Candidate 2017 Finland
ESOC & EYSOC
ESOC & EYSOC
Application for the year 2016, Finland
Federation:
The Finnish Orienteering Federation
Contact person:
Mika Ilomäki
Contact details:
+358-45-77310310, mika.ilomaki@suunnistusliitto.fi
Local applicant:
SK Vuoksi
Executive summary
ESOC and EYSOC would be held at city of Imatra, which offers excellent
terrain, sports infrastructure, and lodging. The city of Imatra and the adjacent
Ruokolahti community are poised to support the event also economically. Local
organizer is well-known orienteering club SK Vuoksi.
Facilities for the event are conveniently located within a 3-kilometer radius:
An ideal terrain for ski-orienteering (with a network of ski rails already in
place),
Competition centre with ski stadium, sport hall, and ice arena,
Eevent centre with accommodations (Scandinavia's largest tourist centre is
under construction).
Finland wants to organize especially WMSOC in conjunction of some
other major IOF ski-o events of 2017. ESOC and EYSOC would fit greatly
together with WMSOC.
Running several competitions at once adds to the gravity of the event, making
it more interesting to the public and the media. The veterans‘ competition is
expected to draw a record number of participants because of Imatra's proximity
to major ski-orienteering centers (Finland, the Baltic, North-western Russia).
We are ready to negotiate the right package of competitions to held in
Finland.
Index
1.The Assets of Imatra and Finland
2.Organisation
3.Event program (proposed)
4.Weather and snow conditions
5.Timing of the event
6.Competition centre and terrain
7.Event centre and accommodations
8.Transportation
9.Marketing, publicity and finance
1. THE ASSETS OF IMATRA AND FINLAND
Imatra has long been
known as a
hospitable tourist
attraction. The
cascading waters of
the Imatra rapids
have attracted visitors
for over 200 years.
As early as 1846 a
tourist inn was erected
by the rapids. Today's
Jugend style hotel was
built in 1903.
The Imatra area will feature
Scandinavia's largest
concentration of tourist
services. Most of it, including
two spas, is already
completed and in operation.
Accommodations of
various kind (hotel,
vacation home, cottage,
group housing) are
abundantly available in
the area. Over 3500
people can be housed
within 4 km of the
planned meet
headquarters.
Imatra
Spa
Holiday
Club
Saimaa
The proximity of Saint
Petersburg and a border
crossing attract many
tourists and shoppers to the
area from Russia. Stores
carry a wide selection
goods and employ people
fluent in Russian. Business
is booming.
Sport hall
Competition terrain
The city of Imatra favors tourism that
promotes physically active lifestyles. In
the vicinity of good lodging are a sports
arena and newly completed sport hall, ice
arena and tennis hall .
Skiing stadium
Ice arena
A revamped network
of cross-country ski
trails serves both
competitive and
recreational skiers,
and a new crosscountry ski stadium
will be completed in
about a year's time.
The event centre and the
surrounding community offer
ample opportunity for leisuretime activities. Residents of
the even centre can enjoy its
baths, gym, and fitness
programs. The pool under
winter skies is a wonderful
place to relax after a day of
skiing.
The banquet at the
end of the week
will have room for
everybody.
The Imatra rapids in floodlight
make for a memorable show.
Travel to Imatra is easy. The nearest international airport in
Lappeenranta is less than 1/2 hour by car. Most international
flights go to Helsinki, which is 2 1/2 hours from Imatra by train,
with trains running every 2-3 hours. There is a bus connection
from Imatra railway / bus station to the event centre every 1-2
hours (4 km).
Saint Petersburg (210 km) is located even closer than Helsinki
(260 km), and the border crossing is a mere 6 km from the
center of Imatra.
2. Organisation
SK Vuoksi was formed in 2003 by a merger of the area's two long-standing
o-clubs. It has 370 members. Other sports clubs of the area and neighbour
orienteering clubs assist on in the organizing of events if needed.
The applicant organization, SK Vuoksi, is an experienced organizer of large
national and international orienteering events in summer and in winter.
SK Vuoksi has organized the following major competitions:
 2004 Finnish Championship (Extra-Long), 1390 participants
 2005 Finnish Ski-O Championship (Middle and Relay), 800 participants, 175 teams
 2010 Fin5 O-Week (5 days) and Expert League (Sprint), 4000 participants
 2012 Finnish Ski-O Championship (Sprint and Sprint Relay), 518 participants, 182 teams
 2014 World Cup Sprint and Sprint Relay
Members' success on the world
stage is further evidence for SK
Vuoksi's competence in ski-o.
