The Venla relay started at 14:00 sharp from the Jukola competition center in Ebbo, Porvoo, Finland. The thermometer showed +27 degrees centigrade in the shadow and the ground was bone dry, when almost 1,700 ladies left in a dust cloud for the forest.
The first leg is around 6.5 km, and the following are 6.5 km, 6.5 km and 7.5 km long.
The winning team is expected to finish the relay around 17:00.