Hidden Gems of Pogosta
Hidden Gems of Pogosta – Swimrun Camp in Eastern Finland 11th – 14th of August 2025
Ilomantsi, originally known as Pogosta, is the most eastern municipality of Finland and Continental European Union. For a swimrunner, numbers of crystal-clear lakes in the middle of the uninhabited wilderness can be described as the hidden gems of Pogosta. Water of these green-blue lakes is clear, fresh and relatively warm.
Beyond the lakes you will find a great list of different gems when you visit Pogosta: Hundreds of kilometers of easy trails on long ridges (formed during ice age) and in pine forests, traditional Karelian (local) food, views from the top of the Winetower and the hill of estate Parppeinpirtti and a piece of local history from World War 2.
The camp accommodation will take place in a former elementary school from 1928 which nowadays operates as an inn called Möhkön Manta. In Möhkö, the most eastern village of Finland, you will see a lot of history i.a. logging site café and ironworks. To and back from one of the swimrun trainings we will take a traditional river boat. And of course, you will relax in a Finnish wood-burning sauna after these tough swimrun days!
During the camp we will go through altogether 6 loop-shaped swimrun group sessions, all in different places with different themes: Long, short, swamp running, swim-based, run-based and one with swimming technique clinic. All the sessions will be done in one group which means you have to meet the physical standards shown later below. All the swims will take place in crystal clear “gems” – more than 30 times! During these 4 days you will get a chance to reach more than 50 kilometers of swimrun in 18 gems 💎
Camp schedule:
Monday 11th
At 16.00 Welcome Toast and Get-together on top of Ilomantsi Winetower
At 17.30 Swamp Swimrun 2,5 h
At 20.30 Check-in Möhkö, Mantan majatalo inn
At 21.00 Opening of camp and athlete’s supper
Tuesday 12th
At 07.00 Breakfast
At 09.00 Short Swimrun – Swimming technique clinic with video recording
At 11.00 Technique video analysis
At 12.00 Lunch
At 13.00 Run-based Swimrun 2 h + river boat transportation 3 h (including a light meal after swimrun)
At 18.30 Finnish Sauna and river swimming in Möhkö
At 19.30 Dinner
At 20.30 Evening Walk in Möhkö village
Wednesday 13th
At 07.00 Breakfast
At 08.30 Long Swimrun – Petkeljärvi National Park ~4 h
At 13.30 Lunch
(After lunch there’s a chance to visit attractions in Möhkö)
At 17.00 Short Swimrun – 1 h
At 18.00–20.00 Finnish Sauna and river swimming in Möhkö
Klo 20.00 Dinner (Banquet) and social evening
Thursday 14th
At 07.00 Breakfast
At 09.30 Easy Swimrun – Kaunisjärvi 1,5 h
At 14.00 Karelian Buffet in the estate Parppeinpirtti
Friday 15th
At 22.00 Start of Kuopio Backyard Swimrun – Fighters!
Saturday 16th
At 10.00 Start of Kuopio Backyard Swimrun – Lighters
The camp fee 599 € (Early Bird fee 499€ until 31st of October 2024)
Included in the camp fee:
* 6 fully guided swimrun training sessions in different places with different themes
* Swimming technical clinic (theory, personal video recording and group feedback)
* A welcome glass of sparkling in Winetower
* A River Boat ride to a swimrun training and back (capacity for the first 20 entered)
* 3 nights in Mantan Majatalo Inn (shared rooms)
* Full board (3x breakfast, 2x lunch, 2x dinner + 1x supper and 1x light outdoor meal)
* 1 energy station during the long 4 h swimrun
* Finnish wood-burning Sauna on Tuesday and Wednesday
* Free Kuopio Backyard Swimrun entry (either as a fighter or a lighter)
In addition, when registering, you can choose to book the following additional services:
* Karelian Buffet in the estate Parppeinpirtti, check menu here (must be paid on site, 25-30€)
* If you prefer to stay in a private (for example you’d like to join with your family), there are a couple of row house apartments (for 2-4 persons) available 400 m from the inn at a little extra price. Please ask for an offer!
By registering at the camp, you accept to follow the terms and conditions shown below.
Terms and conditions:
* The organizer of the Hidden Gems of Pogosta Swimrun Camp (Kuopio Swimrun) is not responsible for any injury or corresponding physical damage that may happen to a participant during the activities of the camp.
* The full camp fee must be paid upon registration via bank transfer. The camp fee is 100% refundable until the 27th of July. Thereafter the camp fee is non-refundable, but transferable to another person or year 2026 (only for medical reasons).
* The maximum capacity for the camp is 24 first registered swimrunners. The camp will be organized when there are at least 8 participants there on the 27th of July.
* At the time of the camp, a participant must be able to swim min. 500 m continuous openwater freestyle and run 10 kilometers on road between 40 – 70 min.
* Moving between training sites and accommodation will happen by each own car / carpool. If you are flying from abroad, we recommend you take a flight to Helsinki and then rent a car and drive to Ilomantsi (5-6 hours). Then, it’s easy after camp to continue by car to Backyard in Kuopio (2,5 hours).
* If you are going to travel alone and want to use public transport, please contact us as early as possible and we can help you out!
Welcome to spend a memorable swimrun week in Eastern Finland!
Sampo Hyppölä
Hidden Gems of Pogosta - by Kuopio Swimrun
info(a)kuopioswimrun.fi
+358442505343
Photos Janne Räsänen, Sampo Hyppölä, Sami Naatula
