Winter Rapids voted the most beautiful stamp of the year

Finns have voted Winter Rapids, photographed by Jukka Risikko by the River Kitkajoki in Kuusamo, the most beautiful stamp of 2025. The photo depicts an old mill building and the Myllykoski rapids, flowing and roaring impressively in a landscape decorated by snow and frost.

Jukka Risikko has had great success in the stamp voting also in the past. Stamps featuring his photos have won first place in the 2021, 2022 and 2024 most beautiful stamp of the year competitions. So, this marks his fourth victory already.

The winning stamp received a third of all votes

People could vote for the most beautiful stamp in Finland on the Posti website or by sending a postcard. A total of 9,159 votes were cast, of which as many as 33 per cent were given to the winning Winter Rapids stamp.

Stamps depicting landscapes were popular among voters, as the next four placings (2–5) went to the National Landscapes III stamps designed by Stiina Hovi, which feature landscapes from Lake Köyliönjärvi, Hämeenkyrö, North Karelia and Väisälänmäki.

Also among the ten most beautiful stamps were Klaus Haapaniemi’s Lucky Charms (6th place), Klaus Welp’s Veterans (8th place) and Minna Immonen’s Meadow Flowers (places 9 and 10).

“Jukka Risikko’s painting-like photograph of the winter rapids truly catches the eye. The water flowing in the freezing cold soothes the mind and displays the force of nature at the same time. Winter Rapids is an international no-value indicator stamp that represents Finnish winter at its most beautiful,” says Tommi Kantola, Design Manager at Posti, who was responsible for organising the competition.

Freezing temperatures create the ideal conditions for winter photography

“Thank you to everyone who voted. This year’s vote once again featured fantastic stamps, and it feels good to have had success in such fine company,” says Jukka Risikko, who also actively shares his photos on Instagram and Facebook.

Jukka Risikko photographed the Myllykoski stamp at -25 degrees Celsius. According to him, extremely cold temperatures make for the ideal conditions for winter photography. “The snow, frost and unique light conditions light create opportunities you can’t get at milder temperatures. At freezing temperatures, even familiar landscapes look magical.”

Myllykoski is located along the famous Karhunkierros hiking trail in Kuusamo. Jukka Risikko, who lives in Lapua, considers Kuusamo to be a treasure trove for nature photographers, with diverse landscapes dominated by fells, waterways and forests. “I’ve only visited Kuusamo a few times, and my dream for the coming years is to spend more time there with my camera.”

Top 10 stamp images: https://digilibrary.emmi.fi/l/jkhCkqj85BtF

The winners of the audience vote prizes have been drawn, and the winners will be contacted personally.

For further information, please contact: Posti MediaDesk, tel. +358 (0)20 452 3366 (Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)

Posti is one of the leading delivery and fulfillment companies in Finland, Sweden, and the Baltics. We make our customers’ everyday lives smoother with a wide range of services, which includes parcels, freight, and postal services as well as warehouse, fulfillment, and logistics services. Our goal is to transport completely fossil-free by 2030 and be at zero by 2040. Our net sales in 2025 amounted to EUR 1,447.6 million and we have approximately 13,700 employees. Posti Group’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki official list in Finland. www.posti.com