With International Workers’ Day (i.e. May Day) at hand, the last one and a half months to Louna-Jukola has begun. And indeed, diligent voluntary work is under way in different sections of the organization of Louna-Jukola.
The most important task of the IT Committee is simple: to produce correct results to all teams in the competition. Other essential responsibilities include enabling real-time following of the competition and building the data network in the competition centre as well as supporting other committees in IT related issues.
At the moment, the IT “headquarters” dwells in the premises of Paimio Adult Education Centre, just a stone’s throw from the competition centre. From there, it will move to the competition centre about a week prior to Jukola. The action is well underway in both locations.
– The basic installations to the machines have been finished, and testing the configuration files as well as software training and network device configuring are about to begin. Cabling work in the competition centre has also been initiated, tells the chairman of the committee Niko-Petteri Salo.
As its name suggests, the Competition Committee is responsible for the core functions of Jukola – the competition itself, from the start through changeover to finish and all the way to the results board. A crucial waypoint on the road towards a successful execution is planning and organizing the dress rehearsal.
Team leaders are now planning the contents of the training day for volunteers on different sectors. Training is one of the essential issues in the committee, as many of the volunteers are first-timers with no foreknowledge about orienteering. In addition to several other novelties, also the Competition Committee will introduce at least one new practice to Jukola.
– The reserve map point is located by the marked route to the starting point. So, if there is no map for one’s team on the map stand, the official next to the changeover fence will report this to the reserve map point by radio phone. Like this, the next runner doesn’t need to waste time at the changeover fence, clarifies the chairman of the committee Satu Tahvonen.
In addition, the starting grid area is narrower than usual, which means a significantly larger number of starting lines. This requires explicit planning to ensure that the over 80 officials giving the maps can operate smoothly. At the same time, the changeover officials are feeling a bit excited about whether the new, electronic screens indicating the changeover lanes will arrive in time for pre-training.
The tasks of the Communications and Arena Production Committee include producing outward communication and being in charge of the TV and arena production as well as the programme during the event.
The news production will intensify towards the Jukola weekend, and cooperation with different medias as well as the marketing section is constantly underway. TV and arena production is refined to its final shape in both the competition centre and the terrain. The last details of the programme are also finding their correct places.
Interest from the media and the public towards Louna-Jukola has been appreciable, which has reflected well on e.g. the record-predicting numbers of registered teams. A spectacular Jukola weekend is coming up, and even some surprises may be included in the programme – more about those on this site and some of them not until on the spot!
In Kuopio, runners chose the correct lane according to changeable plywood boards. For this part, Louna-Jukola will step into digitality.
