METKA is organizing the largest student sports and well-being event in Finland, MetroSport, at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki on Wednesday 20.9.2023. The event also aims to introduce students and Metropolia staff to the physical activity opportunities in the metropolitan area and to provide students with an alcohol-free alternative among student events.
MetroSport brings together Metropolia’s students and staff members for fun and varied range of sports and wellness activities. Visitors to the 14th edition of the event will be able to explore a wide range of sports at the Olympic Stadium during one afternoon! The sports trials will be organized by sports clubs, sports unions and sports service providers in the capital region. There will also be actors focused on mental well-being. The event is free of charge and around 5000 visitors are expected at the stadium. MetroSport has been organized by students since 2001, first as StadiaSport and then as MetroSport.
You can try these sports at MetroSport:
Ball sports
- American Football: welcome to try your hand at football with East City Giants. Under the guidance of East City Giants coaches and players, you’ll get to test basic skills like tackling, blocking and throwing.
- Bubble Soccer: Bubble soccer brings a completely new kind of contact with a friend! Tapanilan Urheilukeskus hosts non-stop games at MetroSport. Gather a maximum of 5 friends and come test bubble soccer! Sweat and laughter guaranteed!
- Goalball: Goalball is a fast-paced team game. It is played using a hearing sense, blindfolded. At Old Power’s point, you can try goal ball and even a small match. Paralympic gold medalist Erkki Miinala will guide you through the sport.
- Padel: Padel is a fun and very social racket game that is suitable for everyone. Come to Padel Club Finland’s point to test different rackets and hear more about the trending sport!
- Rugby: Rugby is a fun and versatile team sport for everyone. The idea is to score points by taking the ball behind your opponent’s goal line. You can try rugby with two different clubs. Get to know passes, tackles, lineouts, kicks and other drills with Helsinki Rugby Club and Warriors Rugby Club.
- Baseball5: Baseball5 is a fast-paced team sport where e.g. hand-eye coordination are highlighted. Everyone can play, benefit and enjoy it at any level. Baseball5 can be played anywhere and the only equipment needed is a rubber ball.
- Blind Tabletennis: Blind tabletennis is a fast-paced racket game where the aim is to get the ball into the opponent’s goal. The action is perceived by hearing, as both players are blindfolded. The ball has pellets inside it and the sound enables the players to hear it. Get to know this sport at Helsingin ja Uudenmaan Näkövammaiset point.
Dance and gymnastics
- Acrobatics: Sirkus Magenta invites you to try circus tricks and learn about social circus. Our aim is to promote mental and physical well-being. We offer social circus for people with special needs, hobby groups, workshops and performances.
- Rock and swing dance: Comets is a Helsinki-based rock and swing dance club and the largest dance sport club in Finland. Comets’ classes are open to everyone from beginners to top athletes. Come and try out a short dance taste session at Comets’ point in MetroSport!
- Pole Dancing: Pole4Fit was founded in 2009 and have since been providing high-quality classes in pole dance, aerial yoga, aerial and floor acrobatics, aerial bungee and body conditioning classes. In Metrosport you can try pole dance with us. See you there!
- Rope skipping: Rope skipping is a fun, cheap and sweaty sport! It’s also an international competitive sport. Rope Skipping Helsinki is Finland’s first sports club specialized in rope skipping. We’ve brought different kinds of ropes with us to MetroSport (single rope, double dutch and long rope), and we help you to try easy tricks by yourself, with a pair or in a group – fun guaranteed!
- Rhythmic Gymnastics: Elise Gymnastics is a gymnastics and sports club founded in 1921, which offers a wide range of gymnastics activities. Come and discover rhythmic gymnastics at MetroSport!
Martial arts
- Aikido: Aikido is a Japanese martial art that seeks harmony rather than fighting. At Meido-Kan’s point you can check how to fall, or how to avoid an attack completely. We have joyous exercises where you can explore different forms of attack and defend.
- Hapkido: Hapkido is an effective Korean martial art that covers all areas of self-defence. At Helsinki Hapkido’s stand, you can try out straightforward self-defence techniques and learn more about the art of Hapkido!
- Judo: FinnDai is a student-friendly judo club that offers the opportunity for full-fledged judo. We are known for good adult judo, the relaxed atmosphere of the exercises and lively social activities. Come and try judo at MetroSport!
- Capoeira: Capoeira is a popular Brazilian sport where you can be an athlete, a fighter, an artist, an acrobat and a singer. It also strengthens friendships and promotes health. We welcome you to test and see capoeira at MetroSport.
- Kendo: Kendo is a modern budo sport based on the Japanese sword tradition, which aims to score a point by striking with a bamboo sword. Kendo and a few other martial arts can be tried at MetroSport with four clubs under Finnish Kendo Association: Leppävaaran budoseura “Lebudo”, Yagatarasu ry, Helsingin Kendoseura Ki-Ken-Tai-Icchi and Helsingin Yliopiston Kendoseura (HY Kendo) are all present at the Olympic Stadium!
- Taido: Taido is a dashing martial art that has its origins in Karate. Most of the taido techniques are kicks and punches. Taido develops not only overall fitness and condition, but also coordination and agility. Come to Yliopiston Taido stand to find out how taido looks and feels!
Other sports
- HearthStone: MetroSport also offers mental gymnastics with Hearthstone! Sign up for the tournament, or you can just come by for drop-in matches. Please bring your own device. Tournament at 14, open games drop-in all day 13-16.
- Go-kart track: Liikenneturva participates with the #SafeSpaceAutoon campaign. At our point, we consider, how are the trips going with your friend group? Who is the captain of the ship and who interferes with their actions? There will be a go-kart track with laughs!
