July 25th and 26th 2025 Mikkeli, Finland

Adventure race in the astonishing landscapes of the Lake Saimaa Finland.

INFO AND REGISTRATION

23 and younger have a chance to participate for free

Participation and registration

It's good to know basics about orienteering and navigation. Teams are responsible of their own navigation. Maps are great quality and up to date.

Terms and conditions of participation and registration

Insurance coverage and participation right

  • Each participant participates at his own risk. Competitors are responsible for their own insurance coverage. The organizer has liability insurance that compensates for personal and property damage caused by the organizers' mistakes.
  • Finnish adventure race union has negotiated an insurance for racers. Read more about it (in Finnish).
  • Children under the age of 18 need a guardian's written permission to participate. We generally recommend the Explore and Adventure series for participants under 18 years of age.

Registration and cancellation

  • Registration takes place using the attached form.
  • Participation is confirmed by paying the team fee.
  • Participation can be canceled by 30 June 2025, when 50% of the participation fee will be returned.
    No participation fee returns for cancellations after that.
  • A team can transfer the right to participate to another team by the day before the competition without any fee. Any changes has to be reported to info@saimaachallenge.fi
  • The right to participate cannot be transferred to the next year, and cancellation does not result in a discount on the next year's participation fee.
  • If the organizer has to cancel the event due to the restrictions of the authorities or another 'force majeure' reason, the organizer will deduct a processing fee of €30 from the participation fee. The rest will be returned to those who have already paid the participation fee.
Competition includes some quests that will challenge competitors and offers great experiences.

Participation fees

  • 1st price tier until 28th of Feb 2025
  • 2nd price tier from 1st March to 7th July
  • Late entry available until race weeks Monday
  • The participation fee is paid by bank transfer using the payment information available at confirmation email of the registration.

Content of the participation fee

  • All classes
    • compaetition material and arrangements
    • maps (two sets of most maps for each team)
    • GPS tracking
    • meal after the race
    • showers and dressing rooms
    • kayaks, padels and life vests (using your own padels and vests is alloweed)
    • SportIdent electronical punching
  • Additionally at Extreme
    • transportation to the start
    • bike and gear transportation

Team limitation

  • There is a limitation per class for the amount of the teams. Teams are accepted in order of registration.
REGISTER NOW
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Race Director:
Markus Siivola
+358 44 333 7307
info@saimaachallenge.fi

en_US
fi en_US
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Event info and rules

Saimaa Challenge is a multisport adventure event.

In the event, two-person teams navigate from one check mark to another by running, (mountain) biking and paddling in the order according to the route book. The maps are distributed to the participants two hours before the joint departure, after which the participants plan the routes they will use themselves. The checkers have the familiar orange-white checkered flag from orienteering. Some of the checkers have tasks (quests), where the participants must follow separately given instructions. In longer series, Quest tasks measure the participants’ knowledge and skills of the sport, in shorter series they offer memorable experiences.

The event’s Explore series (duration about 3 to 6 hours) is designed for those trying the sport as a low-threshold option that can be completed with a regular bike and basic navigation skills.

The Adventure series (5 – 10 hours) offers a little more of a challenge, but can be completed well without previous experience in adventure races. The track has been made even easier for 2024.

The Challenge series (7 – 12 hours) is still slightly higher in terms of difficulty. In the Challenge series, the planning will be more challenging and the terrain will be more diverse.

The Extreme series (15 to 22 hours) challenges the participants mentally and physically with its length and physical challenge. In sports skills, the demands are clearly higher than in other series. Very few separate quests.

The event takes time for all participants and the best of all series are rewarded. In the Explore and Adventure series, the winners are awarded with a commemorative prize, but the actual prizes are drawn among the finishers. In the Extreme and Challenge series, prizes are awarded based on the results to the best.

  • The competition is won by the team that goes around the entire course th
  • Participants must follow the instructions of the route book and check-in staff.
  • Participants must strictly follow traffic rules and good manners when moving.
  • During the event, team members must be at a maximum distance of 100 m from each other, unless otherwise instructed by checkers. Both team members must go to check-in.
  • 2* mountain bike (in the Explore series you can get by with a basic bike if necessary) Electric bikes are allowed in the Explore and Adventure series, but the teams using them will be marked in the results.
  • 2* cycling helmet
  • Gloves
  • Emit card (possibility to rent from the organizer for an additional €5, payment upon registration)
  • The phone is packed waterproof
  • First aid equipment: first aid, space sheet, sports tape (at least 5cm*1m)
  • Bicycle repair equipment - spare inner tube, tire irons, etc.
  • Sufficient drink and energy - the adventure may take much longer than expected
  • Clothing according to the weather - one more layer if necessary
  • Map holder for the bike, makes navigation easier