Lynx will host the 2026 Finnish Orienteering Championships Middle Distance competition in terrain that, despite its location near residential areas, has been largely unused for orienteering for a long time.
The terrain is ideally suited to a middle-distance competition, offering a wide variety of orienteering challenges.
In terms of runnability, the area is predominantly excellent, which means that the high running speed will also increase the navigational challenge.

In the mapping, the aim has been to use clear and unambiguous style, with features that are clearly distinguishable from their surroundings shown on the map.
In the rockiest areas, the smallest rocks have not been mapped.
In the representation of cliffs, impassable cliffs marked with a thick base line cannot be climbed either up or down.
Lower cliffs marked with a thin base line can be descended safely by jumping by an orienteer competing at elite level, but they may not necessarily be possible to climb up, as some of the cliff faces are very smooth and vertical.

Both the qualification and final courses take place within a relatively small area, which means that there will be several controls located close to one another.
The control sites have been selected in accordance with the competition rules so that similar control features are not located in the immediate vicinity of one another.
Nevertheless, all orienteers are advised to check the control codes at every control.
In open rocky terrain, control flags can be visible from a long distance, and there is therefore a possibility of punching at the wrong control.
In the qualification, three different final controls are in use: codes 111, 222 and 333. The final controls are located relatively close to one another, and the wrong control flag and the associated marking may also be visible on the way to an orienteer’s own final control.
I strongly recommend making sure that you have punched at your own final control, so that a good performance in the qualification is not ruined at the very last possible opportunity.

Course controller and map maker
Eemeli Suominen