Bulletin 3

Welcome note

Dear Orienteering Friends,

It is our honor and pleasure to invite you to Balatonfüred to participate in the first round of the renewed MTBO World Cup and the Hungarian MTBO Cup. This event, one of the largest MTBO events in the World, also serves as the opening of the international MTBO season in Central Europe. We are pleased to host the first round of the national cup series of our Croatian, Czech, Slovakian and Slovenian friends. We hope that you will enjoy both the sporting and the social side of this very special event.

Miklós Juhász
President
Hungarian Orienteering Federation

Location

Balatonfüred is a small town with a historic atmosphere on the northern shore of Lake Balaton.

The town became truly significant in the 19th century, when it was considered as one of the most important centers of culture and social life in the country. Famous poets, writers and politicians spent their summers and found recreation here. Its attractiveness is due to its beautiful location, the healing power of its carbonated springs, the fine, aromatic wines grown in the Uplands, and above all, to the hospitality of the people who live here.

Visitors are attracted every season by the historic and cultural traditions, events and natural treasures, but the summer period is clearly the busiest time of the year. When you are in Balatonfüred, take a walk in the town, visit the monuments and sights, and enjoy the sunset as it reflects on the water of the lake.

Patrons of the event

Organizing Committee

Controllers

Program

Event schedule

Thursday, 22 April, Arrival, Model Event

Friday, 23 April, Sprint

Saturday, 24 April, Middle

Sunday, 25 April, Long

* Mass Event will be organized as part of the Thursday MTBO Series, a 15 round series of MTBO mass events. Two courses offered, free start, SI time keeping, HUF 400 entry fee.

Team Officials' Meeting

Team Officials' Meeting will take place at 7pm in the Event Center every day preceding every World Cup competition day.

Competition Rules

IOF MTBO rules 2010 (valid from 1 January 2010)
International specification for MTB Orienteering Maps 2010 (not yet published)
Special rules for MTBO World Cup 2010

Off road riding is allowed in areas marked as forest and freely rideable open area. Off road riding is strictly prohibited in all other areas, including settlements, cultivated land, orchards, vineyards and all other open areas not marked as rideable.

Competitors riding off road in prohibited areas are responsible for any damage claimed by the landowners.

Classes, Fees and Entry regulations

World Cup – ME and WE with no age restriction

Entry fee for World Cup: EUR 30 /day

The maximum entry per IOF member Federation is 6 competitors per event (6 women and 6 men).

Competitors who are representing a Federation shall have full passport holding citizenship of the country of that Federation.

Hungarian MTBO Cup MW -14, 15-17, 18-20, 21EAC, 40, 50, 60, M21B, Open
Public event, no restriction on entry

Hungarian Cup Elite will ride the World Cup course to allow for using both Elite results for the the various national cup rankings.

Balatonfüred Sprint MW -17, 18-39, 40-, Open
(same courses as World Cup ME and WE)
Public event, no restriction on entry

Entry fee for Hungarian Cup and Balatonfüred Sprint until 4 April:

Youth (-17) EUR 4/day
All other EUR 8/day

For late entries 50% surcharge until 15 April, 100% after that date.

Start Groups

Start group allocation will be limited to Red Group on Sprint and Middle. All the other competitors will be drawn randomly within the main start group.

The members of the Red Group will include the reigning World Champion of the format and the required number of riders based on the World Ranking List to comprise 10 competitors for the Red Group.

Start draw is planned one week before the event.

Start bibs

There will be only one start bib for all competitors for all the 3 events. The start bibs of World Cup participants will be distinctively different.

The start bib should be attached in front of the bike.

Embargoed areas

The area shown on the map, North of Balatonfüred and West of Road 73, is embargoed for all orienteering activities, unless specifically permitted by the Organizers.

The above areas are out of bounds for all potential World Cup and Hungarian MTBO Cup participants and team members, including competitors, team leaders, coaches, doctors, escorts, and any other person who through their knowledge of the terrain may influence the result of the competitions.

Spelt out in details this means

• no organized orienteering activity may take place in the area,
• no training sessions may take place in the area,
• no one with potential connection to a team (athletes or others) may visit the area.

Copy of the most recent orienteering map of the area is accessible on the event website: www.mtbo.hu.

The area was never surveyed for MTBO before, and no MTBO map of the area exist. There was no MTBO competition organized on the terrain before.

Map details

Surveyed in 2009/2010

The new, yet to be published, 2010 MTBO map specification will be used if time allows implementing changes.

Courses

Preliminary information on the courses

World Cup

* Estimated winnig time (min)
** Straight distance (km)

Hungarian Cup courses detail to be published early 2010.

