Competition instructions

Venla relay

The competition will start as a mass start on Saturday, 17th June 2023 at 14:00. Runners must register their Emit card no later than 20 minutes before the start of the race. After the Emit card has been read and reset, runners proceed to the warm-up area. After this, instructions given in the section “Start” will be followed.

The courses include approximately 500 meters of marked route. All legs have forking. Competitors born in the years 2007 – 2008 are recommended to run leg 2. The finish line for the Venla Relay will be closed at 22:30.

Jukola relay

The competition will start as a mass start on Saturday, 17th June 2023 at 23:00. Runners must register their Emit card no later than 20 minutes before the start of the race. After the Emit card has been read and reset runners proceed to the warm-up area. After this, instructions given in the section “Start” will be followed.

The courses include approximately 500 meters of marked route. All legs have forking. Competitors born in the years 2007 – 2008 are recommended to run leg 4-6. The finish line for the Jukola Relay will be closed on June 18th 2023 at 15:00.

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 organizer’s competition instructions are posted on the competition’s information board.

Terrain

The competition terrain is located in the area between the village center of Epoo in Porvoo and Seitlahti-Voolahti. No competitions have been organized in the northern part of the terrain for over 30 years. The last competition in the southern part was held in 2003. The old maps of the area can be seen on the competition info board and on the Porvoo Borgå Jukola website.

The Porvoo Borgå Jukola terrain is a diverse terrain, from steeper and sharper hill areas to flatter bare rock areas in the southern part of the area. In between the hills there are areas of mixed forests with lower visibility. The hight differences are from 20 – 40 m. The area is characterized by the occasional rockiness and thick undergrowth of eastern Uusimaa, which also affects runability. Compared to the slower terrain, the open rock areas are fast, which means that the running pace will vary significantly in different terrain areas. The visibility is mostly good except for some thicker young forest areas. Various ages of logging, thinning, and thickets are visible in the terrain due to active forest management. There are some protected areas in the terrain. The area is crossed by some forest roads. Aside from trails formed by a rich population of moose and deer, there are not many paths created by humans on the map.

The course setters have tried to utilize all the different forest types of the area and to offer everyone tricky orienteering tasks from the start point to the very last control. The course setters have been working with a very good orienteering map, which describes the different terrain types very well. 

TV production structures in the terrain are not marked on the maps, nor are filming control points marked in the control descriptions. TV cameramen may be running in the terrain with cameras. In addition, the relay can be filmed with TV production drones or camera cars.

Competition Map and Control Descriptions

The competition map is in the scale of 1:10 000, with a contour interval of 5 meters, description ISOM2017. Mapped in 2019-2022 by Jussi Silvennoinen. The size of the map is an A3 in the Venla Relay but varies in the Jukola Relay. The map is enclosed in a plastic cover. The control descriptions are printed on the map. The control codes are also printed next to the control numbers.

Addition 15.6.2023

After printing the competition maps a small thinning has taken place. It’s not presented on the competition map. Please notice the attached picture about the change. It can be seen also in the exchange area.

Model event

During the competition weekend, there will be a model orienteering course in the immediate vicinity of the competition center. The map surveying, course markings, and control descriptions will be the same as those used in the competition. The controls will have a control flag and code, but no punches. Maps will be sold at the competition information desk starting at 10:00 on Friday, June 16, 2023, for a price of €10 each. The model orienteering course will be available from 10:00 on June 16 until 15:00 on June 18.

Out-of-Bounds / forbidden Areas

Out-of-bounds areas are indicated with purple criss-cross stripes on the competition map. A continuous line on the edge of an out-of-bounds area on the map means that there is also a continuous Stop tape in the terrain. All private yards are also forbidden to enter. There are a number of small out-of-bounds areas like bird nests, dangerous steep cliffs or other nature points in the terrain which are marked with an out of bounds tape. Due to their small size, these are not indicated on the competition map.

Out of bounds / forbidden area tape

Route markings

The course markings are in accordance with Finnish Orienteering Federation rules. There are mandatory markings on the courses that must be strictly followed. The mandatory markings in the terrain are indicated by a continuous white ribbon. The start and finish markings are enclosed by fences.

