Summary of key issues

Registration and running order

Registration to Joensuu-Jukola must be submitted through the electronic enrolment system by 1st June 2017. You will find all info from Event Invitation.

The running orders for both relays must be registered by Friday, June 16th, 2017 at 6 p.m. in registration.jukola.com.

Arrival can take time!

Be prepared for heavy traffic and make sure you have enough time to arrive: arrival guide and Google Maps.

What to take with you?

• Number bib, in which the bar code must be unharmed when entering the start / changeover area
• Emit cards will be read into the result system when entering the start / changeover area. After the registration of the card the runner will re-set their card. After this the card cannot be changed.

Terrain and map

The competition map is in the scale of 1:10 000, with a contour interval of 5 metres. Mapped 2015-2017 by Jussi Silvennoinen. The size of the map in the Venla relay is A3, and in the Jukola relay A3 or A2, depending on the leg. The map is enclosed in a plastic cover. The control descriptions are printed on the edge of the map. The control codes are also printed next to the control numbers. More info and photos from the terrain.

Out-of-Bounds Areas

The pictures above show the markings for out-of-bounds areas both in the terrain and on the competition map. A sample of the out-of bounds tape can be seen on the model controls in the competition center.

Controls and Punching

In the competition center you can find model controls. The actual controls in the terrain are similar to the model controls. The Jukola relay controls for legs 1–3 are provided with reflectors. The controls have to be visited in numerical order. The control’s number and code are printed on the map next to the control symbol. On some of the controls the control code is different than the Emit control unit code. So if you have an Emit card with display the card may show a different code than the control code. Please note that you will have to punch also in the finish and in the changeover, at the end of the finish and changeover lines.

Separate instructions for mass starts

Finland 100 Venla relay will start as a mass start on Saturday, 17th June, 2017 at 2 p.m. Jukola relay will start as a mass start on Saturday, 17th June, 2017 at 11 p.m. Runners of the first leg must enter the Emit card registration 20 minutes before the start at the latest. The runners of the first leg must read the instructions for the start. The final instructions will be published in June before the relay.

Competition Instructions

Message of the Jukola Relay

According to a tradition, the message of the Jukola Relay will be read at the festival stage after the winning team finishes. The President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, will receive the Message of Joensuu-Jukola, which is dedicated to Finland celebrating its centenary of independence.

40th Venla relay – Finland 100 Venla relay

The competition will start as a mass start on Saturday, 17th June, 2017 at 2 p.m. Runners must enter the Emit card registration 20 minutes before the start at the latest. After the reading and re-set of the Emit card the runners will enter the start area. After this, instructions given in the section “Start” will be followed.

All courses include app. 1,200-1,400 metres of marked route. All legs have forking. Those born in years 2001-2002 are recommended to run leg 3.

Finland 100 Venla relay: closing of the changeovers and the re-start

The competition as a relay will be ended at 6.30 p.m. The runners of those teams that have not finished by then will take part in the re-start. The re-start (a mass start) for the runners of legs 2-4 will take place at 6.45 p.m. at the map stands. Those runners who have not yet run will be called to the re-start at 6.30 p.m. The Emit card registration must be entered 20 minutes before the start, at the latest. After the reading and re-set of the Emit cards the runners will go to the map stands app. 5 minutes before the start, according to instructions given by the announcer and the officials. Those teams that false start will be disqualified. The finish for the Venla relay will be closed at 10 p.m. However, all the teams completing the relay will be given a total time.

69th Jukola relay

The competition will start as a mass start on Saturday, 17th June, 2017 at 11 p.m. The Emit card registration must be entered 20 minutes before the start, at the latest. After the reading and re-set of the Emit card the runners will enter the start area. After this, instructions given in the section “Start” will be followed.

All courses include app. 1,200-1,400 metres of marked route. All legs have forking. Those born in years 2001-2002 are recommended to run legs 4 and 5.

Jukola relay: closing of the changeovers and the re-starts

The competition as a relay will be ended on Sunday, 18th June, at 8.45 a.m. The teams that have not finished by then will take part in two separate re-starts.

