Kainuu Orienteering Week 2026 open courses (open orienteering / recreational orienteering)
One of the most popular and diverse recreational orienteering event and top quality open orienteering week in Finland
Kainuu O Week's open courses offers totally 9 different skill levels for amateurs to professional orienteers. Additionally for the families and children we offer Family-RR and for children under school age we have a adventure track called "Rastiralli."
Open courses participation fee includes the following services:
Kainuu O-Week open courses orienteering is a recreational orienteering type open orienteering event, but our services for orienteers are top quality:
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Top quality orienteering terrains: The orienteering terrain for Kainuu Orienteering Week 2026 is located near the Säynäjäsuo hiking trail, featuring beautiful pine forest terrain with firm ground
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Top quality orienteering map and maps: The maps are guaranteed to be up-to-date and of map with the highest quality!
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Top quality open courses and tracks: Course setters of the Kainuu O-Week are very experienced and been responsible for several international orienteering events course setting. In addition, course setting team is in deep cooperation with the professionals of the Mapline Oy, which is responsible about the mapping of Kainuu O-Week orienteering terrains. You can rely that open courses tracks are highest quality.
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Top quality Online Result Service: Kainuu O-Week's result service in open courses is as high standard as in the competition categories: we offer online results, split times, route gadget, livelox etc. So, when you arrive into the finish after your performance, you can start analyzing your effort immediately. Check our start lists and results website.
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In the Competition Centre we have high standard services as follows:
- Large selection of restaurant and café services: homemade lunch, grill portions, soup of the day meals, delicacy point and café which offers delicious pastries with fresh coffee
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Children's day care (Muksula) for families with little kids and a adventure like adventure track called "Rastiralli"
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Dog's day care (Dog Park), where pet owners can leave their dog for a day care during their orienteering
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Showers with warm water and dressing facilities
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Orienteering and sport merchandise shops
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Local companies stands and shops
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KOW shop with Kainuu O-Week products and merchandise
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Raffle prizes: In open courses (A/B/C, Open/Family-RR) one prize in each category is raffled on each day.
Recreational orienteering categories and skill levels:
Adventure Track (Rastiralli)
Adventurous and marked orienteering track for families and under school-age children near the Muksula (Children's Day Care). Route is marked to forest with constant visible line and some labels so children can safely go to the forest. Usually parents or custodians are with the children during the route. During the route there are some nice and funny adventure tasks to do.
Open-RR (Family series)
Marked orienteering route for families and school-age children; usually for kids 10-years or under and with the family (parents or custodians). Route is marked into forest with constant visible line.
C-categories
Courses are mainly very basic orienteering, easy skill level, best for beginners. C-short is also suitable for the families and kids with very easy skill level.
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B-categories
Courses are mainly normal orienteering, medium skill level, best for orienteers who are already experienced
A-categories
Courses are mainly very demanding orienteering, hard skill level, best for competition or professional orienteers
Estimated distances according to the competition invitation
| Categories | Scales | Skill level | Distances |
| A-long | 1:10000 | Hard | 8,0 km |
| A-middle | 1:10000 | Hard | 6,0 km |
| A-short | 1:7500 | Hard | 4,5 km |
| B-long | 1:10000 | Medium | 6,0 km |
| B-middle | 1:10000 | Medium | 4,5 km |
| B-short | 1:7500 | Medium | 3,5 km |
| C-long | 1:10000 | Easy | 4,5 km |
| C-short | 1:10000 | Very easy | 2,3 km |
| Open-RR (family series)* | 1:10000 | Marked route | 1,7 km |
| Activity route** | Marked route | 0,5-1 km |
* The track can be completed individually or as a family/group. The participation fee includes maps for everyone and one Emit-card. The track is the same as the H/D8RR series.
** There is a little prize for kids in the finish on every competition day.
Daily course lengths, map scales, and start locations for recreational orienteering courses
Daily distances will be updated in the table during spring 2026.
Start location map of will be published in May/June 2026.
In the start area guiding map the locations of the start areas and distances to the start areas from the Competition Centre are published.
In open courses there are two (2) different start areas on each stage, and in addition, the Open/Family RR starts from the start areas 3 of the competition categories:
- Start 3: Start 3 is only category Open RR (family series)
- Start 4 (open 1): Start 4 is for categories as follows: B long, A short, A middle, A long
- Start 5 (open 2): Start 5 is for categories as follows: C short, C long, B short, B middle
Instructions and timetables
On each race day at Kainuu Orienteering Week it is possible to participate in open courses, family course and activity route. All courses are allowed to do alone or in a group. The participants are timed but overall results are not calculated and prices based on ranking are not distributed.
Open courses schedules on race days (tentative schedule)
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Day |
Open courses info open |
Start open: |
The finish is closed: |
| Sun 28.6. | 11.00-18.00 | 13.00-16.30 | at 19.00 |
| Tue 30.6. | 09.00-16.00 | 11.00-14.30 | at 17.00 |
| Thur 2.7. | 09.00-16.00 | 11.00-14.30 | at 17.00 |
| Fri 3.7. | 08.00-15.00 | 10.00-13.30 | at 16.00 |
| NOTE! All orienteers who have left the forest must register at the finish even if they have suspended their performance!! | |||
ENTRY AND REGISTRATION INTO KAINUU O-WEEK OPEN COURSES
Detailed instructions for entry and registration into KOW open courses: www.rastiviikko.fi -> Entry
Instructions for pre-registered orienteers when arriving to KOW competition centre
Pre-registrations (with own Emit card): Pick up competition number from the binders near the Open Courses info tent at the Competition Centre. Mount the competition number on the chest and you can go straight through the starting gate to the start line. In this case, you do not need to visit the Open Courses info.