Controls and Punching

The competition will use Emit punching. The actual race controls are similar to the model controls. Model controls are located at the information center and close to the entrance gates. There are no reflectors at the control points. The control points must be visited in numerical order. The control’s number and code are printed on the map next to the control symbol. Competitors must punch in the finish and in the changeover, at the end of the finish and changeover line.

Please be aware that in the terrain the control points can be very close to each other and in similar places. Please make sure you visit the correct control point with a correct control code!

The above figure shows the locations of the last control points. There is signposting from the last controls to the changeover and finish. Make sure that you visit the correct final control point and check the control code.

Emit punching system

Punching in the competition will be carried out with the electronic Emit punching system. Each team must have at least four (4) Emit cards in Jukola relay and three (3) in Venla relay. The same Emit cards may not be used by two different teams in the same relay or in two consecutive legs. However, the same Emit card can be used in both the Jukola and the Venla Relays.

The team material includes a backup patch for each member of the team. This must be attached to the Emit card. On this backup patch, the competitor must write the letter V (for the Venla relay) or the letter J (for the Jukola relay), your team number and your leg number. The backup patch should be attached to the Emit card with a small piece of thin tape.

Your Emit card will be read in the Emit-tent on your way to the start / changeover area through the entrance gate (marked with the text “MARSMARS”). You have to insert the card into an Emit reset unit, which clears the card for your leg. After reset, the Emit card cannot be changed. If your Emit card cannot be read at the registration you will be given a rental Emit card provided by the organizer. You are not 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 40 € for using the card. Your own card will then be given back to you.

Only a competitor with a competition number can access the start / exchange area. Competitors cannot leave the start / exchange zone after Emit reset. The Emit reset point is opened 75 minutes before the start of the Venla / Jukola relay and is open during the relay.

The check-in happens in stages according to the competitor’s competition number:

The Emit check-in and reset point will be closed 20 minutes before the start signals for both Venla and Jukola relays and will be opened again straight after the starts. The check-in and reset points will then be open through the duration of the relays, until they will be closed 30 minutes after the restarts.

The first leg runners will be arranged to the starting line in stages according to the competitors’s bib number, starting 30 minutes before the start:

The starting area will be closed 10 minutes before the start.

After finishing their leg, competitors will be guided to the Emit-punching check-out. There the data of the card will be read. If there are any problems with the punching data, the competitor will be guided to the Wailing Wall.

All rented cards must be returned to the Info, in the same team bag where they were. Unreturned or lost cards will be charged at 80€ each. If a card is rented only for the Venla relay it must be returned to the information center immediately after the Venla relay is finished.

Make sure that you use a proper Emit card. Only the original unopened electronic card is allowed in the relays.

The last-minute rental fee for the Emit card is 40 € / piece. If you want to receive rented Emit cards with the team material, you need to make a pre-booking via the registration system by no later than 31st May 2023.

There are Emit card testing units at the information center and next to the Emit check-in area. To test your Emit card, place it onto an Emit card testing unit which is provided with a LED light. The LED will indicate that your card works by flashing. If the card’s battery is run down or is about to run down the light does not flash and you will need to rent a new card before checking in at the entrance gate.

Competitors are also advised to test their emit cards in the model control points which are located at the information center and next to the 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 all the way into the bottom. Because of its shape, the Emit card fits to the control unit one way only. When the punching is done properly, the backup patch in the Emit card will be marked with a pin, in addition to the electronic mark. This will prove your visit at the control point in case of failure in the electronic system.

Starts

The starts of both relays take place on a field within the event centre. The runners cannot leave their warm-up gear on the fence surrounding the start area but must leave the clothes between the fence of the entry and exit routes. There is no surveillance for clothing and the competitors themselves can take their own clothes with them after their own leg.

The announcer and the start officials will give instructions for the lining up to the start rows. The competitors will be called into the start area in groups starting from the highest team numbers 30 minutes before the start. The competitors start to move to the correct position according to their number bib 8 minutes before the start. One can access his/her own spot on the correct row from that end of the row where the officials with maps are standing. The officials have vests which show what numbers belong to that particular row (eg. 1-20, 21-40 etc.). Entrance to the start area will be closed 10 minutes before the start. Late starters will get their maps at the help point HELPPI at the changeover fence, where the maps are available for 30 minutes after the start.

