Evaluation of IOF events maps
Ski O WOC, Levi, Finland, 6-12 March 2005

Map Commission's comments

Terrain
All four competitions were held in the same terrain. Generally speaking all courses were in the same northern slope of the Levi mountain. There is an alpine skiing and cross country skiing centre in Levi.

Maps
All maps were made by the same map maker. All skiing tracks were mapped with FRWD GPS system. Some information about FRWD in Internet: http://www.frwd.fi/
All maps were printed with laser printer, Konica Minolta. The quality of the printer was sufficient.

Sprint 6.3.2005
Map: 1:5000/5 m

General appearance of the map was clear and readable. All track symbols were drawn carefully (correct line widths, nice crossings).
Only seven slope lines were used. The length of the symbols varied. A more active use of the slope lines would have given a clearer picture of the terrain.
According to the ISSkiOM the diameter of control circles shall be 5.5 - 6.0 mm in every scale. On this map the diameter of the control circles was 9.4 mm. The circles in the finish symbol were too small: 7.3 and 4.0 mm.
The distance between the magnetic north lines (601) was very long, 99.5 mm, so there were only two lines in the whole map. Because the distance was not 100.0 mm (as mentioned?) maybe there is some inaccuracy in the printer.

Long 7.3.2005
Map: Levi 1:12500/5 m

According to the ISSkiOM the map scale for long distance races should be 1:15000. In special cases in IOF events, the organiser and the IOF Event Advisor may decide on other map scales. The long distance event, the map or the terrain were not that kind of a "special case" that an unofficial scale should have been chosen. The chosen scale is not an alternative given in the ISSkiOM.
General appearance of the map was not so clear and readable as on the sprint map. There were too many bends on contour lines. The generalisation of the shape of the contour lines would have given a clearer readability.
The height difference in the terrain was 150 m so there were a lot of contour lines in the map. The contour interval was 5 m. It was unnecessary to use form lines in this kind of terrain.
All track symbols were drawn carefully. The line widths of the tracks in the scale 1:12500 are not stated in the ISSkiOM. Because the symbol sizes in 1:15000 and in 1:10000 maps are the same, using the same line widths in 1:12500 was logical.
The sizes of the control circles were correct only on this 1:12500 map.

Middle 9.3.2005
Map: Levi 1:10000/5 m

Same comments to the drawing style of the contour lines should be given as to the long distance map.
On this map the diameter of the control circles were 7.7 mm.

Relay 11.3.2005
Map: Levi 1: 10000/5 m

Practically almost the same map as in middle distance event.