Open Water As a Sportscape. Analysis of Canoeing in Finland for Developing Sport Infrastructure and Services

STUDIES IN SPORT, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 164 BélaJenni József Kulmala Pavelka Open Water as a Sportscape Analysis of Canoeing in Finland for Developing Sport Infrastructure and Services STUDIES IN SPORT, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 164 Béla József Pavelka Open Water as a Sportscape Analysis of Canoeing in Finland for Developing Sport Infrastructure and Services Esitetään Jyväskylän yliopiston liikunta- ja terveystieteiden tiedekunnan suostumuksella julkisesti tarkastettavaksi yliopiston vanhassa juhlasalissa S212 maaliskuun 5. päivänä 2011 kello 12. Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by permission of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä, in building Seminarium, hall S212, on March 5, 2011 at 12 o'clock noon. UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ JYVÄSKYLÄ 2011 Open Water as a Sportscape Analysis of Canoeing in Finland for Developing Sport Infrastructure and Services STUDIES IN SPORT, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH 164 Béla József Pavelka Open Water as a Sportscape Analysis of Canoeing in Finland for Developing Sport Infrastructure and Services UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ JYVÄSKYLÄ 2011 Editors Harri Suominen Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä Pekka Olsbo, Sini Tuikka Publishing Unit, University Library of Jyväskylä URN:ISBN:978-951-39-5094-1 ISBN 978-951-39-5094-1 (PDF) ISSN 0356-1070 ISBN 978-951-39-4219-9 ISSN 0356-1070 Copyright © 2011 , by University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä University Printing House, Jyväskylä 2011 ABSTRACT Pavelka, Béla József Open Water as a Sportscape – Analysis of Canoeing in Finland for developing Sport Infrastructure and Services Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2011, 116 p. (Studies in Sport, Physical Education and Health ISSN 0356-1070; 164) ISBN 978-951-39-4219-9(nid.), 978-951-39-5094-1 (PDF) diss. Canoeing, as a nature-based sport, is suitable for both leisure and competitive purposes in its various forms. The canoe provides a more close-up experience of aquatic nature than any other vessel, and in its competitive form there are a dozen disciplines available for differing tastes and talents. Canoeing as a sport and recreational activity has not yet been researched from the sport services point of view; though nature tourism has been studied frequently. This multidisciplinary work challenges misconceptions about canoeing in Finland. The historical-cultural and natural environment, activated economic and non-economic resources will be examined. The research by nature is descriptive, with both quantitative and qualitative methods being used. The Triangular pillar structure of sport services was developed as the theoretical framework of this study. The target of the research is Finnish canoe clubs and the Finnish Canoe Federation. Contributions to the socio-cultural capital of the nation have been unfolded from historical references, art and literature. Canoeing had been an integrated part of Finnish culture since ancient times but due to unknown reasons this once flourishing activity diminished. The natural environment and climate are suitable for canoeing for between 80 to 130 days a year in different parts of the country. Concerning available resources in canoeing it was found that the canoe clubs and the Federation operate with a very low profile. Recreational canoeing routes and competitive sport facilities are randomly dotted around the country, and their quality does not meet today’s requirements. Canoe clubs in general are short of economic resources due to a low level of operation and unprofessional management, while available non-economic resources are not utilised adequately. In recommending actions to be taken the researcher suggests that the Federation should act as the responsible representative of all canoe clubs and canoe sport in Finland. It should develop an involving operation towards the lower organisational layer with the clubs at the same time playing a proactive role with regard the national administrational layer in order to support the development of recreational and competitive canoeing in Finland. Clubs should become more customer oriented service providers rather than the introverted operation that currently exists. The increase of youth involvement, development of facilities, infrastructure and services are the major issues to deal with in the near future so as to further the development of canoeing in Finland. Keywords: Sportscape, Infrastructure, Service, Environment, Resource Management Author’s address Béla József Pavelka Department of Sport Sciences P.O BOX 35 FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland [email protected] Supervisor Kimmo Suomi, Professor Department of Sport Sciences University of