FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Instructions for participants
VENUES
1. Morning coffee and opening of the event: Meeting and banquet room Tokoinranta, Eläintarhantie 12, 0053 Helsinki
2. Boat and hike start: Helsinki Rowing Club, Kaisaniemenranta 11
3. Hiking checkpoints:
1) Tervasaari: The Baltic Sea Section of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation/Uusimaa Branch. Natur och Miljö. Anarchist Marthas.
2) Katajanokanlaituri: The Rotary tent will host the Baltic Sea Forum and Water Backpack, My Sea Association and Rotary waffles.
4. Boat docking: MarinaBay guest harbour in Katajanokka, Kanavaranta 4.
5. Lunch and seminar: Katajanokka Viking Line terminal, Katajanokanlaituri 8 and M/S Gabriella
6. See more: silakkasoutu.fi
Welcome to row and hike the Baltic Sea and nearby waters clean!
The proceeds from the Baltic Herring Rowing and Baltic Herring Hike will be donated to WWF Finland's important work to build wetlands. Funds will be collected through participation fees and support fees. You can also support the protection of the Baltic Sea by buying lottery tickets (€5 each) at the event. Please also bring cash!
Read the instructions carefully and take them with you. Also share them with your companions and other members of your group.
NOTE! The starting point for the morning coffee and rowing is still on the Eläintarhanlahti and Kaisaniemenlahti side, as access from Töölönlahti is blocked due to the flood dam construction site in Töölönlahti.
9–10.30 Registration and morning coffee
Meeting and banquet room Tokoinranta, Eläintarhantie 12, 0053 Helsinki
At the reception, you will be given a note with the boat number or the letter code of the hiking group.
Morning coffee is served from a buffet. Rowers and hikers settle near the table according to the boat number or the hiking group. The skippers and hiking leaders give instructions to their team.
Annika Lindqvist (www.hanuristiannika.fi/) and her accordion entertain during their morning coffee.
The ticket sellers are on the move. The prizes are claimed immediately.
10.20 Info session
Welcome to Baltic Herring Rowing! Introduction of the teams and sponsors. Final instructions for rowing, hiking and visual depth measurements during rowing will be given.
10.45 Boat teams and hiking groups are sent on their way in turns
The skipper and the leader of the hiking group lead their group.
NOTE! Remember to bring your outerwear from the coat rack. A small backpack fits well on the boat. Larger bags are taken to the Viking Line terminal in Katajanokka, where they will be handed over in connection with the name check and the handing over of the access card.
First, we move outside to the park and get ready to take photos of the teams. Then the team immediately starts walking towards Kaisaniemenranta. The skipper and hiking leader lead the Baltic Herring Rowing Championship carrying the flag.
At about 11.00 Guided rowing from Kaisaniemi Bay to Katajanokka to MarineBay guest harbour
Life jackets are distributed to rowers at Kaisaniemenranta. At the pier, volunteers assist in boarding the boats. The boats set off after the lead boat. immediately after being removed from the pier.
After the long bridge, the safety boats of our sponsor the Finnish Lifeboat Society (meripelastus.fi) will ensure the safety of rowing. During the trip, 2–3 rowers from each team will participate in a traditional visual depth measurement competition according to the skipper's instructions.
The "boat convoy" proceeds behind the lead boat, in a loose form (distances between boats 50–100 m) to Katajanokka. Other maritime traffic is taken into account.
At about 11.00 Guided hike from Kaisaniemenlahti along the promenades to Katajanokka
The hiking groups start their journey in groups of about 10 people.
On the way, you will stop at checkpoints:
Checkpoint 1 Tervasaari: Finnish Association for Nature Conservation/Uusimaa Section's Baltic Sea Section. Natur och Miljö, Anarchist Marthas.
Checkpoint 2 Katajanokanlaituri: Rotary tent. Rotary District 1420/ Baltic Sea Forum and Water Backpack, My Sea Association. and Rotary waffles.
12.00–12.30 Boats docking at MarineBay guest harbour in Katajanokka
The Finnish Club's Wind Orchestra entertains the audience and rowers!
Volunteers will assist in getting off the boat. Life jackets, Secchi plates and other items will be handed over to the organizers' representatives. The Baltic herring flag will not be handed over, but the team will proceed following it and walking in one group towards Katajanokka, Viking Line's terminal, Katajanokanlaituri 8.
Around 12.30 Welcome to the Viking Line terminal and M/S Gabriella!
Before boarding the ship: A new name check of the participants will be carried out in the terminal. Advance notification of participation is mandatory! On the 1st floor of the terminal, right after entering through the main doors, there is a workstation on the right with an updated list of participants. The arrivals are ticked and any late registrations are added to it.
After the name check, everyone is given boarding passes. Skippers and hikers hand over their herring tickets at the terminal. Luggage left at Tokoinranta has been transported to the terminal and is picked up from the same place as boarding passes (1st floor).