You will be given a folded map from the official. When you get the map, you must make sure that the map has got your team’s number on it. It is the competitor’s responsibility to check that the map is the correct one. It is strictly forbidden to unfold the map before the start signal. Opening the map too early will lead to the disqualification of the team.

The start will be signalled by a starting gun fired by the Finnish Defense Forces. You are not allowed to move forward before the gun is fired. Teams that false-start or make others to false-start will be disqualified! The entire start procedure is recorded.

The route from the start area to the K point (the actual starting point of the course) is signposted on both sides. There is no Emit punching at the K point. The runners of the first leg are allowed to get familiar with the flagged route and warm up almost all the way to the K point. 

The starting route is short and about twelve meters wide all the way to the K point. Be careful.

Changeover

There are marked routes from the last controls to the changeover / finish line.  Incoming competitors will be split to separate lanes on the basis of their leg numbers. Choose the lane above which you see your leg number. NB! The numbering of the lanes changes during the relay. The fastest teams of each leg will be guided to the rightmost lane. There will be organizers guiding the runners into the correct lanes but especially when there are a lot of runners entering the lanes at the same time, each runner needs to pay close attention to choosing the correct lane.

Having arrived in the changeover area, punch your Emit card (at the finish line) 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.

Runners waiting for an exchange can warm up in the area reserved for it. Warming up by running along the marked route to the K-point is not allowed. 

NB! To unfasten the map, pull it upwards from the stand. Any other action may result in breaking the map bag.

Take the map to the next runner of your team 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.

If the next runner is not found in a reasonable time, the map should be taken to the help point HELPPI at the end of the changeover fence.

It is the competitors’ own responsibility to make sure they take the correct map from the stand. It is also the leaving competitors’ own responsibility to check they have received the correct map. The wrong choice will lead to disqualification.

If there is no map for your team on the stand, the incoming competitor should report this to an official at the map stand. Then the competitor and the official will go together to the help point HELPPI. A help point official will give the competitor a spare map ticket, which the competitor will take to the next runner at the changeover fence. The spare map ticket has a map to the spare map stand and short written instructions for the next runner.

If you arrive at the changeover fence late, you must then contact the officials at the help point HELPPI after you have gone through the Emit registration and reset. The officials will give you the correct map, handed to them by the previous runner.

Only competitors wearing bib numbers are allowed to enter the changeover area. Competitors enter the area through the entrance gate and Emit card registration and reset. The competitors arriving from the terrain for a changeover can be seen from a distance of about 300 meters. In the changeover 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 toilets and a water point in the changeover area. A first aid point is located outside the Emit checkout gate, next to the main first aid. A competitor who has come from the terrain for a changeover can leave the area only through the Emit checkout point.

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. Competitors waiting for the changeover can warm up in an area close to the changeover fence.

Closing of the Changeovers and Restart

Venla Relay

The changeover area will be closed on Saturday, 17th June at 18:30. Runners who have not started by then will take part in the mass restart. The mass restart for the runners of legs 2-4 will take place at 18:45 from the map stands. The runners participating in the restart will be required to register their Emit cards at the entrance gate no later than 20 minutes before the restart. After the registration and reset of the Emit cards the runners will go to the map stands about 5 minutes before the restart following the instructions given by the announcer and officials. False-starting teams will be disqualified. The finish line for the Venla relay will be closed at 22:30.

Jukola Relay

The changeover area will be closed on Sunday, 18th June at 8:45.  Runners who have not started by then will take part in two separate restarts.

The restart for the 7th leg will take place at 9:00. This group has to have gone through the Emit card registration no later than 8:40. After the registration and reset of the Emit cards the runners of the 7th leg will go to the map stands about 5 minutes before the restart following the instructions given by the announcer and officials.

The runners of the legs 2-6 have to have gone through the Emit card registration no later than 9:10. The restarts for the legs 2-6 will take place at 9:30. During the first restart, the runners of the second restart will be guided to a waiting area to guarantee a safe start for the runners of the 7th leg. The runners of legs 2-6 will go to the map stands about 5 minutes before the restart following the instructions given by the announcer and officials. False-starting teams will be disqualified.

The finish line for the Jukola relay will be closed at 15:00. The removal of the control points from the terrain begins.

