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 Organisation Event program (proposed) Weather and snow conditions Timing of the event Competition centre and terrain Event centre and accommodations Transportation 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.

Competition area Imatra Spa Holiday Club Saimaa 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. Competition area 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.

C o m p e t i t i o n t e r r a i n Sport hall Skiing stadium 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 cross-country ski stadium will be completed in about a year's time.

The event centre and the surrounding community offer ample opportunity for leisure-time 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 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.

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 OPEN Sunday 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) (Long)  Moel event (Long)  Saturday Long Distance Long Distance  Long Relay, Banquet Relay Banquet  Departure / Banquet Middle distance Departure Departure 

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.

6. Competition centre and terrain 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 30-meter 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.