simpanen went for a spin, accompanied by encouragement, already from lap 45.
The duo's advances could be admired until round 49 before the solution was seen. Joensuu fought magnificently up and down the slope, but in the end could not do anything better. In any case, a great bet from Joesuu, who at the same time got the longest run of his life at the same time from Messilä. We will hear more about this man!
Thus, Juuso Simpane was crowned the king of Messilä Vertical 2024 with an unimaginable 50 laps. And let it be mentioned here that the distance was more than 60 kilometers, almost 8 hours up and down on a route with 92 m of ascent per lap. You can try and complete!
Ari-Pekka Joensuu in the background
Many competitors heard that Vertical offered exactly what they came for: good vibes and a good workout!
The Tiirismaa Trail mountain festival day certainly offered everyone experiences, experiences and everything from joy to pain. You can return to the moments of Friday via the YouTube broadcast, images that slowly load into the photo gallery, and the result service website.
Trail running races continue on Saturday in Messilä! Stay tuned!
Photos: Susanna Tervo & Marianna Saren
