{"id":7356,"date":"2026-05-21T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nuts.fi\/?p=7356"},"modified":"2026-05-20T15:14:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T12:14:39","slug":"simpanen-chases-his-own-record-nuts-karhunkierros-grows-into-a-giant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nuts.fi\/en\/simpanen-chases-his-own-record-nuts-karhunkierros-grows-into-a-giant\/","title":{"rendered":"Simpanen chases his own record \u2013 NUTS Karhunkierros grows into a giant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This coming weekend, records will most likely be broken at NUTS Karhunkierros even before the first runner crosses the finish line.More than 4,100 participants have registered in advance, which strongly suggests that last year\u2019s participation record of 3,412 runners will be shattered. The only real question is whether the new record figure will begin with a three or a four. <\/p>\n\n

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The spotlight will be on the 166-kilometer race, where Juuso Simpanen aims to break his own course record from 2021 (17:29:45). Around 370 runners have signed up for the premier distance \u2014 a number that would have seemed unimaginable just a decade ago, when the same race attracted only around fifty brave souls. \u2013 At least my fitness feels good right now, and I\u2019ve stayed healthy throughout the spring. I just hope I can avoid the illness currently spreading through the family, Simpanen said during race week. \u2013 The course record is definitely in my sights, and that\u2019s what I\u2019m going after.Simpanen knows exactly what the demanding Karhunkierros route requires. Ten years ago, he had to abandon the race at the 140-kilometer mark in Juuma after blisters, energy depletion, and finally a sprained ankle became too much to handle. \u2013 The following year I already knew how to prepare much better for the demands of a hundred-miler. The biggest lesson was that you have to be ready for everything and be able to solve problems quickly even when exhausted, before they start piling up, Simpanen recalled about 2017, the year he earned his first victory in the hundred-mile race. Everything also clicked perfectly in 2021. Training had gone well, conditions were favorable, and the result was a blistering course record that Simpanen is now chasing once again. In total, Simpanen has won the 166-kilometer race in Kuusamo three times. He also holds victories in the 34 km and 83 km events. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Two years ago, Juuso Simpanen claimed his latest victory at the Karhunkierros trail race. Photo: Rami Valonen <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Will Kunnari once again be seen sitting on a tree stump?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
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Simpanen is not the only runner with ambitious goals. Frequent podium finisher Juho Kunnari returns to the 166-kilometer Karhunkierros after a one-year break, aiming to break the 20-hour barrier. \u2013 I skipped last year because I ran the hundred-mile race at Trail Alsace by UTMB in France at the same time. That race left a bad taste because I was still recovering from the flu during race week. It\u2019s always great to come run in the Oulanka scenery, Kunnari said. The route has become familiar to Kunnari over the years, although the final month before the race has been challenging.\u2013 Mustavuori Uphill Challenge was my season opener. Recovery took longer than expected. I\u2019ve also had to treat something resembling inflammation in the sole of my foot, said Kunnari, who dominated the eight-hour race at Mustavuori. Despite the setbacks, his mindset remains strong, and the scenery matters when fatigue starts to hit.\u2013 It\u2019s always nice to see Valtavaara on the return leg. You know there isn\u2019t much left. The ridge sections along Oulanka and the rapids with their waterfalls are also stunning parts of the route. Kunnari also revealed his unusual habit when exhaustion takes over.– When I run out of energy, I look for a suitable tree stump or log to sit on for a moment and reflect on life. I think I\u2019ve done that in every hundred-mile race without exception. I\u2019ll probably do it again even if things are going well, just so the streak doesn\u2019t break. In tough races, it just happens more often. The Karhunkierros ultra also serves as the opening event of the Ultra Trail Tour Finland (UTTF). The other races in the series are NUTS Yll\u00e4s Pallas (160 km) and Vaarojen Maraton (134 km). Kunnari, a two-time UTTF champion, will not compete in the full series this year. – Again this year I\u2019m skipping the full UTTF tour. In August I\u2019ll race Pogosta 300. It\u2019s exciting to get new routes in Finland, and now I\u2019m heading into somewhat unknown territory since the race distance doubles. In the women\u2019s hundred-mile race, likely contenders include Nea Heilala (fourth last year), Suvi Pitk\u00e4nen (sixth), and Heli Luoma (eighth). No other women from last year\u2019s top ten are returning. Mai Helske has performed strongly in the TTF series, finishing second overall in 2025, and placed fourth in the 100 km race at NUTS Yll\u00e4s Pallas last year. Saila Koikkalainen also owns strong results from long-distance races. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Two years ago, parts of the course were extremely wet. Juho Kunnari finished second that year. Photo: Rami Valonen <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Raunio seeks maximum points once again<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
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The 55-kilometer race is one of Karhunkierros\u2019 most popular distances. It also serves as the second event of the Trail Tour Finland (TTF) season. TTF consists of eight races, with the four best results counting toward the final standings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The women\u2019s race features a strong duo. Tuuli Raunio recently won the 21-kilometer race at Bodom Trail, the opening event of the TTF season, and even threatened the course record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Recovery from Bodom Trail has gone as expected. I\u2019ve still been training almost normally this week, and now I\u2019m starting to taper toward Karhunkierros, Raunio said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trail running has quickly captivated the former competitive cross-country skier. Last spring, she made her trail running debut at Karhunkierros in the 83-kilometer race and finished eighth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 It was quite a learning experience, but it sparked my interest in longer distances. I also ran the 65 km at Vaarojen Maraton last autumn. That race actually felt like it ended too quickly, so I don\u2019t think 55 km will cause problems because of its length, Raunio estimated. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Tuuli Raunio impressed with her pace at Bodom Trail. Photo: Teemu Oksanen <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

