Ikkuna News: Summer is here and with the temperatures rising, Vaasa has just the sport for the bicycle lovers and adventurers. It is called mountain bike orienteering, MTB-O.
– Orienteering is a competitive sport in which runners have to find their way across rough country with the aid of a map and compass, says Timo Reinikka from the organizing club Vaasan Suunnistajat.
In this case, people are allowed to use bicycles for the purpose. Both normal and mountain bikes are allowed.
New competition model. MTB-O is quite a new competition model. Members of orienteering organization of South Ostrobotnia organize MTB-O practice events through the summer at different communities.
The event in Vaasa takes place in Gerby on the 14th July. The start is between 5 pm and 6.30 pm at the Länsimetsän koulu.
– There is no need to sign up or be a member to take part in the event. There are two courses and the shorter one can be cycled with a normal bike.
Normal orienteering is organized every week on Thursday with IF Femman. The event is called Vaasarastit–Skärmträffen.
– Each time there are four to six courses with different difficulty levels to choose from. The start is between 5 pm to 7 pm. Event places and driving directions can be found on our web page www.vaasu.fi, says Reinikka.
Popular sport. Vaasan Suunnistajat organizes also a national competition once a year together with IF Femman and Malax IF. This year the competition takes place between 16th and 18th July.
– To participate in competition classes one needs to be a member. There are also practice courses where people can sign up at the place.
According to Reinikka, orienteering is gaining popularity in Finland every year. Jukola relay, which is one of the biggest events, had about 18 000 participants this year.
– The number of orienteers has been slightly increasing during the last ten years in Vaasa. Our local club has already 275 members.
– The practice events are becoming more popular than competitions. People like to learn moving in the forest with map and compass without the need to be afraid or to get lost.
Rathan Kumar