Ķekava Legend Rogaining opens the new season with a record score

Original publication date: 23.03.2025

Ķekava was chosen as the first place of the competition, where rogaining took place last time in September 2021. This time the center of the competition was located in a romantic place - Ķekava's apple orchard near Nākotne Street, but the area was a little different, as the participants went more towards Bauska, not forgetting Vimbukrog and two “kalniem” - Augškalni and Odukalni, where you won't have to get rid of mosquitoes during this period of time. The biggest news in this area was Dole Island, which used to be called Kēniņas Island and where “Piedzīvojumu sacensību aģentūra” had not yet held its orienteering competition.

 

Garākajā Garmin returned to their usual line-up in the 6h distance with Zigmunds Bībers and Alberts Jasāns (Let us be lucky there) and it culminated in a maximum of 200 points and a convincing victory, spending 5 hours and 40 minutes over the distance. 165 points for the best team of the veteran group “Ieskrien mežā” with Andi Jaunķierpi and Valdi Rozentālu. Among 90 teams, the best mixed team “Duets Elīna” also finished in the overall top three. Elīna Petrauska and Sandis Zukulis, last year's 4h season winners as “Kļūdu kaskāde”, finished one point ahead of “Citādie”, with Arnis Grasis and Gatis Čirks. Čirks had taken part in the popular Patria Run obstacle race at the same venue the previous June.

 

Last season's best team with Madaru Apsaloni and Aleksandru Fjodorovu from “Ampēriņa” won the women's long distance with 149 points. Only one point to the hundred was missing in the family standings for the decisively first Lainei Rupeikai-Ružai with son Ralfu Hārdiju Ružu.

 

In the 4h ISOSTAR distance, among more than 80 teams, Mārtiņam Ozoliņam and Jānim Ķemeram from “Riga adventure team” with 117 points were enough for victory, three points ahead of the closest followers - both “WELLMAN” (Valters Veiss, Artūrs Kančs) and the best team MIX Kokoreviči family from Valmiera (B&Co Koko team) – Edgar and Ines. The results continued to be very close, with only five points separating second and tenth place.

 

In the women's competition, there was also a very fierce competition for the first place, because with 101 points, the newly created duo - Ilze Vilciņa, who won second place in 2024, and Aneti Dārtu Rožkalni, who earned third place in the individual rogaining race last year (Milk with a rat in the fridge) - was one point ahead of another new duo (B3/R3), because with Aigu Kalniņu this time started together with Līga Vībure, who replaced Aiga's usual partner Ievu Godiņu, who is recovering from an injury. Arta and Jēkabs Lindes won the family competition with 74 points in equal competition.

 

Despite overspending by four and a half minutes and thus parting with five points, in the 2h TVNET distance, where more than 50 teams competed, the orienteers from Jelgavas Salvis and Ilona Daģi won with 75 points. 72 points gave the victory in the MIX group to Kārlis and Dainai Stonkām (А team), one point ahead of not only the new team, but also last year's winning team “Sakas one”, which was completed with the representation of two countries, where Jānis Zeltiņš started together with the Lithuanian Vladu Kutiavinasu.

 

“Slow motion” ran in with as much points baggage as possible, but a 9 point deduction for over 8 minutes didn't stop Ingai Grasei, Gabrielai Grasei and Kristīnei Stepanovai from celebrating a convincing victory in the women's competition. A very commendable performance and 40 points for Ruslan and Etjēnam Samuševiem (Awesome and Amazing) who earned the best status for family teams.

 

In the Gerble 3h MTB orienteering distance, quite a large number of participants took to the start – 80 bicycle orienteers. The first three had very close results, with only two points separating first and third place. Last season's overall winner Raitis Muižnieks overtook the young Lithuanian Jogailu Raugas in an intense battle for two points, who was following him for some distance, and started the season with a victory. The trio was completed by Mārtiņš Linde, one of Latvia's leading MTB orienteers recovering from illness, who, like the Lithuanian, has 142 points. Interestingly, none of the first three could make it to the time limit, so they separated by a few points.

 

For women, the first two places were held by Lithuanians, who were separated by only one point. The winner was Karolina Mickevičute-Juodiešiene, a participant of the World and European championships, while the second place was won by Agne Styriene, who had a great start last season, but finished in the middle. Dina Zobena was the only Latvian who entered the top three, leaving last season's leader Renato Paulauskieni from Lithuania in fourth place.

 

In the 2h Magnesia O-run distance, returning to the individual race, Jānis Dūka won with 68 points, but then there was a very intense battle for the other two prizes. Despite a timeout and a six-point deduction, second place was secured by Igors Geletko with 60 points, one point ahead of the next two. Atis Krūmi spent four and a half minutes and still finished fourth with 59 points, losing to Ingum Znotiņam, who scored the same number of points, who entered the time and did not part with the points.

 

For women, with 45 points, Nora Austriņa was 2 points ahead of Kendiju Aparjodi, who won medals in team relays in luge at the world championships, in an intense battle for victory. Last season's runner-up Anžela Šapavalova started the season with an honorable mention, rounding out the top three.

 

The next stage will be in three weeks on April 12 in the second half of Jauncienā Ķīšezera and will be called “Rīgas pavasara leģendu rogainings”.