At the finish line and before the start, we collected empty packages of energy gels, energy bars and Jollos candies, marked with the runner’s number, which participated in the draw for next year’s participation places after the race.
This year, the lucky runners had bib numbers 1178, 1222 and 1424. They belong to Jukka-Pekka Multasuo and Risto Ojakoski who ran the ultra distance and marathoner Lasse Liehu.
These three participants will receive an invitation to the 2024 event when the registration opens.
The goal of the trash raffle is to promote litter-free behavior, both in the race and in life in general. The less garbage we produce, and the less it ends up in nature, the better for nature and for ourselves.
Being litter-free is also one of the conditions for the event to receive an organizing permit from Metsähallitus in the future as well. All of Finland’s national parks and other recreational areas managed by Metsähallitus are litter-free. This simply means that when traveling in the terrain, no trash is left behind. There are no trash bins in the park campsites, everyone is expected to transport one’s own trash back to the city.
Litter-free camping reduces driving for maintenance in the parks. This means less noise, emissions and soil wear. In addition to being beneficial for nature, it saves money and work, leaving more resources to be used for improving hiking trails and other national park services.