The re-start for leg 7 will take place at 9 a.m. This group has to be at the Emit card registration at 8.40 a.m. at the latest. After the reading and re-set of the Emit cards the runners of leg 7 will go to the map stands app. 5 minutes before the start, according to the instructions given by the announcer and the officials.

The runners of legs 2-6 will be let to the registration and to the start area after the anchors. The registration must be done by 9 a.m.

The re-starts for legs 2-6 will take place at 9.20 a.m. The runners will be guided to a waiting area. After the first re-start the runners of legs 2-6 will go to the map stands, according to instructions given by the announcer and the officials. Those teams that false start will be disqualified.

The finish for Jukola relay will be closed at 3 p.m. and the officials will start removing the controls from the terrain. All teams completing the relay will be given a total time.

Further instructions on the Jukola relay re-starts will be found by the entrance gate (entrance to the start / changeover area) and instructions will also be given by the announcer!

Competition Rules and Instructions

The rules of the Finnish Orienteering Federation (FOF) apply together with the instructions given by the organizers. The FOF rules for orienteering sports can be found in Finnish at www.suunnistusliitto.fi. The final competition rules will be published on the results board.

Competition Terrain

The competition terrain is located in Eno, Joensuu. The most recent competition in this terrain, a national orienteering competition, took place in 2008. An old map can be seen on the result board in the competition center and on the Joensuu-Jukola website.

The competition area is dominated by the hill area of Harpatinvaara. The terrain of Harpatti is both technically and physically challenging. The western side of Harpatti hill is partly bare rock, mostly with pine forest. The eastern side is more rocky and in many parts more dense. It is mostly spruce forest. Runnability varies from extremely good to extremely slow. Because of forestry one can also find cutting areas and young mixed forest.

In the terrain, there are TV production related constructions not marked on the competition map. TV controls are not marked in the control descriptions. You may come across with organizers running with a camera in the terrain.

Competition Map and Control Descriptions

The competition map is in the scale of 1:10 000, with a contour interval of 5 metres. Mapped 2014-2017 by Jussi Silvennoinen. The size of the map in the Venla relay is A3, and in the Jukola relay A3 or A2, depending on the leg. The map is enclosed in a plastic cover. The control descriptions are printed on the edge of the map. The control codes are also printed next to the control numbers.

Out-of-Bounds Areas

As a rule, out-of-bounds areas are indicated with vertical stripes in purple on the competition map. A continuous purple line on the edge of an out-of-bounds area on the map means that there is also a continuous do-not-go tape in the terrain. All settlement areas and cultivated land (black dots on yellow) are forbidden to enter. In addition to the previous, there are small out-of-bounds areas (e.g. bird nests) in the terrain cordoned off with a tape on the spot. Due to their small size they are not indicated on the competition map.

Controls and Punching

In the competition center you can find model controls. The actual controls in the terrain are similar to the model controls.  The Jukola relay controls for legs 1–3 are provided with reflectors. The controls have to be visited in numerical order. The control’s number and code are printed on the map next to the control symbol. On some of the controls the control code is different than the Emit control unit code. So if you have an Emit card with display the card may show a different code than the control code. Please note that you will have to punch also in the finish and in the changeover, at the end of the finish and changeover lines.

Emit punching system: Instructions for punching and testing the card

Punching in the competition will be carried out with the electronic Emit punching system. There are instructions about the system by the competition info. Each team must have at least three Emit cards. A card used in the Venla relay can be used in the Jukola relay. A card cannot be used in two consecutive legs. A card cannot be used by two different teams in the same relay. The team material includes an Emit card backup slip for each member of the team. This must be attached to the Emit card. On this slip, you must write the letter V (for the Venla relay) or the letter J (for the Jukola relay), your team number and below that your leg number. Please attach the backup slip into the Emit card with a small piece of thin tape.

The Emit card numbers are not needed beforehand. The number of your Emit card will be registered when you enter the start / changeover area through the entrance gate (marked with the text “Suomen suurin kuntokoulu”). There your card is read for the results service. Thereafter you will have to insert the card into an Emit reset unit, which clears the card for your leg. After that the Emit card cannot be changed.