The 55-kilometer race is one of Karhunkierros\u2019 most popular distances. It also serves as the second event of the Trail Tour Finland (TTF) season. TTF consists of eight races, with the four best results counting toward the final standings. <\/p>\n\n

The women\u2019s race features a strong duo. Tuuli Raunio recently won the 21-kilometer race at Bodom Trail, the opening event of the TTF season, and even threatened the course record.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Recovery from Bodom Trail has gone as expected. I\u2019ve still been training almost normally this week, and now I\u2019m starting to taper toward Karhunkierros, Raunio said.<\/p>\n\n

Trail running has quickly captivated the former competitive cross-country skier. Last spring, she made her trail running debut at Karhunkierros in the 83-kilometer race and finished eighth. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 It was quite a learning experience, but it sparked my interest in longer distances. I also ran the 65 km at Vaarojen Maraton last autumn. That race actually felt like it ended too quickly, so I don\u2019t think 55 km will cause problems because of its length, Raunio estimated. <\/p>\n\n

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Nilkkavammasta k\u00e4rsinyt Kaisa Pirkonen juhli voittoa NUTS Yll\u00e4s Pallaksella viime vuonna. Kuva: Poppis Suomela <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Another strong contender in the women\u2019s race is Kaisa Pirkonen, who represented Finland at last autumn\u2019s World Championships and won the 66-kilometer race at NUTS Yll\u00e4s Pallas last year. However, her path to Karhunkierros has been rocky. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 I had another ankle surgery at the beginning of December. The screws and plate were removed. The ankle itself is now good, but its limited mobility had already caused an injury to the hamstring and glute on the opposite leg. Running has been quite challenging this winter. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 I really haven\u2019t been able to do threshold workouts while running until the past month. Things are finally looking a bit brighter now <\/p>\n\n

Pirkonen has never raced at Karhunkierros before, and her starting spot came somewhat unexpectedly.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 My spouse had a place in the race this year but can\u2019t participate, so the spot transferred to me. Even though I\u2019m not in quite the shape I\u2019d hoped for, I\u2019m really excited to start, she said. <\/p>\n\n

She refuses to set a time goal but has no shortage of motivation.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 My child instructed me to run 55 kilometers as hard as I possibly can. That\u2019s quite a goal in itself. I\u2019m especially looking forward to the stunning scenery, the amazing atmosphere, and the flow state brought on by physical exertion. <\/p>\n\n

Sorvisto\u2019s training data commands respect<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n
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Eetu Nordman finished third in the 34-kilometer race two years ago. Photo: Rami Valonen <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

There is no clear favorite in the men\u2019s 55-kilometer race. One particularly interesting name is Eetu Nordman, who skipped the lucrative P\u00e4rn\u00e4vaara trail event to focus entirely on Karhunkierros. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013Just a minor piriformis-type issue, and doing both P\u00e4rn\u00e4vaara and Karhunkierros within eight days started to feel impossible, Nordman explained<\/p>\n\n