Pre-registrations (with a rental Emit card): After arriving at the Competition Centre go to the Open Courses info tent’s “pre-registration” stand. From there you will receive your competition number and a rental Emit card. After this, they may proceed to the start gate and then to Start 3, 4, or 5 (check which start your chosen course uses).
Emit card
- Different orienteers (participants/persons) CANNOT use the same Emit card during the orienteering week.
- For safety reasons Emit card is mandatory to use for all orienteers in Kainuu O-Week.
- In Open-RR (family series) with one Emit card it is possible to orienteer as a team/group for example a child with parents
- It is possible to rent an Emit card from the open courses info for 15 €/week or 5 €/day. A-non refundable card will be charged 90 €.
General instructions for open courses and family course
Before performance
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Entry and registration
- See the entry and registration instructions: www.rastiviikko.fi -> Entry
- For safety reasons Emit card is mandatory to use for all orienteers in Kainuu O-Week
- In Open-RR (family series) with one Emit card it is possible to orienteer as a team/group for example a child with parents
- All orienteers must use the number bib and it must be placed on the visible place in front of the shirt. Same number bib is used the whole week. Same number bib is used even if participation is for single days like 1st stage and 3rd stage so don't loose your number bib! If the number bib is lost the new one can be purchased in price 2 €
- Instructions for on-site actions at the competition centre
- Find Open Courses info tent at the Competition Centre
- Explore route options and maps:
- The open courses of maps and routes can be seen in advance in the open courses info, which makes it easier to choose a suitable route
- The courses of open courses and control descriptions have been pre-printed on the map (as in the competition categories)
- Choose a skill and distance level that suits best for you
- If you have pre-registered do as follows: Check that the track in which you have registered is correct on the participants lists (see the page start lists and results). If you wish to change the track, it is possible on-site at the Competition Centre in the Open Courses info tent and pre-registered point
- On-site registered participants: Tell the track what you want to orienteer on-site in the Open Courses info tent for the officials
- On each day you can choose whatever track. If you wish to change the track (in which you have originally registered) you must do it in the Open Courses info tent before entering to the start area
- If you have pre-registered do as follows:
- Pre-registrations (with own Emit card): ick up competition number from the binders near the Open Courses info tent at the Competition Centre. Mount the competition number on the chest and you can go straight through the starting gate to the start line. In this case, you do not need to visit the Open Courses info. Remember to sign in at the start gate along the signposted way to the start area.
- Pre-registrations (with a rental Emit card): After arriving at the Competition Centre go to the Open Courses info tent’s “pre-registration” stand. From there you will receive your competition number and a rental Emit card.
- If you haven't registered yet when you have arrived to Competition Centre see the entry and registration instructions: www.rastiviikko.fi -> Entry
- Start area instructions:
- In the open courses there are two (2) different start areas on each stage and in addition, the Open RR (family series) starts from the start areas 3 of the competition categories:
- Start 3 is only category Open RR (family series)
- Start 4 is for categories as follows: B long, A short, A middle, A long
- Start 5 is for categories as follows: C short, C long, B short, B middle
- The participant will be registered as a started orienteer at the start gate along the signposted way to the start area. Sign up at the start gate the emit card in the reader. After the start gate, the participant moves to the start area of either to start 3, start 4 (open 1) or to start 5 (open 2). The participant must have an Emit card and the bib number obtained from the open courses info.
- You can go to the starting point whenever you want during the open courses opening hours - NOTE! Check the race-day access to the forest from the KOW competition instructions or the open courses instruction this page
- the map can be obtained from the start area
- the Emit card reset is on the start area (when orienteer is starting)
- NOTICE! Without Emit card orienteer is not allowed to enter terrain
- In the open courses there are two (2) different start areas on each stage and in addition, the Open RR (family series) starts from the start areas 3 of the competition categories:
During performance
- Circle around the orienteering course in numerical order
- Do the emit punching on each control point and remember to check the control point code
- Remember that court yards, farmed fields and other prohibited areas that are marked on the map are not allowed to use by orienteers
After performance
- Select the number 5-6 (Kajaani) for the finish line
- Do the final Emit punching in the finish line
- Walk by following the officials instructions to the Emit checkpoint tent
- Course-specific results will be published on the website rastiviikko.fi -> Start lists and results
Prizes
In the open courses and family series timing is used but prizes based on ranking are not distributed. Also, in the open courses and the family series overall results are not calculated.
Every day, all participant in open categories lots drawn daily distribute prizes - be sure to check out on the open course info if you have won.
In Open RR (family series) there will be a participation prize for every participant.
20th, 30th, 40th and 50th anniversary medals
All orienteers who are participating into the Kainuu Orienteering Week for the 20th, 30th, 40th or 50th time, please inform us and leave your contact information at our office (info@rastiviikko.fi) by 31st May 2026 so that we can reserve enough anniversary medals for everyone. Anniversary medals are awarded in conjunction with stage winners’ prize-giving ceremonies.
Additional instructions for the family series
In the family category, the group will have one competition number and one Emit card that will be read at the start and finish.
In the family category, the organisers will provide maps for the family/group and one Emit card.
You are warmly welcome to the open courses of the Kainuu Orienteering Week!
NOTE! Check the validity of your insurance (eg. leisure accident insurance) in orienteering events. Different insurance companies have different reimbursement practices. On the organizer side, the Kainuu O Week event is insured with the insurance of the Finnish Olympic Committee.
