Guidelines for First-Time Participants at Kainuu Orienteering Week

Published: 29.05.2024

Welcome to Kainuu Orienteering Week

Kainuu Orienteering Week consists of four competition days and two rest days. There is a wide selection of categories for participants, including both competitive series and evening orienteering series for recreational orienteers. The event is intended for everyone, from fitness enthusiasts and beginners in orienteering to top-level orienteers.

For the public, the event offers a variety of restaurant and café services, a Muksula children’s day care, the Rastiralli family adventure route, and many other diverse services at the competition centre. These include, for example, orienteering and sports equipment stores, the KOW shop selling event products as well as the traditional meter-long licorice (metrilaku) and a wide range of products from local businesses in the Kainuu region. Additionally, there are other smaller exhibition and sales points at the competition centre, and of course, a soft-ice cream stand, which is a summer holiday must-have.

Read this article for the most important tips for first-time participants in the event.

Schedule

  • Sun, June 30, 2024: 1st stage
  • Mon, July 1, 2024: Rest day
  • Tue, July 2, 2024: 2nd stage
  • Wed, July 3, 2024: Rest day
  • Thu, July 4, 2024: 3rd stage
  • Fri, July 5, 2024: 4th stage

Registration

Competition categories: Pre-registration ends on June 10, 2024.

Open courses (recreational orienteering): You can register in advance or on-site. Pre-registration is available at a discounted price until June 10, 2024.

  • Pre-registration for the entire week (at a discounted price) until June 10, 2024
  • Pre-registration for individual days (at the on-site price)
  • On-site registration for the entire week or individual days

Please review the registration instructions and participation fees.

Accommodation

Various accommodation options are available:

Arrival

To get started, familiarize yourself with the Kainuu Orienteering Week handbook and competition instructions. The digital version of the guide will be published on our website on Monday, June 24. The guide will provide you with the best tips for participating in the event and suggestions for orienteering and other activities during your holiday week.

When you arrive at the event, make sure to allocate enough time for your arrival. Typically, it is advisable to arrive at the orienteering competition about 2 hours before your estimated start time.

Parking areas are located between 50-300 meters and 7.5 kilometers from the competition centre. Parking next to the competition centre is available for those with SHOP/MEDIA/DISABLED permits and VIP parking passes. VIP parking passes have been available in limited quantities in advance sales and may no longer be available.

From the more distant P3-Ravirata parking area for competitors and spectators, there is a nonstop bus service to the competition centre, which takes about 15 minutes. The cost of the nonstop bus service is included in the parking fee (for passengers of the entire car). The buses used for the nonstop shuttle are similar to local public transportation buses, so it is possible to transport small children in strollers and car seats. During peak times, buses run continuously every 5-15 minutes, ensuring a smooth arrival.

You can also arrive at the event via the race bus instead of your own car. You can conveniently catch the race bus from locations such as the Kainuu Vocational College dormitory accommodation, Kajaani city centre, or the KOW event centre (Kaukavesi Water Sports Centre).

Starting times for orienteering

In the competition categories, selectable start times are available in advance, except for the H/D16-21E categories. The selection of start times will take place from June 13-18, 2024. Check the detailed information for choosing start times.

In open courses (recreational orienteering), you can start your course at any time during the open hours for the recreational series starts. Check the open hours for the starts.

Upon arrival at the Competition Centre

If you are a competitor in the competition categories, you can find your race number near the KOW info in the Competition Centre. 

If you are a recreational orienteer (in open courses), find the open courses info in the competition centre.