If your Emit card cannot be read at the entrance, you will be given an Emit card provided by the organizer. This is a rental card of 30 euros. You will not be allowed to compete with a broken / unread card. After finishing the leg, you must return the organizer’s card to the Info, where you will be charged 30 € for using the card. Your own card will then be given back to you.

After finishing their leg, competitors’ cards will be read into the result system. If there are any problems with the punching data, the competitor will be guided to the Wailing Wall.

A team can hire Emit cards in advance at 20 € per card. The hired cards will be included in the team material. Emit cards can also be hired during the competition at the Info, at the cost of 30 euros per card. All hired cards must be returned to the Info in the same bag as they were on receiving them. Hired cards not returned will be charged at 80 € each.

There are Emit card testing units next to the Info and to the Emit card registration point (the entrance gate “Suomen suurin kuntokoulu”). To test your Emit card, place it onto an Emit card testing unit. If you see a red light blink, your card works.  If your Emit card is low on battery, it cannot be read into the result service. In such case the organizer will provide you with a hired Emit card, as explained above.

You can rehearse punching in the model controls, which are situated next to the Info and to the start / changeover area’s entrance gate. The actual controls, the changeover and the finish all have the same kind of punching as the model controls. For the electronic punching to work properly, the Emit card must be put onto the control unit in the right way. Press the card gently but firmly onto the control unit. Because of its shape, the Emit card fits to the control unit one way only. When the punching is done properly, the backup slip in the Emit card will be marked with a pin, in addition to the electronic mark in the actual card. This is a backup plan for any problems with the electronic system.

Emit Card Testing and Punching Instructions

There are Emit card testing units next to the Info and to the entrance gate (“Suomen suurin kuntokoulu”). To test your Emit card, place it onto an Emit card testing unit. If you see a red LED light blink, your card works. If the red light doesn’t blink, the card’s battery has run down or is about to run down. If so, get yourself another Emit card before going to the entrance gate.

If your Emit card is low on battery, it cannot be read into the result service. In such case the organizer will provide you with a hired Emit card, as explained above.

You can rehearse punching in the model controls, which are situated next to the Info and to the changeover area’s entrance gate. NB. Please practice the punching without the backup slip. The actual controls, the changeover and the finish all have the same kind of punching as the model controls. For the electronic punching to work properly, the Emit card must be put onto the control unit in the right way. Press the card gently but firmly onto the control unit. Because of its shape, the Emit card fits to the control unit one way only. When the punching is done properly, the backup slip in the Emit card will be marked with a pin, in addition to the electronic mark in the actual card.

A hint: the Emit card backup slip can be attached with a small piece of tape onto the Emit card, so that it holds even in rainy weather.

Starts

The start is situated in Sarvingintie (a road), in the eastern side of the competition center. You must enter the start area through the Emit card registration, where your card is read and then re-set. You cannot leave the start area after this! There will be toilets and clean water available.

The Venla relay will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, 17th June, 2017 and the Jukola relay at 11 p.m. the same day. In both relays the entrance gate to the start area will be opened one hour before the start. The competitors must be at the entrance gate at the latest 20 minutes before the start.

At the start area, follow the instructions given by the announcer and the officials. About seven minutes before the start, go to your place in the start grid. After that point, the start area cannot be entered anymore. Your place is indicated by your team number on the ground. You must approach your place from the western side. There are number plates at the ends of the rows, showing which row should have which teams in it. You will be given a folded map by an official. When you get the map, you must make sure that the map has got your team’s number on it. It is always the competitor’s responsibility to check that the map is the correct one, both in the start and in the changeover. The folded map is sealed with a tape. To unfold the map before the start signal is strictly forbidden. Opening the map too early will lead to disqualification of the team.

If you arrive in the start area late, you can get the map from an official after the starting signal.

The start signal is church bells. You are not allowed to move forward before the bell rings! Teams that false start or cause others to false start will be disqualified! The handing of the maps and the actual start will be videoed.