Jyväskylä, Finland Reviewers Pasi Sajasalo, Senior Assistant Department of Management and Leadership University of Jyväskylä, Finland Mihály Nyerges, Professor † Department of Sport Management and Recreation Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary Opponent Josef Fahlén, Universitetslektor Department of Education Umeå University ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS By presenting to the wider public this thesis I have arrived at the current peak of my academic career, a place I had not planned on being when I was younger. I was told that as a young child I used to say: “why study, I will be a sportsman anyway!” Therefore, I have to thank my parents, József and Ágnes for their devoted love and patience; and the experience of my teachers for guiding me through the first and second grades of education. I am also grateful to my junior coach, Ákos Leidinger, who always kept an eye on my school progression be- sides my development as a sportsman. The first time I ever became enthusiastic about studying was when I undertook my first university course; this was after being a full-time professional athlete for two years. I would like to thank all my professors and lecturers for the contributions they have made to my intellectual capital I have collected throughout the different courses in three universities, and also the understanding towards the hurdles present as a professional athlete-student. Special thanks go to the late Mihály Nyerges, whose support and encouragement to continue my studies from Bachelor’s to Master’s level led me to the University of Jyväskylä, where at a later stage I was offered the chance to undertake doctoral studies. As one of his last works he contributed to this thesis as a reviewer. I would like to express special thanks to Eszter Völgyi, Pertti Matilainen, Rainer Koreasalo, Janne Vilkuna, Hanna Tietäväinen, Kimmo Olkio, Kari Puronaho and Martti Silvennoinen for their technical help, expert consultancy and contributing comments at various stages of the work. I must thank Pasi Sa- jasalo for being a strict and demanding reviewer, which improved the overall quality of the book. Also I would like to thank professor Kimmo Suomi, the supervisor of this thesis, who, in spite of our differing view on some issues, was endlessly supportive of this project. The thesis was proofread and edited by my friend Nicholas Kirkwood, whom I also wish to thank for contextual comments about the text. I would like also to give credit to the athletes, coaches, recreational pad- dlers and other active people in the Finnish canoeing world who encouraged me to perform this work, including all those representatives of clubs and the Federation, who took the time to cooperate with me during the data collection process and beyond. I hope they all will find some usefulness in reading this book. My gathered experiences in canoeing as athlete, coach, event manager, recreational programme organiser and guide over three decades and seven years of devoted academic research are compressed in the following pages. Jyväskylä 10.1.2011 Author FIGURES FIGURE 1 Factors of competence and risk............................................................... 24 FIGURE 2 Topographic map of Finland .................................................................. 30 FIGURE 3 The quality of water bodies in Finland in 2003 .................................... 33 FIGURE 4 Changes in the annual mean temperatures .......................................... 35 FIGURE 5 Contradiction of sports segments ........................................................... 39 FIGURE 6 The theory of play, game and sport ....................................................... 40 FIGURE 7 The price of the consumption ................................................................. 44 FIGURE 8 Investments and earnings of a sports career ......................................... 46 FIGURE 9 The expense-income and income-expense theory ............................... 50 FIGURE 10 Triangular pillar structure of sport services ....................................... 54 FIGURE 11 Mean air temperature from the three examined locations ............... 62 FIGURE 12 Distribution of canoe infrastructures and clubs ................................. 63 TABLES TABLE 1 Olympic medals for Finland in canoeing ................................................ 29 TABLE 2 Examples of canoe equipment prices ....................................................... 45 TABLE 3 Weather criteria classification ................................................................... 56 TABLE 4 Annual number of classified days for practicing canoeing .................. 61 TABLE 5 Response rate to the questionnaire and its distribution ....................... 66 TABLE 6 Main interest of the canoe clubs in Finland ............................................ 67 TABLE 7 Annual budget of canoe clubs in Finland

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