The Paris - North Cape Photo Adventure arrives to Tampere
The city of Tampere will become one of the main stages of the Paris – North Cape Photo Adventure. This year marks the 19th time this unique photo and sports event is organized, and the rally is on between 23rd of July and 23rd of August. Tampere will become the main stage for this competition between 15th and 17th of August. It is open for everyone regardless of age, photography experience and equipment.
What is The Paris – North Cape Photo Rally?
The Paris – North Cape Photo Rally was born in 1986, when a 19-year-old Philippe Boucher, the founder and father of this competition, created the Cap Nord Organization on first of August 1986. It took two years and two preparation trips before the first photo adventure was organized. Since 1988, this great competition has been organized approximately once every two years. Since the first photo adventure, the rally has been well received and reported on European media. National Geographic has been The Paris North Cape’s official partner since 1999 and there has been news of the competition as far as in Japan. The photo rally has a positive image and reception in media and among people because it respects the nature and culture of the countries it goes through. Ari Vatanen, Erkki Liikanen, Markku Veijalainen ja Reetta Meriläinen (former Chief Editor HS) are among the many godfathers and godmothers of this competition, and without them, it would have been impossible to organize such an event.
The Paris North Cape Photo Adventure gathers around 25 teams (approximately 65 people), from three to six European countries with the idea of crossing Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The participants have hikes every 4 days on small footpaths in the middle of the nature in each destination and in some cities along the route. The winner of the competition is the best photographer, after 10 photo treks, 10 000 km and 7 different photo juries consisting of local photographers and photo enthusiasts.
The Paris – North Cape Photo Rally route 2019
This year the adventure route departures on 23rd of July from Paris, heading towards Denmark and to Norway. In Norway the adventure continues in Bergen’s fjords, Norway’s highest roads and either climbing Glittertind or visiting an iconic fjord, Geirangerfjord. From Norway, the route continues to highlight the different landscapes of Norway and Sweden, to observing reindeer herds and towards Lapland, the home of the Sami. Around day 9, the group will be in the Lofoten Islands and they go from there through Trollfjord towards the rugged mountains of Northern Sweden. The adventure then takes the trekkers to Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest peak, after which the road brings them back to Norway, through “a corner” of Finland. Day 15 will be spend in the Sami Nature Centre, after which the most highly anticipated stop of the race will be at The North Cape. After trekking “the real North Cape”, the group continues to Hamningberg and from there to Lemmenjoki. Day 21 will be the day of the world’s most beautiful sauna, after which the photo trek of the “bear trial” will begin. After visiting the Finnish countryside in Möykkylänperä and Hankasalmi, it is time for the group to stay in Tampere. After Tampere, it is time to head to Helsinki and to take a ferry to Stockholm and start the last leg of the competition towards Denmark, before heading back to France on August 23.
Tampere leg of the race
This is the first year the adventure route includes Tampere. This leg of the race is the longest and the Tampere region route consist of the most picturesque nature places such as Helvetinjärvi and Seitseminen national parks, Pispalanharju, and highlights the proximity of the nature to the city. Precise program in detail: www.pariscapnord.com/tampere
Over 80 people from different parts of France, Switzerland, and Belgium will arrive on 15th of August to Tampere. On the first day of the adventure, there will be a welcoming event, a press conference and a possibility to meet the Finnish participants of the Tampere Photo Trophy. For three days, the group will travel through the Region of Tampere in search of landscapes for the most beautiful pictures. The chosen themes of the contest are:
– Sauna Capital
– Lakeland
– Wild Nature
– Red Brick Tampere
– Finnish happiness
– Hungry for adventure
– Night light
– Serenity
– Silhouette
– Camaieu
On 17th of August, a jury of local nature photographers from Tampere will select the best images. A closing press conference will introduce and demonstrate the most beautiful images of the Tampere Photo Trophy. The French-speaking winner is awarded with a winter trip to Tampere, while the Finnish winner will get to go to Paris, to witness the arrival of this year’s Paris – North Cape teams. Visit Finland and Visit Tampere sponsor the first prizes, and Kameratori offers the second prize.
The jury in Tampere comprises of local photographers, photo enthusiasts and nature lovers. See all the members of the Tampere jury with the links to their Instagram accounts: www.pariscapnord.com/tampere
Press Conferences in Tampere
The media is welcome to join the press conferences held in Tampere Hall, during the Tampere leg of the race. The first press meeting will be held on Thursday, 15th of August, at 12:00, at auditorium Maestro. There will be a photo exhibition and welcome words by Deputy Mayor Anna-Kaisa Heinämäki. The second press conference, where the results of the photo rally are announced, will be held on Saturday, 17th of August, from 13:00 onwards, at auditorium Maestro.
Additional information of The Paris – North Cape Photo Adventure is found here: www.pariscapnord.com
Contact:
Philippe Boucher
Telephone +33 (0) 6 80 96 33 33
Journalist – Producer
Cap Nord Organization President http://www.planetodyssey.com
philippe.boucher@planetimage.tv
Erika Eischer
Telephone +358 405 450 011
Public Relations Manager / City of Tampere
erika.eischer@tampere.fi
Olga Javits
Specialist, Marketing & Communications / Visit Tampere
Telephone +358 40 865 0243
olga.javits@visittampere.fi