Vähälä won his second Finnish national outdoor title in 1970 with a jump of 2.12 m; in addition, he was Finnish indoor champion in 1968 (2.03 m) and 1969 (2.00 m). He represented Finland again at the 1970 European Indoor Championships, where he placed 10th, and the 1971 European Championships, where he failed to qualify for the final.