There are separate instructions with drawings for the start in the electronic Jukola booklet and on the Joensuu-Jukola website.

The marked route to the K point is narrow. Please be careful in the first leg and in the later restarts! The competitors of the first leg can familiarize themselves with the start’s marked route up to the church’s corner.

Refreshment and First Aid Points

There are points for refreshment and first aid in the terrain. They are marked with purple symbols on the map according to the specification for orienteering maps: a mug stands for refreshment point and a cross for a first aid point. In the refreshment points you can find water and sport drink Dexal. There you will also find litter bins for the mugs, gel packages and other possible litter. Respect nature and put your litter where it belongs!

In the finish and changeover area there will be a first aid crew and a tap for drinking water. There is an actual first aid station in the competition center.

Changeover

There are marked routes from the last controls to the bridge that leads to the changeover. After the bridge, continue on the marked route and then choose the correct lane (see also section “Marked routes”.) NB. The runners of the fastest teams in each leg will be guided to the rightmost lane.

Having arrived in the changeover area, punch your Emit card and hand over your map to an official. Then go to the map stands and get the map for the next runner of your team. Check that the map is the correct one: it has got your team number and the number of the next leg. To unfasten the map, pull it upwards from the stand.

Take the map to the next runner of your team, who is waiting at the changeover fence. There are guide signs on the changeover fence indicating at which section of the fence the changeover has to take place, depending on the team’s number. The bib number must be visible all the time in the changeover area.

You are responsible for taking the right map from the stand. A wrong map will lead to disqualification. If there is no map for your team on the stand, go to the changeover info at the right end of the changeover fence. The officials there will be wearing a yellow vest with the text “Varakartat” (reserve maps). An official will guide you to the reserve map point, which is situated about 400 meters from the changeover fence, on the way to the K point.

Only competitors wearing bib numbers are allowed to enter the changeover area. Competitors entering the area go through Emit card registration and Emit reset. The competitors coming from the terrain for a changeover can be seen about 200 meters before the changeover takes place. In the area there are also online terminals that can be used to find out when and where the team member currently in the terrain last visited an online control. There are also toilets and a tap for drinking water in the changeover area, as well as a first aid point.

If you arrive at the changeover fence late (so that the previous runner has already left), you must contact certain officials (after you have gone through the Emit card registration and reset). You can find these officials at the end of the changeover fence, under a noticeboard with the text “Myöhästyneet” (competitors late). The officials will give you the correct map, handed to them by the previous runner.

A competitor who has come from the terrain for a changeover cannot leave the area without visiting the Emit card data extraction point, where the card is read for the results system. The changeover times and the positions of the teams are based on the changeover punching. The changeover punching area is under video surveillance.

Please pay attention to other competitors on both sides of the changeover fence! Avoid warming up in places where you might block runners already competing.

Marked Routes

There is a marked route all the way from the start and changeover area to the K-point (the start point, indicated with a purple triangle on the map). Similarly, there are marked routes from the last controls to the changeover area and the finish. Before arriving to the changeover or finish, the competitors will be split to separate lanes on the basis of their leg numbers. The fastest teams in each leg will be guided to the rightmost lane.

Finish

There is a marked route from the last control of the last leg to the bridge after which you will have to choose the rightmost lane according to signs. All last leg runners in both relays are guided to the rightmost lane. Risto Vairinen acts as the finish judge. The positions of the first 50 teams in the results will be determined on the basis of crossing the finish line. Other teams’ results will be based on the punching immediately after the finish line. Punching time is the time when the Emit-card is removed from the punching unit. The finish punching is controlled by video recording.

After finish punching, the competitor hands over their competition map to the officials. The Emit cards of the anchors of the teams that are to be awarded will be read immediately after the finish line, whereas the rest of the anchors will have to follow a marked route to the Emit card data extraction point.

