Special buses will depart from a parking lot between the Vanemuine theater and the new department store Kaubamaja, next to a small park between Ülikooli and Küüni streets.
See the map at the homepage of Tartu hostels:
http://www.tartuhostel.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9&Itemid=11
The Vanemuine theater (main building) is indicated on the map with the face mask.
The department store Kaubamaja is indicated on the map with the big K in a circle.
In fact, there was a small mistake in our description of the special bus stop location in Bulletion No 3. The parking lot where special buses depart is on Ülikooli street, not on Küüni street, which is on the other side of the park.
When you stand in this parking lot on Ülikooli street and look towards the
Vanemuine theater, this is the view of the theater you will have:
http://static1.nagi.ee/i/p/18/99/0122189951c0c8_m.jpg
The bus is from a company named TAISTO, and will probably look something like
this:
http://www.taistobussid.ee/picture.php?1938
Saturday morning bus is a bit smaller, but should have similar markings.
There will be members of the WRC organizing team at the parking lot to meet you and sell bus tickets.
(05.09.2008)
Weather
The web-site of the Institute of Environmental Physics of the University of Tartu
http://meteo.physic.ut.ee/?lang=en provides historic weather data (temperature, precipitation etc.) for Tartu for the years 2000-2007 on daily and hourly basis. By analyzing these data you can get an idea what the weather is likely to be in mid-September and what are the patterns of temperature changes over 24 hours. The highest observed day-time temperature for 13-14 September over the last 8 years has been +21 °C (in 2004 and 2006), whereas the lowest night-time temperature has been +3 °C (in 2007). Occasional showers are possible, but the probability of heavy rain is low. Please note that Tartu is about 100 km from the WRC event center. While the weather patterns are broadly the same for Southern Estonia, the night-time lows may be about 3-4 degrees lower at the WRC terrain. For example, 10 September 2007 in the morning it was +4 °C in Tartu, while it was actually 0 °C in Ähijärve.
Special buses to the WRC event center
Special buses from Tartu to the event center depart in the afternoon of Friday 12 September and early morning of Saturday 13 September. Driving time is about 1.5 hours. Our intension is that both cases, there will be 2 buses, one of them driving from Tartu to Ähijärve through Otepää, while the other bus through Võru, to allow persons staying or living in Otepää or Võru to catch the bus. Special buses return from Ähijärve on Sunday 14 September about 3-4 pm. This will allow for those who wish, to take an evening train from Tartu to Tallinn. The organizers will contact all participants who have booked seats in special bus, to specify the bus schedule. Further details will be provided in due course.
Rental of hiking equipment
There are shops in Tallinn, Tartu and Otepää, where it is possible to rent (and to buy) hiking equipment: tents, sleeping bags etc.
In Tallinn: MATKaSPORT (HikingSport – address: Tartu road 35, Tallinn), contact person Mr. Rando Jarv, e-mail:
rando.jarv(at)matkasport.ee,
phone: +372 681 3138
Nõmme Matkakeskus (address: Jaama 12, Tallinn), contact person Kalle
Hallik, e-mail: kalle(at)matkakeskus.ee, phone: +372 5622 2956
In Tartu: H&P Matkatarbed (H&P Hiking Equipment – address: Tiigi 8, Tartu),
e-mail: info(at)matkatarve.ee,
phone: +372 742 0811
In Otepää: Arctic Sport (address: Kopli 8, Otepää), Ms. Piret Uus, e-mail: piretuus(at)hot.ee, phone: +372 5669 5952
As the rental capacity (the number of tents available) is limited, please contact the company beforehand by e-mail.
Other events and training possibilities
European Masters Games, which include orienteering events (for age groups 35+, open courses for younger competitors) will be held 1-5 September near Kristianstad, Southern Sweden. Further information and online registration (until 31 May 2008) http://www.emg2008.com/
In Estonia, there are orienteering competitions or training events going on almost every day! For a complete list of these events see http://www.orienteerumine.ee/okalender.php Unfortunately, the details in the calendar are only in Estonian, therefore below we point out some training events which take place in South Estonia some days before the WRC and may be suitable for training.
On Tuesday 9 September, in the afternoon from 4 to 6 pm, there is an Orienteering Tuesday in Kiidjärve,
near Põlva. There are 7 courses of different length (1-9 km) and difficulty level.
There will also be a possibility for a score orienteering (make your own course) on a A3 1:10000 scale map.
Map samples and location map available at:
http://www.orienteerumine.ee/kaart/kaartshow.php?Kood=9411 and
http://www.orienteerumine.ee/kaart/kaartshow.php?Kood=2006032
On Wednesday 10 September, in the afternoon from 4 to 7 pm, there is an Orienteering Wednesday in Nahijärve, near Otepää. There are 4 courses of different length (1-4 km) and difficulty level. There is also a possibility of score orienteering. The terrain resembles some parts of the WRC terrain. This terrain was used for the 2006 European Orienteering Championships, see the map at: http://www.orienteerumine.ee/kaart/kaartshow.php?Kood=2006002
On Thursday 11 September, in the afternoon from 5 to 6.30 pm, there is an Orienteering Thursday in Vooremäe, near Tartu. There are 6 courses of different length (from 1 to 9 km) and difficulty. There is a special bus from Tartu to the event site departing 5 pm from the Vanemuine theater. See the o-map and location map at: http://www.orienteerumine.ee/kaart/kaartshow.php?Kood=2005015
Maps of the latest TAOK rogaines (Jägala-Joa 2007 and Kolga 2006) are available for training.
These terrains are located respectively 30 and 50 km east from Tallinn.
The terrains are not representative of the WRC terrain as the landscape in South Estonia is different from North Estonia,
but you can get an idea of the rogaine mapping style as well as learn about the vegetation.
Electronic versions of these rogaining maps can be consulted at:
http://rogain.ee/Kolga_rada_2006.gif and
http://rogain.ee/Jagala_rada.jpg
Paper copies of these maps are available for purchase, send an e-mail to: L.Leppik(at)online.ee.
The price of one map is 2 EUR (30 EEK). Maps can be picked up in Tallinn, from 1 to 10 September.
(15.03.2008)
After 1 February 2008, upon accepting teams with the priority status, any remaining entries will be allocated on the basis of the waiting list. The waiting list will also serve later for replacing any withdrawn teams.
Teams who have been accepted by organizers receive a confirmation e-mail. The entry fee shall be paid only after receiving the e-mail about confirmation of registration.