Summer and orienteering season 2020 is coming soon in Finland

Kainuu Orienteering Week´s perfect orienteering terrains, Finland´s mid-summer´s midnight sun and the nightless night are waiting for you...

...and also the great sceneries and silent wilderness in Hossa National Park

Now you are reading the 2nd Kainuu O-Week newsletter for 2020 - we hope you enjoy it :)

By the way - if you have anything to ask - please contact us.

Best regards,

Kainuu Orienteering Week 2020 team

Event Director
Jukka Liuha
jukka.liuha(at)rastiviikko.fi
+358 44 7679 533

Competition and accommodation office
info(at)rastiviikko.fi
+358 44 5123517

If you don´t like or want to have these newsletters in the future you can easily unsubscribe from the mailing list from here. Just put your email address in the field provided and click "Tallenna" (in english meaning the same as "save").

	On the way to the start area

53rd Kainuu Orienteering Week 28.6.-3.7.2020

The next entry step is closing in few days - on friday 28th of February 2020!

Orienteering and Holiday Week in the middle of the best midnight summer time in Finland

KOW 2020 shortly:

• 4 competition days (sun, tue, thur and fri) + 2 rest days (mon and wed).
• Perfect and good grounded pine forrest terrain in Suomussalmi and Haverinen
• In open courses we have 11 different courses and in two of them we have map scale 1:7500.
• Parking areas are near the competition centre.

The Haverinen Competition Centre is located only 5 km from the Suomussalmi city centre to the west (road 892).
The navigating address is Haverisentie 7, 89600 Suomussalmi.

Event Centre is in Suomussalmi tourist office which is located just adjacent to Suomussalmi city centre (450 m) and beside the road 5 (E63).
The navigating address is Jalonkaarre 5, 89600 Suomussalmi.

Services in the Event Centre:
- KOW info (competition information, parking tickets, bus tickets etc., KOW shop products)
- Floor accommodation (plenty of space available)
- Open sprint orienteering event (Monday 29th of June 2020)
- Open sprint orienteering (Tuesday 30th June - Friday 3rd July 2020)
- Suomussalmi tourist information (for ex. Hossa National Park)

	Photo: Pekka Agarth

Some short updates from KOW 2020

• Only one competition centre, easy to arrive, parking areas are near the competition centre

• H/D21E money prizes for overall winners are: 1. 2500 €, 2. 1250 € ja 3. 750 €​

• Competition categories H/D8 - H/D95

• In open courses we have totally 10 different course options including two courses A 1:7500 and B 1:7500​ in 1:7500 map scale​

• Additionally we have for little ones of the family the adventure orienteering route (under school age children)

• In the competition centre we have restaurant, café, grill, delicacy, soup of the day, icecream/softis, children´s day care, adventure orienteering route, dog´s day care, showers, shops and much more...

• Plenty of accommodation only 10-50 min driving distance to competition centre

Plenty of accommodation available!

- Private houses, cottages and holiday aparments - see here
and private accommodation family - see here

- Commercial accommodation in Suomussalmi and in Kainuu region - see here.

- Dormitory accommodation - see here

- Floor accommodation in the event centre - see here

- Caravan and camping accommodation - see here

- Ukkohalla ski resort (only 30 min driving to competition centre)
- Paljakka ski resort (only 45-50 min driving to competition centre)

Ask for accommodation from our accommodation office:

Accommodation office:
+358 44 512 3517
accommodation@rastiviikko.fi

KOW competition bus serves several bus lines for every competition day - move easily from the Suomussalmi to Competition centre and back

KOW2020 competition bus routes, timetables and prices are now released on our web pages here: 2020 -> Arriving -> Arriving to Event Centre and Competition Centre

There is a bus transport for every competition day to both directions from Suomussalmi (Ämmänsaari) to competition centre. For example if you are still searching the accommodation the Kurimo Guest House and Siikaranta dormitory accommodation are on the way of the competition bus route.

	Photos: Suomussalmi.fi / Hossa National Park

Kainuu Trail Hossa National Park (Finland) trail running event 27th June 2020

Over 130 participants from 8 different nationalities are already registered!

Kainuu Trail Hossa National Park (Finland) is a brand new trail running event in the Finland´s newest national park Hossa (nominated as a national park on year 2017). In this event we offer for trail runners all the perfect sceneries, sightseeing and terrains of Hossa National Park´s area.

The trail runners of this event will experience and visti for example these trails and sceneries as in these photos.