Wailing Wall

The Wailing Wall can be found close to the Emit card data extraction point. It’s a place where drop-out cases and disqualifications as well as other problems concerning teams are dealt with. The Wailing Wall is open from 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, June 17th, to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 18th. Possible disqualifications are discussed at the Wailing Wall, with a team leader if necessary. Officials at the Wailing Wall will give instructions about summoning the team leader if needed. If one wants to report a rule violation or hand in a protest, they can contact a member of the jury or the Wailing Wall. Protests and reports must be in writing and the person leaving them must give their name and contact information.

Drop-out and Disqualified Teams

In spite of being dropped out or disqualified, a team may continue the race as if it were a real relay. The result of the team will be shown on the result board as a drop-out or disqualified. The runners go through the changeover in the same way as others. However, if a drop-out / disqualified team is less than 30 minutes behind the leading team at a changeover, the team is delayed at the next changeover so that the time difference to the leading team is at least 30 minutes. In these cases, the next leg competitor has to contact the officials at the notice board (“Keskeyttäneet / Drop-outs”) at the end of the changeover fence. There the competitor will be given a map and a permission to start when 30 minutes from the changeover of the leading team has passed.

If possible, a dropped-out competitor must return to the changeover area along the marked route and then go to the Emit card data extraction point. If the competitor is not able to do so, the team leader must contact the Wailing Wall, inform the officials about the situation and return the competitor’s map. A team is categorized as a drop-out case, if the competitor informs about dropping out at the Emit data extraction point. In the case of an injury in the terrain, the map is given to the first aid personnel. These teams will also be listed on the notice board at the changeover fence.

Results

During the competition, one can find live results on the electronic results board and on the Joensuu-Jukola website jukola.com. If there is a confusion regarding the results, please contact the Wailing Wall.

Information about drop-out cases and disqualifications is available on the results board and also announced by the speaker if the case concerns one of the leading teams. The official results will be published on the website after the competition.

Running order

The teams register their running order using the registration service on registration.jukola.com. The same club-specific login details are used as when entering the competition. The running orders for both relays must be registered by Friday, 16th June, 2017 at 6 p.m. The running order can be given as non-public. These running orders will be automatically made public on Friday, 16th June, 2017 at 6 p.m. and can be seen thereafter on the Joensuu-Jukola website registration.jukola.com.

If there is an urgent need to change the running order after the above mentioned deadline, the team has to contact the Info at the latest thirty minutes before the start of the relay in question (Jukola / Venla) with written arguments.

The person who has entered a team in the relay is responsible for giving correct information regarding the team members as well as for ensuring that the age limit is being followed properly. Those born in 2002 or earlier can enter the competition.

Team-Specific Material

The team-specific competition material can be collected at the Info from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 16th June and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, 17th June. The person who comes to collect the material must present a printout of a coupon e-mailed to the club in the beginning of June. In addition, all the fees have to be paid, and the running order has to be registered.

The material includes a number bib and an Emit card backup slip for each member of the club’s team or teams. There is also a coupon against which the club can collect a fresh set of competition maps after the relay. (There is only one such coupon per club, usually included in the material of the club’s first Jukola team.) If a team has hired Emit cards from the organizer, they will also be included in the material. Note that the material does not include safety pins for attaching the number bibs to the runners. Safety pins can be bought at the Info and in the Jukola shop (1 € / 12 pcs).

Competition Numbers

The competition numbers (bib numbers) are based on the results of Venla and Jukola relays 2016. If a club has several teams, the first team of the club will wear the smallest of the club’s bib numbers. The bar code in the number bib must be undamaged when entering the start / changeover area.

The bib number must be wholly visible throughout the leg. Please attach the number bib carefully to the chest with four safety pins; it will be checked at the entrance gate.

Those teams that have been selected to wear the GPS tracking devices will wear a number bib vest. These vests will be handed to the competitors in question in the GPS-tent at the entrance to the start / changeover area. The vest and the actual device will be handed to the competitor when they present the number bib from the team material.

GPS Tracking

A GPS tracking system will be used in both relays on all legs. If a team refuses to carry the device, the team will be disqualified. Approximately twenty-five teams will carry the device in each relay.

