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This year we have published several international scientific articles. The following 8 peer-reviewed publications have been written by our unit’s researchers.

1. Mishica, C., Kyröläinen, H., Taskinen, S., Hynynen, E., Nummela, A., Holmberg, H. C., & Linnamo, V. (2024). Associations between objective measures of performance-related characteristics and perceived stress in young cross-country skiers during pre-season training. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-10. 
2. Torvinen, P., Ruotsalainen, K. S., Zhao, S., Cronin, N., Ohtonen, O., & Linnamo, V. (2024). Evaluation of 3D Markerless Motion Capture System Accuracy during Skate Skiing on a Treadmill. Bioengineering, 11(2), 136.
    
3. Ihalainen, J. K., Takalo, S., Mjøsund, K., Solli, G. S., Valtonen, M., Kokkonen, M., Hackney A.C. & Mikkonen, R. S. (2024). Self-Reported Performance and Hormonal-Cycle-Related Symptoms in Competitive Female Athletes. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 32(1). 

4. Ihalainen, J. K., Mikkonen, R. S., Ackerman, K. E., Heikura, I. A., Mjøsund, K., Valtonen, M., & Hackney, A. C. (2024). Beyond Menstrual Dysfunction: Does Altered Endocrine Function Caused by Problematic Low Energy Availability Impair Health and Sports Performance in Female Athletes?. Sports Medicine, 54(9), 2267-2289.
5. Löfberg, I. E., Karppinen, J. E., Laatikainen-Raussi, V., Lehti, M., Hackney, A. C., Ihalainen, J. K., & Mikkonen, R. S. (2024). Resting Energy Expenditure, Metabolic and Sex Hormones in Two Phases of the Menstrual and Hormonal Contraceptive Cycles. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 

6. Peltonen, J. E., Leppävuori, A., Lehtonen, E., Mikkonen, R. S., Kettunen, O., Nummela, A., Ohtonen, O., Gagnon, D.D., Wehrlin, J.P., Wilber, R.L. & Linnamo, V. (2024). Combined intermittent hypoxic exposure at rest and continuous hypoxic training can maintain elevated hemoglobin mass after a hypoxic camp. Journal of Applied Physiology, 137(2), 409-420
7. Mikkonen, R. S., Drain, J. R., Vaara, J., Nindl, B., & Kyröläinen, H. (2024). Importance of strength training for sustaining performance and health in military personnel. BMJ Mil Health.
8.  McPhail, J., Cross, M.R., Spörri J., & Linnamo, V.. (accepted, not yet in print) Physiological Characteristics of Freestyle Snowboard and Freeski Athletes.  Int J Sports Phys Perform.

This year, the Master's Degree Programme in Sport Technology, which is now in its twentieth year, had a record number of applicants in the spring joint call - 57 in total.  Ten students were accepted to start their studies this autumn. A total of thirteen students commenced their studies in the Master’s degree programme (including students from our dual career for athletes and coaches collaboration with Kajaani University of Applied Sciences). 

One PhD and two Master’s Degrees were awarded by the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences to our students this year.  

Nijia Hu's doctoral thesis measurements were completed in Vuokatti and the project “Adaptation of corticospinal excitability after short- and long-term motor training” was co-supervised by Jarmo Piirainen, PhD.

The two Master’s theses were awared from biomechanics and the science of sport coaching (in Finnish): Pohjonen, Heidi: Dynaamisen tasapainon spinaalinen ja supraspinaalinen motorinen kontrolli miehillä ja naisilla . Laukkanen, Jesse: Jääkiekkoilijoiden kynnyssykkeiden määrittäminen juoksun, luistelun ja pyöräilyn aikana .

At the closing of 2024 twelve PhD students at the Faulty of Sport and Health Sciences have at least one supervisor based at the Sports Technology Unit Vuokatti. Some of these PhD students are completing their work in Vuokatti while others are elsewhere in Finland (e.g. Jyväskylä and Kuusamo).

Fourteen invited lectures were held in 2024. The lectures were delivered at both national and international congresses and symposia. 

JYU-Vuokatti has actively lead and cooperated in several projects throughout its lifetime. Currently, 15 projects are ongoing. You can read more about the projects here.

In terms of events and seminars, the past year has also been quite busy. We were involved in organizing the first ever Vuokatin Huippu-urheiluviikko and also participated in organizing , Kestävyysharjoittelun live-seminaarisarja (Vuokatti), the Jyväskylä Business Networking Day (Jyväskylä) and the Hot Topics in Exercise Physiology symposium (Jyväskylä).

The real organizational peak occurred in October, when our unit hosted the Sports Data Seminar Days (Vuokatti) and organized a Wellbeing at Work Day in cooperation with Vuokatti Campus operators.

Throughout the year, we have also invited different parties and organizations to visit our unit. Six formal visits were organized,  and an estimated one hundred visitors are now more familiar with JYU-Vuokatti's activities.

Professor Vesa Linnamo, Head of JYU-Vuokatti, received the Influencer Award at the University's annual Celebration in March. Linnamo was awarded the prize for his outstanding work in promoting the visibility and impact of the Ģ��ֱ�� in the Kainuu region and throughout Finland.

Oona Kettunen, PhD, a grant researcher at JYU-Vuokatti, received The Applied Researcher Award at the Nordic Winter Sport Conference in April.

A Christmas surprise in Vuokatti was revealed on December 10^th, when Toivo Takala, a special planning officer at the Ģ��ֱ��, donated €25 000 to the unit. Mr Takala, who retired in the autumn of this year, and has strongly supported JYU-Vuokatti since its inception. 

"The past year has been an excellent one, both in terms of results and recognition. JYU-Vuokatti is often held up as a model for regional impact and societal interaction at the university, and for putting science into practice in sporting circles. Successful funding applications have helped the unit to grow to a record size, thanks to various donors and partners. Sometimes it feels like my time is wasted just sitting in meetings, but fortunately the brilliant people in the unit are driving the important practical work forward. A huge thank you to everyone," sums up the head of JYU-Vuokatti, Vesa Linnamo

Also the vice director Ritva Mikkonen is happy for the results:

"Our results reflect the Sport Technology Unit's excellent atmosphere and close cooperation in both our educational programs as well as in all of our research and innovation projects. Our cooperation extends from the Vuokatti campus, across the Kainuu region, into national networks, and  internationally. I am confident  that 2025 will be a successful year as well."