Nordic - Baltic Deafs Sport Association

After receiving the preliminary registrations we are happy to inform you that the First NBDSF Sportsfestivals for the member sports clubs of the Nordic and Baltic countries will be carried out.

21 sports clubs from five countries have sent in their preliminary registrations for the Sportsfestivals. At the moment, the total number of participants is 450 sportsmen/women. However, the number of participants is a slight disappointment. We urge the sports clubs to become more active in increasing the number of participants. Especially additional participants are expected from Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Lithuania.

In the attachment you will find a list of the participating countries/sports clubs after the preliminary registrations.

The Deaf Sports Federations of Finland and Sweden are responsible for the practical organisation of the festivals. The sports federation of Åland and the local sports clubs are also involved in the organisation of the games.

The following sports are included in the official Sportsfestivals programme: track and field, mini-football, golf, bowling, floorball, and park orienteering, badminton, swimming, street basketball and beach volleyball, In addition tug-of-war is unofficially included in the sports programme.

Please note that all the above mentioned sports will mainly be organised at 17 - 21 o'clock. Thus the participants will have free time before that to acquaint themselves with the island and other participants.

The soonest possible after receiving the final registrations the organising committee will draft the more detailed competition programme.

Those sportsmen/clubs who would like to participate in several sports should mark in the registration form all the sports you are interested in just in case. The organising committee will try to adjust the competition timetable for the most popular sports so that it would be possible to participate in as many sports as possible.

In principle there is no age limit in the Sportsfestivals, but over 16 years of age is recommended for the team sports. In exceptional cases and by separate application even younger ones can participate. In individual sports the age limit is over 12 years. There is no maximum age limit.

The participants will represent mainly their own club. That is why as few as possible such sports are organised where there is age limit. We are trying to arrange separate sports for men and women. However the sports clubs will be given a possibility to participate in the men's sports also with mixed teams, with men and women, if the club otherwise does not have a possibility to participate in the sports in question.

In the sports, which are part of the festivals, the NBDSF rules will be followed when applicable. Especially swimming and track and field follow the NBDSF rules.

The NBDSF Board has given the General Secretaries of the Finnish and Swedish Deaf Sports Federations (Juha-Matti Aaltonen and Urban Mesch) the authority to make decisions on other details as they see it best.

After this bulletin the organising committee will send you more details about the Sportsfestivals as the organisation proceeds further. We take the right to make the necessary changes if needed.

Viking Line is our important co-operation partner in the organisation of the Sportsfestivals. Viking Line is providing a ferry travel package with reasonable price to Åland, which you really should make use of. Good connections to Åland can be found from Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki and Tallinn. Attached you will find further information on the prices Viking Line is offering.

You can make your travel reservation directly with Viking Line. However, do remember to inform the organising committee your arrival/departure dates to Åland.

The organising committee is offering you a very reasonable accommodation package during the Sportsfestivals. We have made preliminary reservations of school accommodation nearby the sports sites. In addition meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner and security is included in the price of the school accommodation. The price for the accommodation per day with meals included is only 25 euros/day. Please note that those who will use the school accommodation should bring their own mattresses!

The arrival in Åland is on 21.6. and departure on 27.6. The price for accommodation for the whole six days is 150 euros/person. On the days of arrival and departure no meals will be provided, except breakfast on 27.6. More detailed information about the accommodation address and other practical arrangements will be sent to you later.

Also hotel accommodation is available. It will be much a more expensive alternative than the school accommodation. We definitely recommend this school accommodation package to all sports clubs. Further information on the hotel accommodation package can be found in the attachment, in the accommodation reservation form.

The sports clubs are not asked to pay separate participation and competition fees during the Sportsfestivals in case the clubs are using the school accommodation. In other cases the participation fee is 50 euros/person both in the individual and team sports. The participation fee needs to be paid only once, in other words it is possible to participate in several sports with no additional fee.

The participation fees and the accommodation and meal fees for those who will use the school accommodation should be paid by 21.5.2008 in the following bank account of the Finnish Sports Association of the Deaf Sampo 800015-1680335, IBAN: FI3480001501680335 BIC/SWIFT: DABAFIHH (from 22.3.2008 onwards)

Those who will use the hotel accommodation should make their own hotel reservations and other arrangements connected with it directly to the hotels. But do remember to fill out the enclosed accommodation form. Do also remember to inform the organisers where you will be staying during the Sportsfestivals. Further information on the hotel payments will be sent later.

We are sending this official letter of invitation only to the NBDSF member country sports federations. The federations are responsible for distributing this information to their member sports clubs and also for collecting the responses from the clubs. After that they should send the registrations to the address below.

Once more we would like to emphasise that when you fill out the final registration forms it is important that you realistically mark how many sportsmen/women, service crew etc. will participate in the Sportsfestivals. This information will make the work in drafting the competition programme of the organising committee much easier.

The final registrations should be sent by 22.3.2008 to the following address: SKUL, Läntinen Pitkäkatu 21-23 D, 4krs, 20100 Turku, Finland. We also hope to receive the registrations by e-mail: juha-matti.aaltonen@skul.org

The names and birthdates of the participants/sports clubs, exact information on your travel schedule should be sent to us a month before the opening of the Sportsfestivals by 21.5.2008 at the latest, at the same time all the payments should be paid.

Further information on the event, practical arrangements and everything connected with the Sportsfestivals can be obtained by e-mail in the following addresses: juha-matti.aaltonen@skul.org or urban.mesch@sdi.rf.se