  • If you have pre-registered, you will receive your race number near the open courses info, and your rented Emit card at the "pre-registered" point for open courses.
  • If you have not pre-registered, you can register for open courses at the open courses info
  • Recreational orienteers start from Start 5 or Start 6, and the family category / Family-RR starts from the competition categories start area 4. Check the daily open hours for the starts here.
    • Start 4
      • Only the family category / Family-RR starts from Start 4.
    • Start 5
      • The categories starting from Start 5 are: C-short, C-long, B-short, and B-medium.
    • Start 6
      • The categories starting from Start 6 are: B-long, A-short, A-medium, and A-long.
  • Guidance signs to the starts begin at the guidepost in the competition centre. At the beginning of the guidance, you will easily find the direction by looking for the large "To the Start" sign above the route. Check the "To the Start" sign to ensure it has your start number.
  • Next, all recreational orienteers must register as having started at the starting gate located at the beginning of the start guidance. Remember to register at the starting gate.
  • After the starting gate, follow the guidance signs to your designated start area. After reseting your Emit card and taking your map, head out and enjoy orienteering.

Review the operational instructions and schedules for open courses and read the competition instructions carefully.


Family-RR, or family orienteering, is a pleasant orienteering experience for the whole family (PHOTO: Kainuu Orienteering Week / Pekka Agarth).

Services at the Competition Centre

The Competition Centre offers various services including restaurants and cafes, orienteering and sports equipment vendors, a children's day care (Muksula) and Rastiralli adventure track, and a washing area with warm showers.

The dog park is located near the P3-Ravirata parking area. If you want to leave your dog in care during your orienteering, drive to the P3-Ravirata parking area and follow the signs to the dog park. You can also leave your car at the P3-Ravirata area and take the bus from there to the Competition Centre and back.

Camping or staying overnight at the Competition centre, in the competition terrain, or in any parking areas is strictly prohibited.

Leaving the Competition Centre

If you have arrived by car, purchase a parking ticket from the KOW info before leaving the competition centre. Parking tickets are checked when leaving the parking area. You can pay for the parking ticket with cash or a credit card. We recommend purchasing the parking ticket in advance from the competition centre, event centre, or the KOW online store.

Other things to do during the Kainuu Orienteering Week

There is a variety of additional activities available both in Kajaani and Kainuu during the event. Our own events, such as the Kainuu Trail Hossa National Park (Finland) and the Kainuu MTBO Week, as well as open sprint orienteering courses, offer pleasant variety to the orienteering week program.

Kainuu Trail Hossa National Park (Finland) - Trail Running June 29, 2024

The fourth Kainuu Trail run will take place in Hossa National Park on Saturday, June 29, 2024. The available running distances are 78, 55, 38, 21, and 10 km. The 10 km race includes an age category for 12–17-year-olds.

Take advantage of the Kainuu Trail race bus from Kajaani: You can conveniently travel from Kajaani to Hossa on the Kainuu Trail race bus on Saturday, June 29. The race bus schedule fits well for the 10, 21, and 38 km runners. Read more about the Hossa trail paradise and register and book your race bus tickets at www.kainuutrail.fi.

Kainuu MTBO Week June 30 - July 5, 2024

The third official Kainuu MTBO Week in the history of Kainuu Orienteering Week will be held in the excellent mountain bike orienteering terrains of Vimpelinvaara and Joutenlampi in Kajaani. There will be suitable distances available in both competition categories and open courses. Check the program and detailed information: rastiviikko.fi -> 2024 -> Kainuu MTBO Week.

Explore the additional activity offerings and plan your own unique orienteering week and relaxing active holiday.

Social Media

We would be Super Happy if you share your event experiences on social media with the hashtags:

  • #kainuuoweek
  • #kainuuorienteeringwek
  • #KOW2024

And we would be even more happy if you can also tag Kainuu Orienteering Week in your posts with: 

  • @kainuuorienteeringweek (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube)
  • @kainuuoweek (X)

Photos and Videos

Please note that photos and videos will be taken during the event and published on the www.rastiviikko.fi website gallery, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube channels, as well as other possible marketing channels for the event. The organizer reserves the right to use photos and videos of participants (orienteers, spectators, etc.) for event marketing purposes.

You can also use the organizer's published photos of you on your social media channels, provided you credit the photo source as follows:

  • Photo: @kainuuorienteeringweek (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube)
    • photographer's name if shown in our gallery folder
  • Photo: @kainuuoweek (X)
    • photographer's name if shown in our gallery folder

Welcome to Kainuu Orienteering Week to orienteer and have a relaxed summer holiday!

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