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Manchester's Finnish Festival of Orienteering

The Honorary Consul of Finland in co operation with Manchester and District Orienteering are putting on a themed weekend of Orienteering activities in order to celebrate and make the UK Orienteering Community aware of the 100 years of Finnish Independence.

The weekend (Friday 13th to Sunday 15th October 2017) will show how traditional Finnish forest orienteering as enjoyed in Finland and the UK has developed. The themed weekend is being promoted to the whole UK Orienteering Community as a Festival of Orienteering celebrating Finland's 100 years of Independence.

There will be two level C events in Stockport, Lyme Park and Town Centre and a fun 'Metro' event in Didsbury, Manchester

General Information

Venue
Friday: Didsbury, South Manchester suburb (Evening Street event)
Saturday Lyme National Trust, South Stockport (Classic Parkland/Moorland event)
Sunday Stockport Town Centre (Urban event)

SI Punching will be used. SI cards are available for hire @ £1 per day for Adults (Lost cards £30.00)
Contactless punching will NOT be used

Start Times
Friday  18:00 to 20:00, Saturday 11:00 to 13:00, Sunday 10:30 to 12:30

Fees
Friday Senior £3 Junior £2 (BUT No unaccompanied under 16s allowed)
Saturday Senior £8 Junior £4 Adult Novice £4 (Light Green, Orange, Yellow or White courses only)
Sunday Senior £8 Junior £4
Entries via fabian4. www.fabian4.co.uk
Cheap entries close by Sunday October 1st
Thereafter a £1 surcharge per Senior for both the Sat and Sun events
online entries close Sunday October 8th
If you can't use Fabian4 for any reason then contact the Finland100 coordinator Finland100@mdoc.org.uk
Changes: There will be a £2 fee for any changes to pre-entries after Sunday October 8th.
EODEOD will be accepted on all days subject to surcharges as above and subject to availability of maps.

Safety  Competitors take part at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety.
Friday All competitors must wear suitable reflective jackets/bibs and have head torches
Saturday Suitable bad weather clothing may be compulsory, Whistles must be carried and Lone runners please leave car keys
Sunday It is advised that competitors wear reflective bibs or highly visible clothing

Assembly
Friday The Gateway (Wetherspoon), 882 Wilmslow Road, East Didsbury, Manchester M20 5PG
Saturday Lyme Car Park Peak District National Park, Disley, Stockport SK12 2NR
Sunday Stockport Town Centre Merseyway Precinct, Stockport SK1 1PJ
Opposite Halifax Bank at Eastern end of Precinct 

Terrain
Friday Typical suburban streets some of which can be quite busy
Saturday Parkland and Open Moorland rising from about 200m to 400m
Sunday Complex Town centre with many steep alleyways and irregular street pattern plus inner town estate areas with open land and parks surrounding.


Notably, for the urban event we will have local Finns at strategic points around the town to inform the general public what the event is about and to promote Finland at the same time and hopefully wearing Suomi 100 T-shirts. The Local Council in Stockport representing over 250,000 residents are keen to help promote Finland's 100 year celebration as part of the urban event being held in the Town Centre.

The weekend will be promoted to the Orienteering Community in Finland who can travel directly to Manchester by Finnair and enjoy a festival of different orienteering disciplines that have developed in the UK in a compact weekend of activities. A hotel package will be available for Finns travelling to Manchester.

There will be a Street orienteering event utilising the local Tram (Metro) network, and a more Traditional event over open moorland in the grounds of a Stately Home.