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Thank you for all competitors and Welcome to Halikko-viesti 4th of October.

The Finnish Orienteering Federation (SSL) has given Angelniemen Ankkuri the permission to host the International FinnSpring 2003 Orienteering competition. Last year the competition was called FinSpring and before that the Isotonic competition.

Angelniemen Ankkuri arranged the Isotonic competition five times, in 1975, -78, -83, -88 and -94. This year the name of the competition will be changed once more due to an agreement between the Finnish Orienteering Federation and Finland's market leader in sales of spring water, Finn Spring Oy. In 2003 the name of the competition will be FinnSpring Orienteering.

FinnSpring is the biggest single orienteering event in Finland. In the previous years, about 3000 orienteerers have taken part in the individual Saturday competition, and almost the same number in the relay on Sunday. Last year in Sipoo, there were 2713 runners on Saturday and 578 teams in the relay on Sunday.

The FinnSpring Event Centre will be built on the Turku – Helsinki motorway which is under construction until the year 2005. The terrain used in the competition is one of the best terrains in Halikko area. The elite classes H/D20E and H/D21E in the individual competition on Saturday will be Finnish qualification competitions for the Nordic championships and a World Ranking (WRE) event. The courses on Saturday will be designed by Hannu Pyy and Jarkko Pyy (children's courses). The relay classes H/D17- and H/D16 are included in Finland's national Relay League. The relay courses will be designed by Matti Mäkinen.

The elite runners will compete in the individual competition using a 1:15 000 scale map. Almost all the other classes will have a 1:10 000 map. All the classes in the relay will use a 1:10 000 map.

Angelniemen Ankkuri will offer the orienteerers accommodation facilities in schools in Halikko. More information will be available soon.

The result service (Result Fellows) has promised to provide real-time results as well as audio and visual material for the Internet during the competition.

The Event Director Raimo Honkanen welcomes the competitors and visitors to the International FinnSpring Orienteering in Halikko 2003!

Welcome, Angelniemen Ankkuri, Halikko!