Terrain description

Typical karst forest with numerous paths and roads, dense vegetation with patches of open areas. Part of the map is covered with gardens and cultivated land where leaving paths and roads is strictly forbidden. Altitude: 150m to 430m.

Some tricky steep sections may challenge riders. Stones and thorns are abundant.

See previous foot-o maps here: older version (1997), latest version (2003) and a tiny bit of the urban area (2004)

Time keeping system

Sport Ident will be used on all events with SI-Card 9 compatible Control Stations. Everybody should provide the number of their SI cards with their entry. SI cards can be rented from Organizers for EUR 1 / day.

Training opportunities

No official training camp will be organized, but the Organizers are happy to provide maps and help with organizing trainings upon request.

Model event will be organized Thursday afternoon accessible by bike from Balatonfüred. (7km)

Event Centre

Balatonközpont, Leasure and Conference Centre
Horváth Mihály utca, Balatonfüred
N46° 57' 1.2" E17° 52' 35.1"

Registration, team leaders’ meeting and prize giving ceremony Friday and Saturday evening will take place at the Event Centre.

The restaurant will provide self service dinner exclusively to World Cup and Hungarian Cup participants. Pre-ordering is possible to ensure availability.

Wi-Fi internet service will be available at the Event Centre.

Accommodation

Four different classes of accommodation are offered by the Organizers to ensure that all participants can find a place that suits their need and budget.

On-line accommodation booking form will be available on the event web site. In Cat A-C single room occupancy will be charged at full room rate. If you are single and willing to share a room, please indicate it on the entry form.

On-line booking offers accommodation from Thursday (22. 04.) to Saturday night (24. 04) only. If you arrived earlier or need to stay longer, please, contact the organisers.

Cat A
Hotel ***
Room with shower, breakfast included
Price: EUR 64 / double room / night or EUR 80 / three-bed-room / night

Cat B
Guest house
Double room with shower
Price: EUR 50 / room / night

Cat C
Apartment
Sleeps 2 to 4 persons per unit
(comfortable for 2, somewhat tight for 4)
Price: EUR 32 / unit / night

Cat D – only for Friday and Saturday night
Gym hall / own equipment
Common shower facilities
Price: EUR 4 / person / night

Catering

Dinner offered in the Event Centre Thursday through Saturday, and can be pre-ordered at discount price (7 EUR / complete dinner including soup and main dish). Meal tickets in limited numbers will also be available at the entrance for normal price (9 EUR).

On-line dinner booking form will be available on the event web site.

Food and equipment traders will be available in the Finish area.

Media Services

Media representatives are cordially invited to come to Balatonfüred to cover the World Cup races.

Registration for media entry should be made in email to info@mtbo.hu by 28 February 2010. Media facilities will be available only to registered media representatives.

Entry permits to Hungary

Hungary is a full Schengen member state. The following IOF full member countries require visa to Hungary: Belarus, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Kazakhstan, DPR Korea, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, South Africa, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Visas have to be applied for at your nearest Hungarian embassy. The organizers will assist participants as required to obtain visas.

Please note that visa regulations are subject to change. Please double check your specific visa requirements.

Transportation

All sites of the event, including Model Event are reachable by bike. There will be no local transportation organized.

Transportation to and from Budapest Airport can be ordered from the Organizers for a fee. Please inform the organizers of any assistance you require with transportation within Hungary.

Balatonfüred is also reachable by train from Budapest. There are 4 direct services and another 8 that require transfer. The cost of a single ticket is approximately EUR 10, the cost of bike transport is approximately EUR 2.

Payments

Payments by World Cup participants must be made by bank transfer to

Entries to the World Cup, accommodation, catering and transport will be accepted and confirmed after the arrival of the transfer.

Deadline for transfers reaching the organizers is 14 March.

Hungarian Cup participants may pay in cash upon registration.

Local Weather

End of April in Hungary is characterized by mild sunny weather: 18-23C in the daytime, 5-10C in the night, with 7 hours of sunshine on average.

Please note that April weather is notoriously unpredictable. Meteorological records show temperatures as low as -4C and as high as +30C. 'April is capricious' according to Hungarian folk wisdom.

Important deadlines

World Cup

Hungarian Cup and Balatonfüred Sprint

Additional information

Sándor Tálas: info@mtbo.hu, M: +36-20-364-2734

Legal restrictions

Every participants takes part at his/her own risk. Organizers are not liable for any health problem or damage in the equipement.

Any kind of trading activity requires written permission by the organizers.

Others

To be included as information becomes available:

• Summary of Entries for the World Cup
• Course data – length, climb, controls, refreshment