The latest leg of the Off Road Orienteering Cup.

Competitors will be arriving in Raajärvi, Lapland today to prepare for tomorrows early start of this 24 hour orienteering event. The Old Mining Village in Raajärvi, the best off road centre in Finland, is located approximately 65km from the Lapland capital of Rovaniemi. This is the third Lapland Trophy.

Lapland is still benefiting from the midnight sun making this 24 hour event a little easier for the competitors.

Competitors travel from control point to control point in 4x4 and all terrain vehicles in this orienteering and endurance competition. Upon reaching a control point competitors must take a photo of themselves simultaneously touching their vehicle and the control point number card as proof.

The Lapland Trophy is the second competition of the Finnish Off-Road Orienteering-CUP series this year.

The mention of a snorkel in the recommended equipment list must give competitors cause for concern!

A winch is highly recommended. If the car does not have one, an off road jack and/or manual tackle is strongly recommended as a minimum. Snorkels and other special equipment may be recommended when necessary.

The images are of previous Off Road Orienteering events.

Below are the competition rules in case you want to prepare for next years event.

Common rules for all competition classes:

            • Local traffic regulations MUST be observed when driving on public roads

            • During the competition the speed limit on unpaved roads is max 50 km/h, some roads may have a lower speed limit, indicated by speed limit signs

            • On paved roads the speed limit is max 80 km/h, unless a lower speed limit is indicated by speed limit signs

            • Always wear a seatbelt while driving on the road

            • Control points sign support (tree etc.) must never be used for winching

            • You may cross power lines, but driving along them is forbidden, and power line poles may NEVER be used for winching

            • Phone lines, oil- or gas pipes, railways etc.; same strict restrictions than for power lines

            • If an area is limited by sealing off lines, the winch cable may cross the sealing off line, but the car must NOT cross the sealing off line

            • Any equipment in and on the car must be properly fastened

            • Double wheels, traction chains etc. are forbidden

            • Axes, saws, chainsaws etc. must not be used and must be removed from car

            • Any assistance outside the competition is forbidden

            • Assistance offered or accepted by the organisers and equally available to all competitors is allowed

            • Only the competitors in the team are allowed inside the car, except in emergencies

            • Car maintenance and repairs may be done only by persons registered as competitors or service persons, and service cars must be registered in advance to the competition

            • Assistance from other competitors or their service persons is allowed

            • A competition car may only be towed by another competition car, not by service cars or outsiders

            • Outsiders may not carry competitors, service persons, tools, spare parts etc. for or to the competitors without competition jury permission in advance, except in emergencies

            • Service cars may only drive along roads that are suitable for a normal road car

            • Trailers are not allowed to be used during the competition to move competition cars

For further details of the event and to follow the event click here.

For details on visiting Rovaniemi click here.