The GPS device as well as the number bib vest will be given to the runner at the start / changeover area’s entrance gate at a special GPS point. The runner will be guided how to wear the device. The runner must wear both the device and the number bib vest all the time after they have been put on until they are returned to the organizer after the Emit checkup after the leg. The GPS device has to be put on at the latest 15 minutes before the runner starts their leg. During the race, the organizer may vary the teams that carry the devices.

Competitors’ Own GPS Devices and Phones

A competitor may use only such own GPS devices that do not have a map display. Note also that such devices that send live GPS data are forbidden (apart from the organizers’ GPS devices). Recorded GPS data cannot be used in order to improve anyone’s performance in this competition.

A competitor may carry a mobile phone to be used in emergencies. The phone must be switched off in the changeover area as well as during the competition, and it can only be used in emergencies. It is forbidden to photograph the map during the relay. Recorded route data can be uploaded to the internet or other services only after the re-starts of Jukola relay.

Ban on Spike Shoes

Wearing spike shoes is forbidden. Shoes will be controlled at the entrance gate and when leaving the changeover area. Using spike shoes will lead to disqualification of the whole team. Dobb shoes meant for orienteering are allowed (shoes with metal studs on their soles).

Coaches and Team Supporters

Coaches and people who want to help teams or individual competitors are not allowed to enter the start, changeover and finish areas. They are able to operate from areas provided for the public.

Interviews and Photo Shoot

Interviews with competitors can take place after the competitor has visited the Emit card data extraction point or later at the Media Centre. There will also be a press conference for the best teams in both relays as soon as possible after the finish. The teams will be informed about the press conference.

Prize Ceremonies

The top 25 teams in Jukola relay and the top 20 teams in Finland 100 Venla relay will be awarded with medals and plaquettes. Honorary awards will also be given to the best teams in both relays. All prize giving takes place on the festival stage.

For the Finland 100 Venla relay, the ceremony will take place in the Jukola Festival starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 17th. The Venla teams to be awarded will be asked to be seated next to the stage in places reserved for them by 6:50 p.m. For the Jukola relay, the ceremony will start at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 18th. The Jukola teams to be awarded will be asked to be seated next to the stage in places reserved for them by 9:20 a.m.

The teams to be awarded are not allowed to carry any advertising banners or other material. The club’s own banners and badges are permitted.

Returning of the Maps

The maps of both relays can be collected at the Info from approx. 9:20 a.m. on Sunday, June 18th, or immediately after the re-starts for Jukola. The team-specific material of each club’s first team in the Jukola Relay includes a coupon against which the club or the team will be given its maps. In addition to each competitor’s personal course, the maps show all controls as well as the forking diagram.

All maps of the club can also be posted. For this, an address has to be given and a fee of 10 € to be paid at the Info in advance. An extra charge according to the price list at the Info will be applied if the parcel is large or has to be posted abroad.

Main officials

Competition Manager
Arja Makkonen
+358 50 4051 610, arja.makkonen@jukola.com

Secretary General
Sami Leinonen
+358 50 557 8003, sami.leinonen@jukola.com

Communications Manager
Juuso Metsälä
+358 45 352 6569, juuso.metsala@jukola.com

Map and Course Manager
Jussi Silvennoinen
+358 40 766 3959, jussi.silvennoinen@jukola.com

Course setters
Petri Vainio
petri.vainio@jukola.com, +358 320 7568

Simo Martomaa
simo.martomaa@jukola.com, +358 40 595 5731

Result Service
Ari Korpelainen
+358 50 524 7531, ari.korpelainen@jukola.com

Technical Advisor
Heikki Peltola (Finnish Orienteering Federation)
+358 50 5113957, heikki.peltola@jukola.com

Course Controller
Jarmo Puttonen (Vaajakosken Terä)
+358 40 516 9928, jake.puttonen@gmail.com

Chairman of the Jury
Harri Virta (Kangasala SK)

Members of the Jury

Maria Rantala (Angelniemen Ankkuri) and Olli Turakainen (Helsingin Suunnistajat)