Running distances are:

Julma-Ölkky 78 km (routemap from here)
- total elevation +2130 m
- ITRA points: 3

Värikallio 55 km (routemap from here)
- total elevation +1550 m
- ITRA points: 2

Kokalmus 38 km (routemap from here)
- total elevation +970 m
- ITRA points: 2

Jatkonvaara 21 km (routemap from here)
- total elevation +610 m
- ITRA points: 1

Huosius 10 km (routemap from here)
- total elevation +260 m

ENTRY AND REGISTRATION FROM HERE

PARTICIPANTS 2020 CAN BE FOUND FROM HERE

Entry/registration, categories, participation fees etc. more detail information can be found from our webpage

MORE INFORMATION
www.kainuutrail.fi
International Trail Running Association -calendar
Trace De Trail -service
Kainuu Trail has an official qualification race status of UTMB (Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc) 2020

SOCIAL MEDIA
Kainuu Trail Facebook event page
#kainuutrail #rastiviikko #kainuunrastiviikko #kainuuoweek #kainuuorienteeringweek
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Youtube

ORGANIZATION
Event director/route planner: Jukka Liuha, jukka.liuha(a)rastiviikko.fi, +358 44 7679533
Organizer: Kainuu Orienteering Week

	Photo: Hannu Huttu

Last year´s Kainuu O-Week 2019

52nd Kainuu Orienteering Week was held in perfect conditions in Sotkamo (Finland).

2019 year Kainuu O-Week had 4379 orienteers and totally 6000 participants

2020 year the event will gather 5000-6000 participants from all around the world.

Video from the event can been seen from our facebook-pages.

	Photo: KOW 2020 competition terrain in February 2020

KOW 2020 terrains are perfect for beginners and to top orienteers

Check out the KOW 2020 terrain (in winter) video from our facebook page here. This is how our terrain looks like at the moment :)

Check out this the teaser video taken from Kainuu O-Week 2020 terrain on summer 2019 (published in Kainuu O-Week´s facebookpage)

Competition terrain is very suitable for all categories and perfect for running. Orienteers will be running in the fast and beautiful pine forest terrain of Haverinen. In certain areas the curves are with small features. The forest consists almost exclusively of pine forest of varying ages. The visibility is mostly excellent, in some seedling areas slightly poorer. Ground is solid and clean; it is not stony. One river (Varisjoki), a few mires and ponds bring their own contribution to the orienteering tasks and landscape. The area near the competition centre has a comprehensive trail network.

Watch map samples and photo samples from the terrain here.

	Photo: Open courses orienteers

Open courses
Totally 11 different open courses tracks available and two of those with scale 1:7500

KOW open courses are one of the most popular and diverse open orienteering possibility in Finland!

Open courses at Kainuu Orienteering Week have increased their popularity summer by summer. For open courses you can register on-site at event arenas. In case you plan to participate for entire week, you can also pre-register via Rastilippu service.

• 11 different skill levels for kids to professional orienteers. For the little kids we have adventure and activity route.
• Maps are made by mapping professionals of the Mapline Oy (for ex. mappers of WOC2013, Jukola relay etc.)
• Result service is as good as in competition categories

Courses and skill levels are diverse

Activity route: Adventure route for little kids. Route is marked to forest so children can safely go to the forest. Usually parents are with the children during the route. Best for kids 7-years old or under.

FAMILY-RR: marked orienteering route; usually for kids 10-years or under and with the family (parents)

C-categories: Courses are mainly very basic orienteering, easy skill level, best for beginners

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

Open courses in KOW 2020

Track, skill level, distance, map scale
A-long, hard, 7,5 km, 1:10 000
A-short, hard, 4,5 km, 1:10 000
A 1:7500, hard, 4,3 km, 1:7500
B-long, medium, 6,0 km, 1:10 000
B-short, medium, 4,0 km, 1:10 000
B 1:7500, medium, 3,8 km, 1:7500
C-ultra, easy, 10,0 km, 1:10 000
C-long, easy, 4,5 km, 1:10 000
C-short, easy, 2,5 km, 1:10 000
Family-RR*, marked route, 1,7 km, 1:10 000
Activity route**, marked route (adventureous orienteering), 0,5-1km
* Participation fee includes maps for the whole participating family 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

	Photo: Hossa National Park, Julma-Ölkky canyon's cable bridge

Other things to do

Suomussalmi and Kainuu in overall offer plenty of other activities during summer days for the days off. The nearby areas of Suomussalmi are full of amazing nature destinations, with possibilities to do hiking, trekking, mountain biking, canoeing and fishing.

From the Visit Kainuu pages you can find all the things happening in Suomussalmi other places of Kainuu region.

Wild Taiga´s website has also additional information about Suomussalmi and summertime activities.

