Media hits in English
Media hits along the way. Thanks for checking out.
Matthew Dennis, UK, The Empowered Traveller has written about his 10-day Interrail adventure in Finland. It was a real pleasure to have Matt as a guide here in Jyväskylä. We had a great day together. The Haukanniemi accessible nature trail with campfire site provided great experiences for all the senses. You can find me in his stories. Thanks for reading.
September 15, 2025 I travelled 1,000km by train to find the secret to Finland's happiness
August 8, 2025 Beyond Helsinki and into Finland's soul
Online news in Finnish
Keskisuomalainen 15.5.2026 Otto Murtoaro "Singles are challenged to donate blood in Jyväskylä".
Keskisuomalainen 18.4.2026 18.4.2026 Ira Blomberg-Kantsila Olympic medalist Eero Hirvonen, 30, is Central Finn of the Year – "We would like to stay in Central Finland in the future" The story about the winner Eero is also in the Sat 18.4. print on pages 24-25. Here is a quote from the beginning of the Central Finn of the Year voting result story. "The combined skier Eero Hirvonen, 30, was elected Central Finn of the Year by an overwhelming majority. The second most votes were collected by Finland's Eurovision representative, Pete Parkkonen from Pihtipuda, and the wilderness guide Katri Tynkkynen from Jyväskylä, known especially for singles events, came in third."
Keskisuomalainen 3.4.2026 Ira Blomberg-Kantsila Here are the finalists for Keskisuomalainen of the Year 2026 – vote for your favorite! The magazine removed the article from the online magazine on Wed 8.4. after the voting period ended. The article can only be found in Keskisuomalainen, in the Good Friday 3.4. print edition on page 36. / I am among the 10 candidates in the final.
Suur-Keuruu 22.2.2026 Outi Kättö Armchair trip around the world – wilderness guide Katri Tynkkynen gives tips for backpackers in Kimara. The article also appears in the Suur-Keuruu print edition on Wednesday 25.2.
Sisä-Suomen Lehti 13.2.2026 Eija Varteva Singles' bonfires invite to Hietama on Valentine's Day The article also appears in the Sisä-Suomen Lehti print edition on Thursday 12.2.
Suur-Keuruu 31.1.2026 Eija Ruoho Singles' bonfires with EräKatri in Keuruu – adults long for genuine encounters Also in the print edition of Suur-Keuruu on Wednesday 4.2. on page A16.
Keskisuomalainen 3.1.2026 Ira Blomberg-Kantsila The Singles' bonfires in Jyväskylä warmed the minds and bodies of the participants, and the numbers changed – "You can do good things like this too" Also in the print edition of Keskisuomalainen on Saturday 3.1. on page 28.
Keskisuomalainen 20.12.2025 Mira Luostarinen, photos Pekka Seppänen Singles get to spend Christmas by the campfire in Jyväskylä Article also in the print edition of Keskisuomalainen on Sunday 21.12. on page 32.
Suur-Keuruu 6.12.2025 Liisa Mantila Independence Day was welcomed in Keuruu with speeches and performances. The celebration was streamed live, there is a link to the recording at the end of the article. I gave the speech, it can be found in the recording from 20:00 onwards. Suur-Keuruu also had another article about Keuruu's Independence Day. Outi M Kättö, Liisa Mantila Keuruu residents value freedom - Independence Day celebration guests share their thoughts on independence
Keskisuomalainen newspaper, theme supplement, Housing package September 7, 2024 editor Seppo Pänkäläinen, photos Timo Mustalampi Katri Tynkkynen from Jyväskylä lives in a former ambulance during the summers: "The car is hot during the day and cool at night" On Saturday 7 September, the headline of the article in the print edition of Keskisuomalainen on page 42 was Wilderness guide Katri Tynkkynen lives in a camper van during the summer.
Suur-Keuruu local newspaper July 23, 2024 editor and photos Outi M. Kättö Entrepreneur Katri Tynkkynen, who changed her profession as an adult, lives in a camper van during the summer and works at the hotel reception. On Wednesday, July 31, the print edition of Suur-Keuruu local nwespaper featured a full-page canoeing photo with the headline From the bank to water and wildfires. In the middle of the newspaperi was my story on pages 14-15, titled Life, featured Katri Tynkkynen changed her field as an adult.
