Tuusula once again honours successful athletes and teams
In 2025, the Tuusula Culture and Leisure Committee honoured Tuusula athletes and teams who had achieved sporting success. The awards ceremony was held on 5 February 2026 in Halosenniemi.
Four athletes were awarded in the general category: Noora Häkkinen (Helsinki Athletics Cheerleaders), who won bronze in the women’s cheerleading World Championships and gold in the European Championships; and Camilla Ojapalo, Siiri Uusitalo and Maija Väyrynen, who won the world championship with the Blue Rings national ringette team.
In the junior category, the best athletes were Mila Heikkonen from Tuusula, who competed in the HIFK-friidrott club, and Ella Tarssanen from Blue Rings. Heikkonen won gold in the Finnish Championships in the youth 100-metre and 400-metre hurdles and came fourth in the European Championships in the under-20 400-metre hurdles. Tarssanen, meanwhile, won the world championship in the U21 series with the national ringette team.
Lasse Pelkonen was named Best Senior Athlete for winning silver at the World Championships in the under-94 kg kickboxing category. Lassi Niemi from the Kerava Rowing Club was named Best Athlete in Other Sports, winning a total of 11 Finnish championships during the year. The award for best team went to the Blizzard team from the Spirit Shakin’ Cheerleaders club, which won the European championship in the junior All Girl Elite category as well as the Finnish championship.
The Sports and Exercise Recognition Award was presented to Tuusulanjärven Purjehtijat (Tuusulanjärvi Sailors) for their long-standing and commendable sailing training on Lake Tuusulanjärvi. Tuusulanjärven Purjehtijat has been organising activities that support local sports culture on a long-term basis. Sailing camps for children have been organised since the 1970s, and sailing courses for young people and adults since 1990.
The rewards committee awarded scholarships for success to all junior athletes, as well as athletes in the general category and other sports categories. The scholarship also rewarded the best team and the recipient of the recognition award. As is tradition, Kuljetus R.Stenvall also donated scholarships, with a particular focus on young athletes.
Candidates by category
Juniors
Silja Filenius, Espoo Tapiot
Athletics N19 series 400 m Finnish Championship bronze. N 4×100 m Finnish Championship bronze and N19 4×400 m Finnish Championship gold.
Eero Haikola, Pakilan Veto
M17 10 km V SM silver, M17 15 km P SM 4th place. M18 3×5 m SM relay gold.
Tara Hallia, Järvenpää Swimming Club
Gold medalist in the 100-metre butterfly at the Age Group Championships in summer and winter. Selected to represent Finland at the European Youth Olympic Festival.
Mila Heikkonen, HIFK Athletics
Finnish Junior Championships gold medallist in the 100 m hurdles and 400 m hurdles. Fourth place in the 400 m hurdles at the European Under-20 Championships and eighth place in the 100 m hurdles at the European Under-20 Championships.
Matias Heinonen, Keravan Luistinseura Silver
medalist in the Finnish Junior Figure Skating Championships. Fourth place in the 2025 Nordic Championships.
Ukko Laaksonen Finnish
Enduro U20 Championship 2025. This year, he started competing in enduro at the World Championship level.
Nuutti Leppänen, Kuy (Central Uusimaa Athletics) Three Finnish championships
in the M17 series, 60 metres hurdles (indoor), 110 metres hurdles and 400 metres hurdles. Fifth place in the 400 metres hurdles at the European Youth Olympic Festival.
Yaroslav Miniailo, Tuusula Boxing Club Silver medalist in
his weight class at the Finnish Youth Boxing Championships.
Eetu Pekkala, Pallokerho Keski-Uusimaa/Keravan Urheilijat
Cross-country skiing: SM silver medal in the Hopeasompa finals in Jyväskylä (series P15, 5 km traditional)
Football: Represented Finland in all international matches in his age group (U15/U16) during the year and scored two goals. His club team PKKU came fourth in the P15 southern league.
Leon Pelkonen, Järvenpää Kehäkarhut
Boxing Finnish Championship bronze medalist in the D-youth 42 kg category.
Ida Tapaninen, Tuusula Boxing Club Silver medalist in the BT-57
kg category at the Finnish Youth Boxing Championships
Ella Tarssanen, Blue Rings
World Championship in the U21 national team.
Maisa Uutela, Tuusulan Luistelijat
Selected for the women’s national figure skating team. Ranked 7th in the Finnish Championships. Represented Finland in the World Junior Grand Prix, finishing 17th. Ranked 4th in the novice category at the Nordic Championships.
Teo Hallia, Järvenpää Swimming Club Regional
Championships Age Group Championships bronze medal in the P12 50-metre butterfly and breaststroke.
Matilda Holma, Tuusulan Luistelijat
Silver medal in the Debytantit series in single skating. Selected for the Finnish Figure Skating Association’s youth project group for the 2025–2026 season.
Eevi Leppänen, PK-35 Vantaa, played with
the U17 national team in the European Championship qualifiers in Turku. The team finished second in its group.
Selected for all national team events in her age group (U17 and U18).
Elea Leppänen, Field Athletes -58 Bronze medal in the T14 pentathlon
team competition at the Finnish Athletics Championships. Youth Athletic Games, gold medal in the T15 4 x 800 m.
Netta Multanen, Tuusulan Luistelijat
A-silmujen series championship in spring 2025 in single skating. Selected for the Finnish Figure Skating Association’s youth project group for the 2025–2026 season.
Akseli Pilkama, Tuusula Fighter Club
Helsinki Open 13 December 2025: victory in kickboxing as the reigning Finnish champion. Hämeenlinna Open 22 November 2025: victory over a more experienced opponent in a higher age category.
