Course Setter's Notes

This year's Halikko Relay will take place in Hakamäki. The last time the event was held in this terrain was in 2014. The area has been used for training on several occasions over the years, and the old map still gives a fairly accurate impression of the terrain.

The terrain can be broadly divided into three parts. The western and northern parts are dominated by steep and demanding hills. The central part has gentler contours and is criss-crossed by tracks, with patches of young forest and thickets. The eastern part, which has not previously been used for competition, is hillier again but has plenty of paths.

The terrain is well suited to the Children's Halikko Run. I have aimed to provide a reasonable amount of route choice while keeping the control sites straightforward.

A few points particularly for competitors in the Children's Halikko Run: forestry work has recently been carried out near the beginning of the courses. Runnability is generally good, but there are some new forestry machine tracks in the area. Where these tracks cross old forest paths, the turn-offs from the forestry machine tracks onto the paths can sometimes be difficult to spot.

About halfway through the Children's Halikko Run, the courses cross a short section of open terrain with thick undergrowth. Tracks have been trampled through the area to make progress easier for the front runners. However, if you find yourself in a particularly rough patch, a small detour will probably provide an easier route towards the next control.

I have aimed to provide a varied range of orienteering challenges on the Halikko Relay courses. The third leg is slightly easier than the others, with a technical difficulty equivalent to M/W14 level. Although the courses also include some faster sections, it is worth remembering that this is an orienteering competition.

As mentioned earlier, the terrain is very steep in places. Most of the impassable cliffs live up to their name, so you should not attempt to climb up or down them. I have routed the courses through the most difficult areas only on the final two legs. This is the main reason why the difficulty level of these legs is black.

Overall, however, the courses should provide enjoyable orienteering. You will need to navigate all the way from start to finish, and good orienteering skills will certainly help. Nevertheless, you should still make it round even if you have only completed a couple of open courses this summer.

Good luck in the competition,
Tuomo Mäkelä
course setter