Competition info
The competition is open to everyone. Men and women of all ages compete together.
You can participate if...
Can ski with a 15-kilogram backpack for 10 hours a day, of which 7 hours on a prepared track and 3 hours in deep snow.
Can sleep by a fire in a lean-to or a hut.
Can dress properly and move even in severe frost.
An individual competition participant can orient alone in all conditions and has mastered all the skills of the pack.
Only one of the team knows how to navigate well and has mastered the skills of the game.
The team members are in good shape and have the ability to be outside 24/7 even in severe frost.
Compulsory equipment
- Forest skis, length at least 2 meters, width max. 10 cm, boot bindings
- Ski sticks
- Boots to fit the bindings, and enough to keep one’s feet warm in up to -40 degrees Celsius
- Appropriate clothing for skiing and rest to last subzero temperatures
- Sleeping bag and canvas sheet or other form of shelter
- Own food for two competition days
- Dish for warming and consuming of food and drink
- Axe and saw, sheath knife and fire making equipment. The firewood must be cut by you from large logs
- First aid equipment
- Compass, mechanical/traditional
- Torch
- Map (provided by the organizer)
- Notebook and pencil
- Cellphone
Competition series
Individuals
Teams
3 – 5 members in the team.
Open day ski
We ski in a group during Saturday following the activities of the participants. Read more >
Competition program
Friday
Information meeting at Hotel Pikku-Syöte, 7 p.m.
Overnight at Syöte
Saturday
Registration closes at 6:30 AM.
Start open from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM.
Start will take place on Friday based on the draw times.
Evening event and overnight stay in the woods.
Sunday
Start for the fast race at 9:00.
Transportation from the finish line to Pikku-Syöte. Sauna and awards ceremony.
Competition instructions
The team size is 3 – 5 people.
On the first day of the competition, the teams will ski in the same closed snow at the scattered controls of the orienteering section and through the task controls for a total of 25 – 50 km (basic route 26 km). Staying on the right route requires continuous orienteering all day.
Mistakes at task controls and searching for voluntary controls will significantly affect the start time of each competitor and the team’s closed snow skiing on the second day of the competition. The tasks emphasize batch skills and the safety of winter hikers. The competitors will spend the night outside, by fire. The world championship will be decided on the closed snow skiing route on the second day of the competition, which is approximately 8 km long.
The minimum weight of an individual competitor’s backpack must be 8 kg. The minimum combined weight of the team’s backpacks must therefore be 8 kg x the number of team members. Weigh-ins will be arranged at random at the finish line; carrying too little will result in the performance being disqualified.
All team members compete until the end of the race – if a team member has to stop halfway, the team is out of the race.
Tracker tracking devices will be distributed on Saturday morning. Competitors can attach the protective case to a backpack or similar location where the device can connect to the satellite. On Friday evening, competitors will be informed about the essentials of the Tracker tracking device. On Saturday morning before the start, between 07:00 and 09:30, competitors will collect their tracking devices.
Each team/individual must collect a tracking device with them. The device will be used to monitor the race and at the same time, the organizers will know where the competitors are. The safety manager will monitor the competitors from a computer and, if necessary, call the device and can thus listen to the situation. The device cannot be answered. The condition of the devices will be monitored from the race office. In extreme cold, some of the devices may be called to charge overnight at a rest area. If necessary, instructions will be provided next to the results lists. After the competition, the equipment will be returned to the competition office.
Friday’s additional control (LR 0)
Those going to additional control number 0 will receive competition instructions from the office on Friday of the competition weekend starting at 3 PM.
Departure for Friday participants at 5 PM, but no later than 6:30 PM.
Each team and individual skier must register at the competition office before departure. Those going to additional control number 0 will also get a Tracker positioning device before departure. The positioning device is mandatory.
The distance to additional control 0 is approx. 8 km. In order to survive without penalty minutes, competitors must arrive at the Friday night camp by 22:00, regardless of the start time. Overnight stays will take place in the terrain at the control.
Arriving at the night camp after 10 PM:
10:00 – 10:15: 2 min fine
10:15 – 10:30: 4 min fine
10:30 – 10:45: 6 min fine
10:45 – 11:00: 8 min fine
After 11:00: 12 min fine
On Saturday, the start from the checkpoint is at 8:00 AM.