- Velcro Golf: Welcome to try velcro golf at NYT-liikunta’s stand. It’s a playful game where you try to get the velcro ball to the finish line with as few strokes as possible. At 15-15.30 there will also be a playful challenge where you can test your balance and mobility. The winner of the challenge will get a free NYT card for the autumn season!
- BMX: BMX Racing, i.e. bicycle motocross, is a sport that was developed as a cheap and effective form of training by children and young people who were interested in motocross. Bikes are provided by BMX Helsinki.
- Climbing: Welcome to test the versatile and unique ClimbStation climbing wall! The wall offers the joy of climbing without the need for a harness, high space or an instructor. With ClimbStation, this activity can be carried out in places where traditional climbing would be difficult to organize.
- Roller Derby: Helsinki Roller Derby offers a trial of roller derby skating and a small showcase! Flat track roller derby is played on classic quad-skates. This sports trial is organized without tackling and focuses mainly on skating technique.
- Slackline: Come and try slacklining at Slackline Finland ry’s spot! If you’re a beginner we’ll teach you the basics of balancing. If you’re more advanced, we can teach you tricks from turns to backflips.
- Triathlon: TriathlonSuomi and Ride Club Finland are group exercise sport clubs providing training plans and training sessions. In MetroSport you can feel the virtual e-cycling by driving a short loop in the virtual world. You can take it easy or try to end up on our leaderboard.
- Orienteering: The Finnish Workers’ Sport Federation’s goal is to enable that participating in sports is easy, affordable, and available for everyone regardless of their age, gender, wealth etc. In MetroSport You can find us with Helsingin Jyry – come to our stand and challenge yourself with orienteering and win prices!
Other partners
There will also be numerous other partners involved with activities to boost your physical or mental wellbeing, presenting activities and organizing competitions and prize draws.
- Insinööriliitto: The best friend an engineering student has during their studies is their very own union. The Engineers’ Union is there to help you find your way in the world of work while you’re still studying – not to mention the fun organised by local associations. As a student member, you won’t miss out on any of the benefits or services the union offers – membership includes the full package.
- Trainers’ House: Trainers’ House is a business coaching and marketing company established in 1990. Our mission is to help people progress towards meaningful goals. We build reputation, create opportunities and generate methods for success.
- Tehy: Tehy is the trade union for trained workers and students in the social services, health, education and rehabilitation sectors. We want and dare to work together for our interests. We support each other through the twists and turns of working life. Our membership is free when you are studying full-time for an effective qualification.
- Pro-opiskelijat: Pro is pursuing a better working life for you! You can become a student member of Pro completely free of charge and as a student member you are entitled to all Trade Union Pro membership benefits. So you can really make the most of your free student membership!
- Nocco: NOCCO combines good taste, sugar-free and functional ingredients. We’ll hand out summer flavors to make sure that the students’ performance remains high even after the event!
- Barebells: Barebells is a delicious protein bar as an alternative to snacks without added sugar. We’ll hand out protein bars at the entrance to help students get the most out of the event!
- FSHS: FSHS is here to support your health and wellbeing throughout your studies. FSHS provides general, mental and oral health services and looks after well-being in student communities. Come and try capacity tests and rehabilitation exercises organized by physiotherapists.
- Finnish Student Sports Federation: At OLL (The Finnish Student Sports Federation), we develop solutions to study environment, sports services and culture, so that every student gets enough movement and exercise in terms of their well-being. Next year OLL will celebrate its 100th birthday!
- MIELI ry: At MIELI ry’s stand, you can get to know your strengths and things affecting your mental health. Complete Mielibreikki’s bingo tasks while going around the stadium and earn a prize or take a survey and participate in the raffle for Sekasin products. MIELI ry is Finland’s biggest mental health organization. The activity is in Finnish.
- Student On The Move: The aim of the Student on the Move program and Movement for mind project is to increase physical activity, mental well-being, and study ability in higher education. Come to our stand and share your thoughts on well-being. You can also write a message of goodwill to another student. We will reward respondents.
- Sports Federation of Southern Finland ESLU: ESLU is a contributor to sports and sports club activity. ESLU helps incorporate physical activity into study days. At MetroSport, you’ll have the opportunity to test your grip strength and try out easy and fun break exercise tips.
- Finlands Svenska Idrott: Come move together and learn about the WELLcome project, which provides physical activity for migrant children and young people and trains club leaders. At our point you can challenge both your body and your values in a fun way.
- Tunne rintasi ry: Wanna be a Boob Hero? Check out our boob-dartboard and our knitted boobs to learn about breast health. Tunne rintasi ry offers information about breast self examination and breast cancer symptoms and accepting your body just as it is.
- Skydive Finland ry: Skydive Finland is the country’s largest parachuting club. We have almost 1000 members and approximately 14 000 jumps are made annually. A tandem jump is an easy way to experience skydiving. For independent jumpers there are several options. Come to hear more about the sport!
- Fööni: Fööni’s free flight wind tunnel gives you a chance to experience what it feels like to fly! With Fööni’s trained instructors, you’ll learn how to fly safely. Flying at Fööni is an unforgettable experience for people of all ages. At Fööni’s stand you can hear more about flying!
- Sukeltajaliitto: Finnish Divers’ Federation is the roof organization of the Finnish diving clubs. Everyone is welcome to join the activities. People often think that diving only includes scuba diving, but you can do much more underwater: snorkel diving, fin diving, underwater fishing, underwater photography etc.
This post is also available in Suomi.