In search of responsibly produced awards for athletes

In the Biathlon World Cup competition held in Kontiolahti at the beginning of March, the athletes will be rewarded with merchandise prizes produced by local partner companies.

Now the event organizer is looking for new openings for the prize table of future events.

—In the years 2020-24, we will live in the competition pipeline of six World Cup events. After the March event, Kontiolahti will next compete at the opening of the cup season next autumn and again at the opening of the Cup in autumn 2024, says marketing and communications manager Heikki Hamunen from the Kontiolahti Sportsmen's Association, which organizes the event.

There's more to Finland than guts

At the March event, award partners are Tuohi Design from Joensuu, which makes accessories from Finnish birch, Kolo Design from Joensuu, which specializes in ecological gift products, Kupilka from Kontiolahti, which manufactures ecological batch containers and tulues, and Scandinavian Diamonds, which manufactures luxury accessories from domestic wool.

In addition to the placement prizes, all team members receive a product package from Kontiolahti's Sinkkonen Marjatila as a welcome gift.

—In accordance with the International Biathlon Union IBU and our own responsibility guidelines, we also emphasize responsibility in the awards. In addition, it is an advantage that a similar award is suitable for athletes of all sizes and that it is easy for athletes to pack and take them with them. Light and convenient beats big and sturdy, says Hamunen.

—We have rewarded the athletes with local items that are strongly connected to Finnishness. This will continue to be the guideline.

Offers until June

In the individual competitions of the Biathlon World Cup, the six best athletes receive the merchandise prize. In the messages, the goods prize is given to the athletes of the three best teams.

—Preparations for next fall will start right after the event in March. We are waiting for award proposals until the end of June, says Hamunen.

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Info: Suggest awards for the upcoming Finnish competitions of the Biathlon World Cup

• Do you have, for example, suggestions that you have produced yourself that are suitable for prizes and that highlight responsibility and Finnishness? It is an advantage if the awards can be easily transported by the athletes also on the plane and the same product is suitable for athletes of different sizes.
• You can leave suggestions on the event organizer's online form until June 30, 2022. You can find the link to the online form below.