Kilpailu tulee olemaan kova, sill\u00e4 l\u00e4ht\u00f6listoilla n\u00e4kyy vahvoja nimi\u00e4.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 There are at least a few really strong guys with skiing backgrounds, like Elias Valikainen and Benjamin Holmgren, and of course endurance all-rounder Juha Sorvisto, who according to reports from Lahti\u2019s Radiom\u00e4ki is apparently in 4050-meter Cooper test shape, Nordman joked.<\/p>\n\n

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Sorvisto has never raced at Karhunkierros before, although the route is familiar from nearly twenty years ago <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Juha Sorvisto, the 2020 TTF champion, is indeed in top form. According to his Strava training data, he has recently completed two-kilometer trail intervals at around 3:35 min\/km pace. <\/p>\n\n

Sorvisto has never raced at Karhunkierros before, although the route is familiar from nearly twenty years ago<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 I thought now might be the right moment to check this challenge off the list. I\u2019m also curious to see the hype surrounding this event with my own eyes, especially from the perspective of organizing Tiirismaa Trail. Is there really something special about Karhunkierros? That\u2019s partly what I\u2019m here to find out. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 At some point the goal became breaking ten hours, because when we started climbing Valtavaara, about 9 hours and 15 minutes had already passed. In the end, almost gritting our teeth, we reached Ruka village in 9:58. It\u2019s still the longest run of my life. We\u2019ll see if faded memories return during the hardest final section of the course. <\/p>\n\n

Now the 55 km race serves as preparation for his first-ever 100-kilometer race from Pallas to Yll\u00e4s in July.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 My goal on these new routes is to find exactly the right race pace that I can sustain sensibly all the way to the finish. I haven\u2019t even looked at the start lists once. I\u2019ve mostly focused in training on figuring out what kind of intensity I can realistically hold for over 55 kilometers. I\u2019m not planning to hold back. <\/p>\n\n

Width nervous about the night race<\/h2>\n\n
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Last year, Kristiane Width won the 55-kilometer race in the darkening evening of Ruka. This year she returns to familiar terrain for the 83-kilometer event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her life has changed dramatically since last year. In early autumn she packed up her home in Espoo and drove 840 kilometers north to Rovaniemi, where she now studies Arctic World Politics at the University of Lapland and coaches 11-year-old girls in football. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 This past winter and training in Lapland have been a perfect and unique combination. Historically, Lapland experienced its coldest winter in 40 years. I skied every single day when possible \u2014 even in minus 35 degrees Celsius, Width laughed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 83-kilometer distance \u2014 and especially racing through the night \u2014 makes her nervous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 I have to admit I\u2019m more nervous than usual because I\u2019m not an evening or night person. Deep down I\u2019m basically a grandma who would rather already be asleep by 9 p.m. So running through the entire night will really test me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 My goal is to reach the finish with both legs intact, preferably with my arms still attached to my body and my head somehow still functioning. The night will be long and exhausting, so above all I\u2019m going into the race looking for patience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Width also has major goals ahead later this summer. She has been selected for Finland\u2019s European Championship team and will compete in Slovenia in both the short trail and uphill events in June. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– I\u2019ve been there once hiking with my best friend, and wow \u2014 the scenery is unbelievable. It\u2019s a beautiful place, so I\u2019m incredibly grateful and excited to create new memories in the Slovenian mountains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before that, however, Width and thousands of fellow runners will create new memories in the rugged scenery of Oulanka National Park.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Kristiane Width celebrating last year. Photo: Simo Vilhunen <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

TEXT: Marko Krapu<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This coming weekend, records will most likely be broken at NUTS Karhunkierros even before the first runner crosses the finish line. More than 4,100 participants have registered in advance, which strongly suggests that last year\u2019s participation record of 3,412 runners will be shattered. The only real question is whether the new record figure will begin…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":7355,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[74,71,116],"tags":[117,118,119],"class_list":["post-7356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-nuts-karhunkierros","category-nuts-trail-running","tag-trail-running","tag-trail-running-event","tag-ultrarunning"],"yoast_head":"\nSimpanen chases his own record \u2013 NUTS Karhunkierros grows into a giant - NUTS Trail Running<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nuts.fi\/en\/simpanen-chases-his-own-record-nuts-karhunkierros-grows-into-a-giant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Simpanen chases his own record \u2013 NUTS Karhunkierros grows into a giant - NUTS Trail Running\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This coming weekend, records will most likely be broken at NUTS Karhunkierros even before the first runner crosses the finish line. 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