# Kainuu Orienteering Week

Kainuu Orienteering Week (KOW) is an annual Finnish, international, orienteering event held in the Kainuu region. Kainuu Orienteering Week is organized by Kainuun Rastiviikko Association. Measured by the number of participants, Kainuu Orienteering Week is one of the top-15 sports events in Finland and it is also one of the main events of The Finnish Orienteering Federation.
Kainuu Orienteering Week is the second oldest orienteering week in the world and the first event was arranged in 1966. Since then the event has been held every year, except 1974. The event attracted 315 orienteers in the first year and the participant record is from 2007 when there were 4,884 orienteers in Kainuu Orinteering Week. In 2011 the first city orienteering sprint, organised through the KOW, was run.

## Statistics

| Year | Participants | H21 E Winner | D21 E Winner |
| 1966 | 315 | Finland Veijo Tahvanainen | Finland Raila Huovi |
| 1967 | 425 | Finland Otto Eronen | Finland Eine Laine |
| 1968 | 630 | Finland Veikko Kostiainen | Finland Eine Laine |
| 1969 | 712 | Finland Veikko Kostiainen | Finland Eine Laine |
| 1970 | 808 | Finland Matti Kattilakoski | Finland Kaarina Karsi |
| 1971 | 766 | Finland Veikko Kostiainen | Finland Eeva Lahtonen |
| 1972 | 834 | Finland Veikko Kostiainen | Finland Aila Flöjt |
| 1973 | 988 | Finland Erkki Oikarinen | Finland Eine Laine |
| 1975 | 1 247 | Finland Veikko Koistinen | Finland Aila Flöjt |
| 1976 | 1 333 | Finland Seppo Keskinarkaus | Finland Sinikka Kukkonen |
| 1977 | 1 321 | Finland Veijo Parviainen | Finland Sirkka Ketola |
| 1978 | 1 692 | Finland Esa Turunen | Finland Sinikka Kukkonen |
| 1979 | 2 081 | Finland Seppo Keskinarkaus | Finland Liisa Veijalainen |
| 1980 | 2 167 | Finland Heikki Peltola | Finland Kaija Dahlman |
| 1981 | 2 155 | Finland Simo Nurminen | Finland Liisa Veijalainen |
| 1982 | 2 185 | Finland Jorma Karvonen | Finland Annariitta Lonka |
| 1983 | 2 602 | Finland Raimo Tolonen | Finland Pirjo Mattila |
| 1984 | 2 325 | Sweden Erik Svensson | Sweden Annichen Kringstad-Svensson |
| 1985 | 2 630 | Finland Taisto Kemppainen | Norway Brit Volden |
| 1986 | 3 930 | Finland Keijo Parkkinen | Finland Annariitta Kottonen |
| 1987 | 3 660 | Finland Keijo Parkkinen | Finland Tellervo Parviainen |
| 1988 | 4 163 | Finland Reijo Mattinen | Finland Annika Viilo |
| 1989 | 3 034 | Finland Keijo Parkkinen | Finland Teresa Mäki-Kamppi |
| 1990 | 4 020 | Finland Matti Karvonen | Finland Riitta Karjalainen |
| 1991 | 4 552 | Finland Jarmo Reiman | Finland Ulla Mänttäri |
| 1992 | 3 884 | Latvia Aigars Leiboms | Czech Republic Jana Cierslarová |
| 1993 | 3 853 | Finland Timo Karppinen | Finland Marja-Liisa Portin |
| 1994 | 3 130 | Finland Timo Karppinen | Finland Kirsi Tiira |
| 1995 | 3 103 | Finland Timo Karppinen | Finland Kirsi Tiira |
| 1996 | 4 055 | Finland Timo Karppinen | Finland Kirsi Tiira |
| 1997 | 3 013 | Finland Timo Karppinen | Finland Johanna Asklöf |
| 1998 | 3 102 | Finland Jani Lakanen | Finland Anniina Paronen |
| 1999 | 2 542 | Finland Timo Karppinen | Finland Johanna Asklöf |
| 2000 | 2 593 | Finland Kenneth Cederberg | Finland Liisa Anttila |
| 2001 | 2 872 | Australia Troy de Haas | Finland Paula Haapakoski |
| 2002 | 2 500 | Finland Simo Martomaa | Finland Salla Sukki |
| 2003 | 3 800 | Finland Jani Lakanen | Finland Minna Kauppi |
| 2004 | 3 239 | Finland Kim Fagerudd | Finland Salla Sukki |
| 2005 | 3 780 | Russia Valentin Novikov | Russia Julia Novikova |
| 2006 | 3 074 | Finland Jani Lakanen | Finland Heli Jukkola |
| 2007 | 4 884 | Finland Pasi Ikonen | Finland Heli Jukkola |
| 2008 | 3 503 | Finland Jonne Lakanen | Finland Sofia Haajanen |
| 2009 | 3 312 | Finland Jonne Lakanen | Finland Anne-Mari Leskinen |
| 2010 | 3 652 | Finland Pasi Ikonen | Finland Minna Kauppi |
| 2011 | 3 354 | Sweden Fredrik Johansson | Latvia Inga Dambe |
| 2012 | Kajaani | Finland Jani Lakanen | Finland Karoliina Sundberg |
| 2013 | Vuokatti | | |
| 2015 | Suomussalmi | | |