Consultant of course setters is
Anssi Juutilainen, who has won
several gold medals from WSOC.
After winning many medals in
WSOC, Virpi Juutilainen continues
to excel in veteran classes, while
the youth is coming of age by
winning 2 golds, 2 silvers and a
bronze in individual contests in
World and European Championship
competitions. Also several juniors
have won many medals at EYSOC
and JWSOC and even at ESOC
and WSOC.
 SK Vuoksi's record in ski-o was Finland's best in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and second
best in 2013.
 In 2010 SK Vuoksi was awarded as the Sport Club of the Year.
3. Event program (proposed)
ESOC
(& Wcup)
EYSOC
(& JWSOC)
WMSOC
Sunday
Arrival
(afternoon),
training
Arrival
(afternoon),
training
Arrival
(afternoon),
training
Monday
Arrival Model
event (Sprint)
Arrival
Model Event
(Sprint)
Arrival, training
Tuesday
Sprint
Sprint
Model event
(Middle)
Wednesday
Mixed Sprint
Relay
Rest
Model Event
(Middle)
Middle
Distance
Thursday
Middle Distance
Middle
DIstance
Middle Distance
Friday
Model event
(Long)
Model event
(Long)
Moel event
(Long)
Saturday
Long Distance
Long Distance
Long Distance
Long
Sunday
Relay, Banquet
Relay
Banquet
Departure /
Banquet
Middle
distance
Monday
Departure
Departure
OPEN
4. Weather and snow conditions
24 h’s max and
min temperature
Highest / average /
lowest
Imatra
Snow condition 15.3. and 31.3.
There is a possibility, that too cold weather prevents the starts in
January and early February especaille before noon.
5. Timing of the event
Timing should take into account daytime temperatures and lodging rates.
Inexpensive accommodations will benefit participating teams and will increase
overall participation in WMSOC.
All considered, we propose the week of 5-12 February as the first choice. Other
dates in the following order (2) 12-19 February and (3) 5-12 March.
6. Competition centre and terrain
The competition centre will be within 2 km
of the event centre. The Sport Hall and Ice
Arena provide ample space indoors, and
the finish line can be located at the new
cross-country ski stadium. All competitions
would take place the same competition
centre.
The competition terrain is a recreational
area, 4/5 of which is forested and 1/5 open
(golf course). It has an extensive network
of ski tails and is suited for a race track
that meets FIS requirements (featuring 30meter relief). The ground and vegetation
are favourable for extending the network of
trails as needed.
An area adjacent to the event centre has a
terrain similar to the competition terrain
and can be used for practice.
Planned
competition
centre
7. Event centre and accommodations
The event centre would be
located at the Imatra Spa,
which can accommodate
most of the participants in
hotel rooms and group
housing. Next to the Spa
are 1-to-6-person vacation
homes. All occupants (over
500) have free access to
the baths and the gym at
the Spa. The event centre
also has the necessary
meeting and press rooms.
A sports hotel (85 beds) and vacation
homes (300-400 beds) are located near
the event centre. At the Holiday Club
Saimaa, 4 km away, there is various
kinds of lodging for over 1500. The
competition centre an terrain are in the
area between the Holiday Club and the
event centre Imatra Spa, so there is
never need to travel far.
For those looking to stay in a place with
special charm, there is the 110-year old
castle hotel in the centre of town, by
the Imatra rapids, 6 km from the event
centre.
8. Transportation
The transportation needs during the event are minimal, because the event
entre and other accommodation are within ½ to 1 ½ kilometres from the
competition centre.
Travel to the event centre is most convenient by car (260 km from Helsinki and
210 km from Saint Petersburg.) or by train (2 1/2 hours from Helsinki, with
trains running every 2-to-3 hours) Buses from the centre of town (4 km away)
run at 1-2 hour intervals. Most international flights arrive at Helsinki, with some
European at Lappeenranta, about 40 km away.
9. Marketing, publicity and finance
SK Vuoksi has already been chosen to organize the summer 2014 World Cup, which will
be televised. Marketing of the two events as a package, particularly among cooperating
organizations, is seen as sensible way to go. Marketing to potential participants will be
based on methods that were effective with the Fin5 O-Week: Over the Internet, and on
site at orienteering events.
SK Vuoksi has visibility in the surrounding community and enjoys positive publicity. The
local media is very interested in the plans for this ski-orienteering event.
A budget has been prepared for the week and a request for financial support made to the
city of Imatra and to the community of Ruokolahti. With their support, promised already,
the Association will have the resources to organize the event as proposed herein.