Moreenimedia February 5, 2024 editor and photos Venla Niinilampi “Dare to live your own life” – Katri Tynkkynen reminds us of the importance of dreams
Towards dreams
Podcast, Radio Keskisuomalainen
Editor Maria Markus from Radio Keskisuomalainen messaged me in early summer 2022 and challenged me to a morning coffee to talk about my jump from banking to studying nature and my camper van, where I live for the summer. I thought about the interview for a while and then promised.
On Thursday, July 14, 2022 in the morning, I was in Kuusamo. We spoke in Finnish with journalist Maria on the phone. A nice 13-minute recording remained as a keepsake. Radio Keskisuomalainen podcast July 14, 2022.
Katri Tynkkynen from Jyväskylä bravely set out to make her dreams come true
Teemasuomalainen
Editor Riina Sydänmaalakka contacted me and wanted to do a story. We met in September 2022 in Jyväskylä Lehtisaari with Riina and photographer Sami Saarenpää. The extensive two-page story was published on September 20, 2022 in the Teemasuomalainen supplement of the regional newspapers of the Keskisuomalainen group.
Later, on October 18, 2022, the story was published in the group's local newspapers. The circulation of the story written by Riina expanded to a total of 27 newspapers in Finland. Here is a link to the story in the Finnish-language online newspaper of the Tamperelainen magazine.
By cycling to Paris, you can support children with cancer
Team Rynkeby is one way to help
At the opening of the cycling week in early summer 2015, I ran into my former diving buddy Marko Lehtomäki at the Team Rynkeby point on Kauppakatu in the center of Jyväskylä. He said he was cycling from Jyväskylä to Paris. And that's what he did. Marko, who comes from Multia, cycled to Paris with the Tampere team in July 2015.
When a new team was being put together in Jyväskylä in the fall of 2015, I got a tip from Marko. I thought about it and applied to join the first Team Rynkeby Jyväskylä team for the summer of 2016. I was excited to apply, because road cycling was a completely new sport for me. Experienced riders and us beginners were accepted.
There were 29 cyclists in the team and 7 guardians. A great group. A great journey together from the spinning classes and training in the fall of 2015 to the 2500 km cycling in the spring and summer of 2016 before the start towards Paris.
Our team cycled from Jyväskylä to Paris in early July 2016 in nine days.
This was a very meaningful journey for me. I got to help and saw that as a team we were able to help more together. Although sometimes during long training sessions it felt like I couldn't do it anymore. When you think for a moment why and for whom you are on the move, you always find enough extra strength from somewhere. You always had the time. I can say that I surpassed myself many times during that year.
Here are a few media hits from those times. These articles are in Finnish
Keskisuomalainen 16.7.216 Kalle Virtapohja Team Rynkeby arrived in Paris
Keskisuomalainen 5.7.2016 Tuula Puranen Jyväskylä team cycles 1,500 kilometers for the benefit of children with cancer
Suur-Keuruu 23.4.2016 Markku Piilemä The weather conditions did not discourage Team Rynkebylä's team.
Keskisuomalainen 19.12.2015 Seppo Pänkäläinen Jyväskylä team cycles to Paris and raises money for children with cancer
Nordic charity cycling event - Team Rynkeby
Team Rynkeby teams in Finland support children with cancer by raising money for the Aamu Finnish Children's Cancer Foundation and Sylva.
The teams train and collect donations together from autumn to the following summer. At the beginning of July, the teams cycle from Finland, their hometown to Paris.
Currently, people from Jyväskylä cycle in the Team Rynkeby Järvi-Suomi team.
People with cancer need blood
My own mother died of cancer when I was 20. In that time I wondered what concrete thing I could do for people with cancer. Since then, in 1991, I have been donating blood.
It is estimated that each individual blood donation helps an average of three patients. So, I have helped over 200 patients so far.
Donating blood is an important and easy way for me to help. Have you already donated blood?