Finish

In both relays all the last leg runners will run to the rightmost lane following the guidance. The positions of the first 30 teams will be determined by the finish judge based on the crossing of the finish line. Tight spurt situations will be double checked with a finish line camera. After the finish line punching, Emit cards of the team anchors in prize winning positions will be read in the finish area.

Other teams’ results will be based on the punching immediately after the finish line. The punching time is the time when the Emit card enters the punching unit. The finish punching is controlled by video recording. Other than prize winning anchors continue along the marked path to the Emit checkout point.

Wailing Wall

The Wailing Wall, located in the vicinity of the entrance gate and the Emit checkout point, is open for from Saturday, 17th June at 13:00 until Sunday, 18th June at 16:00. The wailing wall is the place where disqualifications as well as other competition related issues are dealt with. If necessary, a team leader can be present when discussing possible disqualifications. Officials at the Wailing Wall will give instructions about summoning the team leader if needed. To report a rule violation or hand in a protest, teams should contact a member of the jury or the Wailing Wall. The protests and reports must be in writing and the persons leaving them must give their name and contact information.

Dropouts and Disqualified Teams

Even if dropped out or disqualified, a team may continue the race. The result of the team will be shown on the result board as a dropout or disqualified. The runners go through the changeover in the same way as others. However, if a dropout / disqualified team is less than 30 minutes behind the leading team, the team will be delayed at the next changeover so that the time difference to the leading team is at least 30 minutes. The map for the next leg of the team is removed from the map stand and replaced by a yellow card with the team’s number and leg number. The incoming competitor must take the card from the map holder and give it to the next leg runner who should proceed to the help point HELPPI at 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 through the changeover area along the marked route and proceed to the Emit checkout point. If the competitor is not able to do so, the team leader, or first aid personnel, must contact the Wailing Wall to inform the officials about the situation and return the competitor’s map. A team is categorised as a dropout if the competitor informs about dropping out at the Emit checkout 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 help point HELPPI at the changeover fence. In case a team interrupts a race due to injury can the rest of the team run their parts at the restart. 

Results

During the competition, results will be available on the results board, on the Porvoo Borgå Jukola internet site http://www.jukola.com/2023, and in the Jukola application. If there is any confusion regarding the results, competitors should contact the Wailing Wall. 

The drop-out and disqualified teams will be reported on the results board and also by the announcer in the case of leading teams. The official results will be published on the website after the competition. If there are any notifications about the results, they can be sent directly to Timo Kokko, timo.kokko@jukola.com

Refreshment and First Aid Points

There are points for refreshment and first aid in the terrain. They are marked with map symbols following the specification for orienteering maps. At the refreshment points you can find water in addition to the official Jukola sport drink, Maxim. At the refreshment areas there are also litter bins for the mugs, gel packages, and other litter. Respect nature and please do not litter! If the weather is really hot and you think that you might need a lot of time to get through your leg, it is advisable to take a drink belt with you.

Running order

Teams need to register their running order using the registration service at registration.jukola.com. The same person who registered the team in first place needs to log in with his/her own Jukola-account to fill in the running order. The running orders for both relays must be registered by no later than 18:00 on Thursday, 15th June 2023. The running order can also be given as non-public, in which case the running order will be automatically made public on Thursday, 15th June 2023 at 18:00 and can be seen thereafter on the Porvoo Borgå Jukola website. NB! Changed from earlier years! If there is an urgent need to change the running order after the above mentioned deadline, the team has to contact the Information centre with reasons for the change no later than thirty minutes before the start of the relay in question.

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. Only those born in 2008 or earlier can enter the competition.

Team Specific Material

Team specific competition material can be collected at the Information centre between 10:00 – 21:00 on Friday, 16th June and between 8:00 – 22:00 on Saturday, 17th June.

Team material will be released upon presentation of the team’s pick-up ticket on condition that all payments have been made and the running order has been entered into the registration system. The pick-up ticket for the team material will be delivered to clubs by email at the beginning of June.

The team material includes the team’s number bibs and Emit backup patches as well as the Emit cards rented from the organizers and number bib vests for specifically nominated teams. There is also a coupon for collecting 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. Note that the material does not include safety pins for attaching the number bibs. Safety pins can be bought at the Information point (1 € / 4 pins).

