[2] At the World Orienteering Championships in 1970 Kukkonen placed 32nd in the individual event, and participated on the Finnish relay team that placed fourth.

[6] She won a silver medal at the 1976 relay event, together with Outi Borgenström and Liisa Veijalainen, and placed seventh in the individual contest.

At these championships she won a gold medal in the individual event, 46 seconds ahead of Agneta Månsson from Sweden.

[10] In 1980 Kukkonen placed fourth in the individual contest, and won a gold medal with the Finnish relay team, together with Mirja Puhakka and Kaija Silvennoinen.

[11] At the 1982 World Championships she won a silver medal in the relay, together with team mates Sirpa Kukkonen and Mirja Puhakka, and she placed shared fourth in the individual contest.