You can search for trekking and hiking routes from Kainuu outdoor activity map

​Hossa National Park: Experience amazing views and quiet wilderness of the Hossa National Park by hiking, canoeing, fatbiking/MTB, swimming, SUP boarding or just relaxing in the wilderness.

Suomussalmi city centre: Kiannon Kuohut swimming hall, frisbee golf, sprint orienteering and much more

Looking for more orienteering possibilities

We offer self-employed training maps and professional training packages before, during and after the Kainuu O-Week 2020.

We have an open sprint orienteering event on monday 29th of June 2020 in the centre of Suomussalmi.

Starting on Tue 30th of June to Thur 2nd July we have open sprint orienteering in the Event Centre.

Check out the all other things to do from our webpage.

	Photo: Hossa Visitor Centre

Accommodation in the silence and peace of the nature - Hossa Visitor Centre

Hossa Visitor Centre offers a diverse range of excursion and travel services. The restaurant/café serves small snacks and full meals and knowledge of nature and history of Hossa region is provided under the same roof. Cottages and loggers’ huts provide cosy overnight accommodation throughout the year. The campsite of Karhunkainalo is open to caravanners from March to October.

From the Visitor Centre you can rent for ex. fatbikes, canoes, kayaks etc.

Check out accommodation possibilities from here.

Contact:
Hossa Visitor Centre
Jatkonsalmentie 6, 89920 Suomussalmi
+358 (0)50 384 4692
hossa@retkeilykeskus.fi

	Photo: Camping Hossan Lumo

Camping Hossan Lumo

Maija and Lenny welcomes travellers and their pets to Camping Hossan Lumo!

The cottages of the Finnish-Irish family business are available throughout the year. The services for caravanners are available when the ground is unfrozen, as are the small, nostalgic camping huts. The shallow, child-friendly beach is the gem of Camping Hossan Lumo. In the summer, the camping area is home to the only store in the area.

Green values are clearly visible in the day-to-day activities of Camping Hossan Lumo: all waste is recycled and detergents are eco-friendly.

Book your cabin accommodation: www.hossanlumo.fi

Contact:
Lumontie 3
89920 Ruhtinansalmi Finland
+358 (0)500 166377
info@hossanlumo.fi

	Photo: Hossa National Park, Suomussalmi municipality

Arriving to Finland, Kainuu and Suomussalmi is quite easy and flexible.

We recommend the following:

1. Book flights from the departure country to Helsinki (Helsinki airport). Helsinki is the capital city of Finland.

2. Book flights from Helsinki airport to Kajaani airport or Kuusamo airport or Rovaniemi airport or Oulu airport

or

2. Rent car from the Helsinki-Vantaa and drive from Helsinki to Kajaani and Suomussalmi. It about 660 km and 7-8 hours driving from Helsinki to Suomussalmi.

3. From Kajaani airport to Suomussalmi
- 1 h 20 min driving to the Suomussalmi city centre
- 1 h 30 min driving to Competition Centre (Haverisentie 7, Suomussalmi)

Nearest airport´s and driving times to Suomussalmi are:
Kajaani airport - only 1 h 20 min driving to Competition centre
Kuusamo airport - only 1 h 40 min driving to Competition centre
Oulu airport - only 2 h 30 min driving to Competition centre
Rovaniemi airport - 3 h 20 min driving to Competition centre

From these airports / cities you can take a rental car or take a bus to the Suomussalmi. We recommend the rental car because in Finland driving is quite easy (no big traffic and the roads are good).

Read more from our webpages here.

54th Kainuu Orienteering Week 4.-9.7.2021

In Puolanka

Orienteers will be running in the fast and beautiful pine forrest terrain of Luhtakangas and challenge themselves in the great hill area of Äikänvaara

Upcoming KOW events 2022-2025:

55th Kainuu Orienteering Week 03.-08.07.2022 Kuhmo

56th Kainuu Orienteering Week 02.-07.07.2023 Kajaani

57th Kainuu Orienteering Week 30.6.-5.7.2024 Sotkamo

58th Kainuu Orienteering Week 29.6.-4.7.2025 Suomussalmi​

The registration to the Arctic Circle Jukola relay is in top speed - over 15 000 participants already registered!

Arctic Circle Jukola 2020 is the world’s largest orienteering relay race held in 2020 in Rovaniemi, in Finnish Lapland.

Rovaniemi, known as the capital city of Santa Claus is popular international tourist destination.

Rovaniemi is easy to reach by plane, train, coach or car.

Midnight sun in Lapland is unique, there is no need for headlamps.

https://www.jukola.com/2020/en/