We move to the 2nd floor of the terminal, from where there is access to the ship through access control. Without an access card, you cannot enter the ship for lunch!
12.30–14.00 Lunch at the ship's Buffet Restaurant
For lunch, there are herring steaks according to the theme, but special diets announced in advance have been taken into account! The tables are marked by boat and hiking group.
Tickets (5 € each) are also sold at lunch and before the seminar! Please bring cash!
14.00 – 15.30 Baltic herring seminar "Long live the Baltic Sea – Honour the wetlands!"
The ship's nightclub auditorium.
Speakers are Viivi Kaasonen, Conservation Specialist, WWF Finland and Pasi Valkama, Group Manager, Sitowise, Water Services Department.
Finally, the results of the rowing depth measurements and the rewards of the best
By 4 p.m., the event ends and everyone leaves the ship.
GENERAL ISSUES
PARKING IN TOKOINRANTA
If you come by car: parking instructions are easier to find online. For example. The parking lot of the Helsinki City Theatre is nearby, along Eläintarhantie.
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport: It's a good idea to download the HSL app to your phone. https://www.hsl.fi/, which makes it convenient to find a suitable means of transport in advance and pay for the trip. The address is: Meeting and banquet room Tokoinranta, Eläintarhantie 12, 0053 Helsinki. Note! Tickets must be purchased in advance!
Companions and volunteers can also get from Kaisaniemenranta within the limits of the space?? by bus to the Market Square or the Katajanokka terminal.
CHANGING CLOTHES AND TOILETS
There are toilets and dressing rooms in Tokoinranta and on the ship. MarineBay's toilet is also available for rowers
ROWING EQUIPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS
Pack a change of clothes in a small backpack. A small backpack is carried on the boat. Larger bags are transported from Tokoinranta to the Katajanokka terminal by Ventoniemi bus.
As a rowing accessory, it is a good idea to have a comfortable and breathable outdoor accessory in accordance with the autumn weather. Remember gloves!! Teams are welcome to dress according to their own theme. Colorful outfits, hats, etc. are a joy for everyone!
ROWING and HIKING
The rowing distance is about 5 km. You do not need to have previous rowing experience on a church boat. Rowing is easy and fun. On the boat, an experienced skipper guides the rowers and the boat. The skipper is responsible for the safety of the boat and his instructions must be followed. Boating vests are reserved for all participants. Vests are definitely kept on throughout the rowing!
The hiking trail is about 4 km. The group leader is responsible for walking pace and reasonable staying time at the checkpoints.
COMPANY VISIBILITY ON BOATS
It is allowed to attach an advertising sticker for companies and sponsors to the side of the boat.
COMPANIONS
Companions, cheering crowds, spectators are welcome to join. But there is no opportunity to eat, as the number of diners has been confirmed in advance.
But we are happy for all the support for the Baltic Sea! Account: FI82 1351 3000 1331 21. To: Vantaa Myyrmäki Rotary Club. In the message field: Baltic herring rowing 2026 and the name of the payer clearly.
INSURANCE
The organizers have the organizer's liability insurance, but everyone participates in the event at their own risk.
FIRST AID AND SAFETY
The safety boat and the scene of the incident are accompanied by staff with first aid skills. If you feel weak on the boat, tell your oar partner and the boat's co-pilot immediately.
The safety manager appointed by the organisers of the Baltic Herring Rowing is responsible for the safety of the event. In Church Boat Rowing, two of the Finnish Maritime Rescue Society's lead and safety boats act as partners of the Baltic Herring Rowing Association. The safety boat also carries first aid equipment. If necessary, the co-pilot of the church boat will call the safety boat to him by giving a general distress signal or by calling the safety boat.
If you feel sick, don't come to the event! Notify the person who provided more information (see below).
SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS
Feel free to use the hashtags #silakkasoutu, #rotary, #itämeri on social media when posting photos of the event! Feel free to tag and follow our accounts, which you can find on Facebook (facebook.com/silakkasoutu) and Instagram (@silakkasoutu_fi). We will share photos from the event on the accounts!
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
At the event, group photos will be taken of all the teams, and rowing and hiking will also be photographed and videotaped. The photo material will be published on the event's social media channels and website. The organizer has the right to use the photos taken during the event. The photos can be used in the marketing of the next year's Baltic Herring Rowing.
You are warmly welcome to row for the benefit of your own local waters and the Baltic Sea!
Welcoming Rotary clubs Finlandia Hall, Helsingin Koillinen, Helsinki International, Helsinki Kamppi, Herttoniemi, Meri-Espoo, Riihimäki-Hausjärvi, Rotaract Helsinki and Vantaa Myyrmäki as well as Rotary District 1420.
Further information: Hannele Kauranne tel. +358 400 618 439 and Markku Tahkokorpi tel. +358 50 1445
Media contacts: Tanja Arvola, tel. +358 45 1300 226.