Bib numbers

Bib numbers are based on the results of Venla and Jukola relays in 2022. 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 bib number must be undamaged when entering the start / changeover area.

The bib number must be visible throughout the leg. Please attach the number bib carefully to the chest with four safety pins.

The teams selected to wear GPS tracking devices shall wear a number bib vest. The vest must not be covered during the competition. The competitors of the selected teams must wear the vest until the Emit checkout point under threat of disqualification The vests will be distributed to the teams with other competition material in advance.

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 30 teams will carry the device on each leg of both relays.

The GPS device will be given to the runner at a special GPS point at the entrance gate to the start / changeover area. The GPS device and the number bib vest that has a pocket for the GPS-device must be worn at all times from the moment the person enters the Emit check in to the point when the team has returned the GPS device. 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 change the teams that carry the devices. The teams selected for GPS tracking during the race continue to use their normal bibs.

Competitors’ Own GPS Devices and Phones

Competitors may only use personal GPS devices that do not have a map display. Devices that transmit live GPS data are strictly forbidden (apart from the organizers’ GPS devices). Recorded GPS data cannot be used in order to improve competitors’ performance in the competition. Recorded route data can be uploaded to the internet or other services only after the restarts of Jukola relay have taken place (Sunday, 18th June 2023 09:30).

A competitor may carry a personal mobile phone in case of emergencies. The phone must be switched off in the changeover area as well as during the competition itself, and it can only be used in emergencies. It is forbidden to photograph the map during the relay.

Coaches

Coaches and team support personnel are not allowed to enter the start, changeover, and finish areas. All the required assistance and support can be given from the areas provided for the public.

Interviews and Photos

Competitors’ TV, radio, and arena interviews take place immediately after the exchange at the interview points located near the exchange booth. Other media can interview athletes after the EMIT check or in the media center. Media events are organized for both top teams of the relay according to separate instructions given to them as soon as possible after the finish.

Prize Ceremonies

The top 25 teams in the Jukola and Venla relays will be awarded medals and plaques. Honorary awards will also be given to the best teams in both relays. The award ceremonies will take place on the festival stage.

The Venla relay ceremony will take place on Saturday, 17th June 2023, starting at 19:00. The Venla teams to be awarded will be asked to be seated next to the stage, in reserved places, by 18:50.

The Jukola relay ceremony will take place on Sunday, 18th June 2023, starting at 09:40. The Jukola teams to be awarded will be asked to be seated next to the stage, in reserved places, by 09:30.

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

Message of the Jukola Relay

Following the tradition, the message of the Jukola relay will be read by the winning team in front of the advertising wall located next to the finish line.

Returning of the Maps

The maps of both relays can be collected at the information centre from 9:30 on Sunday, June 18th, 2023. Club’s first team’s material includes a coupon for the maps.

Teams requesting the maps to be sent by mail will need to submit a postal address in advance and pay a 20 € fee. An additional postal fee will be added to the list price for large and international deliveries.

Changes to competition guidelines

Competition guidelines along with potential changes will be published on the competition info board and on the Porvoo Borgå Jukola website.

Competition officials

Competition Manager Kalevi Ilonen, 0400 310663, kalevi.ilonen@ilonen-lautamo.fi

General Secretary Heidi Liljeström, 050 3637488, heidi.liljestrom@jukola.com

Communications Manager Nina Sevelius, 050 3677392, nina.sevelius@gmail.com

Map and Course Manager Pasi Liitiäinen, 040 5402872, pasi.liitiainen@porvoo.fi

Course setters Stefan Karlsson, 040 7328070,  stefan.jukola2022@gmail.com and Pekka Vuorinen, 050 4692021, pekka.vuorinen@rt.fi

Result Service Antti Granqvist, 0400 718 071, antti.granqvist@oktrian.fi

Technical Advisor Jaakko Lajunen, 040-0142222, jaakko.lajunen@jukola.com

Course Controller Heikki Torniainen (LappRi)

Finish line judge Hannes Vickholm

Jury Members:

Chairperson Petteri Palmi, LS-37

Member Tuulia Kukkonen, VeVe 

Member Teijo Oksanen, HS