Roope Rintamäki, Cosmic Järvenpää
SM 6th place in his age group (12 years old). A perfect 300-point series as Finland’s second youngest bowler.
Jesse Simonen, Tups
Team sports pillar. Eight years of playing ice hockey at full throttle and five years of football at Tups.
Riku Tallus, Järvenpää Swimming Club
Regional Age Group Championships: bronze medal in the P10 50-metre breaststroke. Regional Age Group Championships: fourth place in the P10 50-metre backstroke.
Josefina Taskula, Kiekko-Espoo
Ringette B-Youth Finnish Championship (B-SM)
General series
Noora Häkkinen, Helsinki Athletics Cheerleaders
Bronze medal in the women’s category (All Girl Premier series) at the World Cheerleading Championships. Gold medal in the women’s category at the European Cheerleading Championships.
Joonas Kumpulainen, Orimattilan Jymy
Kalevan Kisoissa 1500 m SM silver and under-20 series 800 m and 1500 m gold. Representing Finland in athletics in the 1500 m U20 European Championships and the adult Sweden match.
Helmi Käkelä, Helsingfors Simsällskap and the Finnish national team Bronze medal in the women’s 100 m breaststroke and
bronze medal in the women’s 4×100 m medley relay at the Nordic Swimming Championships. Bronze medal in the women’s 200 m breaststroke at the Finnish Short Course Swimming Championships.
Erno Rohtoja, TuusNy
Finnish boxing championship silver medal in the +90 kg category. Estonian boxing championship gold medal in the +90 kg category.
Camilla Ojapalo, Siiri Uusitalo and Maija Väyrynen, Blue Rings
World Championship in the national ringette team.
Other species
Noa Bloigu, Espoo Motorsport Club Third place in the
X30 Junior series of the IAME Series Finland karting competition. First place in the IAME Series Honkajoki competition.
Tatu Makkonen, Reko Racing Club
Supermoto S4 Estonian/Latvian series championship and S4 series SM silver medal. Supermoto S4 European Cup 9th place.
Jooa Mitsui Finnish
Downhill Cycling Championship in the U17 series. Finnish MTB Enduro Championship in the U17 series.
Lassi Niemi, Keravan Urheilijat, rowing section
A total of 11 Finnish championships. Nordic championship in indoor rowing 2000 m men 23 in the lightweight series. Selected as the best junior in the Sulkava rowing competition for the second year in a row.
Aada Nykänen, Järvenpään Jousiampujat
In archery, seven Finnish championships and over 10 Finnish records in the under-13 category with a reflex bow. Finnish championship in target archery. Finnish championship in indoor archery. Finnish championship in field archery.
Teams
Spirit Shakin’ Cheerleaders, Blizzard
Cheerleading’s Junior All Girl Elite series Finnish championship and European championship in 2025. European Cheer League victory and qualification for the 2025 European Championships.
KJT Haukat U15 Blue (2011) team
The team won its second consecutive Finnish Ice Hockey Association Southern Region Championship in the finals in spring 2025. In 2024, the team won its first championship in the club’s history.
Team Matti and Mari Leppänen
Lightning boats Finnish Championship 2025 in Lahti in a three-day competition.
Seniors
Pasi Huuhtanen
Road Racing Classic 8D sidecars Nordic Championship Series bronze. Nordisk Open Road Racing Classic 8D 4th place.
Riikka Majander, Järvenpää Swimming Club
Swimming N 40–44 50 m PU PM gold with a time of 28.74. 100 m VU PM gold with a time of 58.24.
Lasse Pelkonen, Järvenpää Kehäkarhut,
won silver in the under 94 kg category in the kick light style of kickboxing for veterans.
Sirpa Sillman, Nurmijärvi Athletics
N75 years old Finnish Championship gold medalist in the standing long jump, result 1.76 m. N75 years old Finnish Championship gold medalist in the high jump, result 94 cm.
Titta Sillman, Helsingin Kisa-Veikot
N45 Finnish Championship gold medalist in triple jump, result 7.33 m. N45 Finnish Championship gold medalist in pole vault, both indoor and outdoor competitions.
Recognition Award for Physical Activity and Sport
Mikko Hellgren, coach of the Jokela boys’ football team
Mikko has been coaching the Jokela Kisa boys’ football team for at least five years. He is always present at games and training sessions, rain or shine. The team of boys born between 2011 and 2013 has played in two or three leagues each season, and training sessions are usually held twice a week, so Mikko selflessly devotes at least 5–7 hours a week to promoting football and physical activity among young people in Jokela. That’s easily over a thousand hours already!
Tuusulanjärven Purjehtijat, sailing training on Lake Tuusulanjärvi
Tuusulanjärven Purjehtijat has been organising sailing courses for young people and adults since 1990. Sailing camps for children have been organised since the 1970s. The club organises weekly Tuesday races, which form a unique competition series lasting the entire season. The club also has sailors who have competed in European championships and won European championship medals. Medal positions have also been achieved in the World Championships. Three Olympic sailors have come from Tuusulanjärven Purjehtijat, the most recent being Akseli Keskinen.
Matti Innala, Markku Tenhunen and Timo Meisalo organised the first sailing course for young people and adults in 1990 under the guidance of Esa Kalervo from the Finnish Sailing Instructors Association. The age range of the course participants was 12–65, which demonstrated that there was sufficient demand. Matti Innala, Sakari Pesola and Esko Aalto have since developed the club’s course and training activities as well as sailing coaching. Every summer, a large group of active sailors and junior instructors from the club serve as instructors for the sailing courses and training sessions.
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Attractive housing and efficient services make Tuusula a pleasant place for residents and businesses to live and work.
Decisions of the municipal council on 7 April 2025