The first 60 registered participants will be allowed to enter the checkpoint.
The participation fee and registration are made at
pudasjarvenurheilijat.tapahtumiin.fi
Competition rules
1 § The Cross-Country Skiing World Championship is open to everyone. The competition consists of an individual series and a team series. A team may consist of 3-5 competitors. Since the competition is held in demanding conditions, the competitor must be 15 years of age at the latest during the competition.
2 § The number of participants in a team competition must be the same from the start of the competition to the finish. If the team size is not the same, they are out of the competition.
3 § The minimum weight of an individual competitor’s backpack must be 8 kg, the minimum combined weight of the team’s backpacks 8 kg x the number of team members. Weighing at the finish line, carrying too little will result in disqualification.
4 § The competition must be skied on forest skis or similar. Cross-country skis and their boots are not allowed.
5 § The competition can be skied from Friday to Sunday or from Saturday to Sunday. Those starting on Friday must ski to the night camp of the 0-additional stage by 22:00. On Saturday, the night camp must be skied within 10 hours; exceeding the time will result in a penalty time for Sunday. Competitors must be at the starting time drawn for each individual and team on Saturday morning. If they are late, the starting time will still be recorded as the drawn starting time.
6 § In the competition, the route must be followed in the order specified in the competition instructions, all team members must cover the same distance. Instructions for the tasks will be given upon arrival at the checkpoints.
7 § The mandatory competition equipment in the competition is: skiing and rest clothing that can be worn even in extreme cold, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, loungewear or other accommodation, snacks for 2–3 competition days, equipment for preparing and consuming food and drinks, splitting axe and saw (1/team), knife, fire starters, first aid equipment (more detailed information in the instructions), flashlight or other similar equipment, compass, note-taking equipment, mobile phone, map (from the organizers).
8 § The competition number must be worn on the front of the thigh. If all team members do not have their number tag visible, the team will be disqualified.
9 § It is forbidden to provide assistance to a competitor during the race: this will lead to disqualification.
10 § The organizer reserves the right to inspect the competitors’ equipment at its discretion before the start of the race. Refusal to inspect will automatically lead to exclusion from the race.
11 § On Sunday’s fast stage, the team must proceed on their own closed course. The team follows the same route, but may change the trail opener. If necessary, the trail of the team that went before may be crossed.
12 § The competition organizer may order a competitor to stop if it finds that it is not safe for him to continue the competition, or if the 10-hour time limit would be exceeded by more than an hour compared to the average travel speed.
13 § Public roads, snowmobile routes, or open forest roads may not be used in the competition.
14 § All competitors must bring a positioning device from the organizers. The device must be powered on throughout the competition.
15 § In addition to the competition rules, there are separate competition instructions for each competition, which supplement the rules.
16 § Violation of these competition rules presented above will result in the competitor’s performance being disqualified. The decision on disqualification will be made by the judges’ council.
17 § The organizers of the competitions will appoint a five-member judges’ council. Protests regarding the competition must be made in writing to the judges’ council within the time limits specified in the competition instructions. The so-called protest fee is 50 euros, which will be refunded if the protest is successful. The decision made by the judges’ council in the matter cannot be appealed.
18 § Each competitor must be familiar with these rules and comply with them.
Open Day Ski
Saturday 9 AM – 18 PM
Participants will be transported from the competition center to the selected starting point, from where they will ski along the competition route to the overnight camp. From the overnight camp, transportation to the Hotel Pikku-Syöte.
Possibility to participate the evening event, where there will be warm soup and coffee. Participants will receive a participation medal as a souvenir.
Medals and diplomas
1 – 2 times:
Bronze medal and Off-track Skier diploma
3 – 5 times:
Silver medal and Off-track skiing Master diploma
6 – 9 times:
Gold medal and Off-track skiing Hero diploma
10 times:
Gold medal and Off-track skiing Councilor diploma
15 times:
Gold medal and Umpihankiihtoneuvos honorary certificate. The event standard will be awarded on Sunday during the awards ceremony.
20 times:
Gold medal on a wooden base and Selkosen sankari honorary certificate in a frame. Awarded on Sunday during the awards ceremony.