1930’s and 40’s – Finnish cross-country skiers have been using ski poles in the summer practice methods to walk, run and leap
1966 – Leena Jääskeläinen was the first to publicly teach walking in physical education classes at the Viherlaakso school, in Espoo, Finland
1968 to 1971 – Leena Jääskeläinen used pole exercises in the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland
1973 to 1991 – Leena Jääskeläinen promoted pole exercises in the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland
13th December 1987 – television channel Yle TV1 broadcast an interview of Leena Jääskeläinen about pole exercises
1987 – the world’s first Nordic Walking public event made by Leena Jääskeläinen in Tampere, Finland
1988 – Tuomo Jantunen (executive director of Suomen Latu – a national outdoor sports organization) organized the first-ever Nordic Walking group march in Helsinky. Several TV programs and news outlets reported on this event
1997 – the world’s first ”Walker” poles were especially designed for pole walking made by Finnish company Exel
1998 – Suomen Latu organised the first seminar for the Nordic countries about Nordic Walking
2005 – professional Finnish coaches of the discipline Tiina Arrankoski and Tuomo Kettunen began the conceptualisation and development of Modern Nordic Walking and founded the International Council of Nordic Walking and the World Modern Nordic Walking Academy
