Mika Tervala
Encyclopedia
Mika Tervala is a Finnish
mountain bike orienteering
competitor
, World Champion and European Champion. He won individual gold medals at the 2002, 2006 and 2007 World Championships, and a gold medal in the relay in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Mika coaches the Finnish
national mountain bike orienteering teams since spring 2008.
. He competed in biathlon until 1993, when he switched to ski orienteering.
. He competed at the very first World Championships, in Fontainebleau
in 2002, where he won a gold medal in the sprint, placed ninth in the long distance, and obtained a bronze medal in the relay with the Finnish team. At the 2004 World Championships in Ballarat he placed sixth in the middle distance, won a silver medal in the long distance, and a gold medal in the relay together with Timo Sarkkinen and Jussi Mäkilä
. He won a bronze medal in the middle distance at the 2005 World Championships in Banská Bystrica
, and the Finnish team won the gold medal in the relay with the same team as in 2004 (Tervala, Timo Sarkkinen, Jussi Mäkilä).
in Finland. Tervala won a silver medal in the middle distance, and gold medals in the long distance and in the relay (with Jussi Mäkilä and Tuomo Tompuri
). At the European Championships in Warsaw
in August–September 2006, Tervala won gold medals in the long distance and in the relay, and a silver medal in the middle distance. At the European Championships in Castelfiorentino
2007 Tervala won gold medals in both the long distance and the middle distance. The 2007 World Championships were held in Nove Mesto
in August. Tervala placed fifth in the sprint distance and won a gold medal in the middle distance, while the Finnish relay team placed fifth. He also participated at the 2008 World Championships in Ostróda
, where he placed sixth in the relay with the Finnish team.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
mountain bike orienteering
Mountain bike orienteering
Mountain bike orienteering is an orienteering endurance racing sport on a mountain bike where navigation is done along trails and tracks. Compared to foot orienteering, competitors usually are not permitted to leave the trail and track network. Navigation tactics are similar to ski-orienteering,...
competitor
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
, World Champion and European Champion. He won individual gold medals at the 2002, 2006 and 2007 World Championships, and a gold medal in the relay in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Mika coaches the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
national mountain bike orienteering teams since spring 2008.
Early sports career
Tervala started his sports career with biathlonBiathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
. He competed in biathlon until 1993, when he switched to ski orienteering.
2002-2005
After his ski orienteering period Tervala experienced several successful years in mountain bike orienteeringMountain bike orienteering
Mountain bike orienteering is an orienteering endurance racing sport on a mountain bike where navigation is done along trails and tracks. Compared to foot orienteering, competitors usually are not permitted to leave the trail and track network. Navigation tactics are similar to ski-orienteering,...
. He competed at the very first World Championships, in Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
in 2002, where he won a gold medal in the sprint, placed ninth in the long distance, and obtained a bronze medal in the relay with the Finnish team. At the 2004 World Championships in Ballarat he placed sixth in the middle distance, won a silver medal in the long distance, and a gold medal in the relay together with Timo Sarkkinen and Jussi Mäkilä
Jussi Mäkilä
Jussi Mäkilä is a Finnish mountain bike orienteering competitor and World Champion. He won an individual gold medal at the 2002 World MTB Orienteering Championships, and a gold medals in the relay in 2004, 2005 and 2006.-References:...
. He won a bronze medal in the middle distance at the 2005 World Championships in Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
, and the Finnish team won the gold medal in the relay with the same team as in 2004 (Tervala, Timo Sarkkinen, Jussi Mäkilä).
2006-2008
In 2006 the World Championships were held in JoensuuJoensuu
Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
in Finland. Tervala won a silver medal in the middle distance, and gold medals in the long distance and in the relay (with Jussi Mäkilä and Tuomo Tompuri
Tuomo Tompuri
Tuomo Tompuri is a Finnish mountain bike orienteering competitor and World Champion. He won an individual gold medal at the 2006 World MTB Orienteering Championships, and a gold medals in the relay.-References:...
). At the European Championships in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in August–September 2006, Tervala won gold medals in the long distance and in the relay, and a silver medal in the middle distance. At the European Championships in Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 30 km southwest of Florence.The population is approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
2007 Tervala won gold medals in both the long distance and the middle distance. The 2007 World Championships were held in Nove Mesto
Nove Mesto
Nove Mesto, meaning "New Town" in Czech and Slovak, may refer to:* Nové Město , places in the Czech Republic* Nové Mesto , places in Slovakia and Hungary...
in August. Tervala placed fifth in the sprint distance and won a gold medal in the middle distance, while the Finnish relay team placed fifth. He also participated at the 2008 World Championships in Ostróda
Ostróda
Ostróda is a town in Ostróda County in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland, with 33,603 inhabitants as of January 1, 2005. It lies in the Masurian Lake District and is a growing tourist site owing to its relaxing natural surroundings.-History:...
, where he placed sixth in the relay with the Finnish team.