1 700 orienteers from 17 countries arrive in Finnish Lapland for Fin5 event

Some 1 700 orienteers from 17 countries, including Australia, Japan, and Taiwan, have arrived in Salla, Finnish Lapland, for the Fin5 orienteering week, Yle reports.

The event, held since 1984, is only the second time it has taken place in Lapland. All local accommodation in Salla has been booked for the week, with many participants camping near the competition area at Salla Wilderness Park.

Event director Asko Viitanen of Salla Karhut noted the northern exoticism as a draw, particularly for Asian competitors new to forest orienteering. One Japanese participant is spending a full month orienteering across northern Europe, from Kainuu to Swedish events.

The course includes diverse terrains such as rocky heaths, bogs, and fells. Thursday’s special stage runs inside the Sallan Poropuisto reindeer enclosure, though the animals will not be present during the race. “Not everyone is used to reindeer. A reindeer might distract them more than the map,” Viitanen said.

Local officials hope the event will raise Salla’s international profile. “They spend a week here with their families, get a taste of the scenery and possibilities, and will surely return on holiday,” said municipal manager Erkki Parkkinen.

The Finnish Orienteering Federation selected Salla as the host three years ago, citing its northern location as a major asset. The event attracts both competitive and recreational orienteers, with participants ranging in age from 8 to 95.