Olympians Samoilovs and Aparjode compete at Riga Spring Legend Rogaining in Jaunciems

Original publication date: 15.04.2025

It is significant that the world championship medalist in luge Kendija Aparjode, who usually starts with good results in orienteering and rogaining competitions, was not the only Olympian this time, as multiple European champion in beach volleyball Aleksandrs Samoilovs made her rogaining debut with her family. It was also the debut of one of the best Latvian rugby players - Anete Skrastiņai, captain of the Latvian national team and multiple champions “Selena”.

Having survived the snowfall a week ago, “Rīgas pavasara leģendu rogainingā” on the banks of the Ķīšezer, the participants could enjoy spring and see what is left of the Jaunciems paper factory and how life goes on in the village of Sužu on the other side of the Ķīšezer. The area winds along Ķīšezer from Brīvības gatve at the end of Jugla to the Saulkrasti railway near Kalngale. On the northern side, the surroundings seemed familiar to those who participated in “Mežgarciema militārās pilsētiņas rogainingā” at the beginning of September last year, visiting Priežleja again. Those who were not so good at running and looking for checkpoints could enjoy the spring time on the Jaunciems beach and look at the yachts docked in the Jaunciems port.

In the longest “Garmin” 6h distance, the European Championship medalists Zigmunds Bībers and Alberts Jasāns (Let us be lucky) again demonstrated their superiority, even half an hour before the end of the time limit they managed to reach all the checkpoints and collect the maximum amount - 200 points. Once again, Andis Jaunķierpis and Valdis Rozentāls (Iskrien meža) were second in the competition of more than 80 teams, but this time closer to the leaders - 188 points.

One of the strongest hurdlers in his age group Gatis Čirka together with Arni Grasi (Others) this time a position higher and third in the absolute rating, scoring 179 points and two ahead of the best MIX or mixed team “Bebri nesnauž”, who had completely changed their line-up, this time starting Aigaram Šuvcānam and Kristīnei Slikšānei, who clocked in unlike “Brunaviešiem” (Guntras Žilinskis, former “Stirnu bukos” School Championship winner Viktorija Bogdanova) who earned one more point (178) but was separated by 8 points for just over 7 minutes of time overrun.

Collecting 167 points, Madara Apsalone with Aleksandru Fjodorovu from “Ampēriņa” confirmed the status of the best ladies' team, but Inta and Viesturs Cīmuri prevailed in equal competition in the family competition with 92 points.

Also in the 4h “ISOSTAR” distance, where 70 teams started, there were convincing winners - Andis Grandāns and Pēteris Grīviņš (Artūrs Graube the Besest), who showed great performance and could have challenged the 6h winners Bībers and Jasanas, but the Rīga-Valmiera winner, Grīvinas, had to consider the teams the situation of friend and successful triathlon Grandan, as he has taken a year off. Similar to the longest distance, the second place winners were the same - Valters Veiss and Artūrs Kancš (WELLMAN) with 124 points - and the fourth place winners of the first stage also moved up to third, and they were Uldis Pormeistars and Gunārs Ozoliņš (LV Bārdas) who got 117 points, leaving 4 behind the top three last stage's third place winner Edgaru Kokorēviču, who this time started with Kristapu Ceriņu instead of his sister.

This time there was stronger competition for women, the winners of the first stage Anetei Dārtai Rožkalnei with Ilzi Vilciņu (Milk with a rat in the fridge) with a similar number of points remained outside the top three in 5th place. The best were Smiltene's orienteering coach Liene Brūvele and ultramarathon distance runner Aiga Tora, with 112 points and 5th place in the absolute rating, which is the highest place among the women's teams in all three distances combined. Close behind and second again were Aiga Kalniņa and Līga Vībure (B3/R3) and last season's O-Run dominant Anita Užule along with Ivetu Baļčūni (Swamp Karma). In the ranking of families, the second place in the last stage was replaced by the first place in this one: “Suouslipiki”, or the Kigitovič family - Vizam, Artūrs, Bruno and Oskar.

In the 2h TVNET+ distance, where more than 50 teams competed, the orienteers Daģi couple from Jelgava (“Dejavu”) celebrated the second stage victory in a row, who collected 85 points, this time in honor of Ilona as the “Stirnu buka” winner, because a week ago she was the fastest on snow and mud in the “Buka” distance in Tukuma region. Once again, the best men's team was the international duo Vladas Kutiavinas and Jānis Zeltiņš (SakasXOne) with 80 points, but the top three was completed by the orienteers Kūmi - Jānis ar Zani (Pulsometrs sqaud team), who performed much better and ran faster this time, reaching 70 points.

A great performance for the best family team Ruslan and Etjēnam Samuševiem (Awesome and Amazing) who were in a very high 4th place overall with 62 points. The fiercest fight for victory was in the women's competition, where the first two teams scored the number of single points (43), but a shorter time in the distance allowed Džanetai Sutai and Mārai Ozolai (Lauktozītes) to overtake Inga and Gabrielu Grasi (Slow motion), who won the first stage in a larger team.

There was very strong competition in the Gerble 3h MTB distance, again the number of participants exceeded 70. Although last season's overall winner and Raits Muižnieks, who won the first place three weeks ago, did not participate, it probably would not have affected the winner, because Mārtiņš Linde, who was in the top 20 of the European Championship, felt better than in the first stage and therefore showed a much better performance, with 178 points. Igaunijas Prīts Poop, a participant of the world and European championships, earned more than 170 points and was five behind Lindes, who was followed with 168 and 165 points by the Latvians who started in the big championships - Edgars Bričonoks, who entered the world championship in thirtieth, and Aivis Zetmanis, the best Latvian in the European MTBO championship three years ago.

The women had such an intense fight for the victory that the first three were only one point apart. With a victory and 137 points for the painful fourth place last time, the Lithuanian Renata Pauļauskiene took revenge, but only one point behind her were two participants who were again in the top three, changing positions, namely, this time Dina Zobena, who won the 22nd place in the world championship 12 years ago, overtook the Lithuanian Agni Stirinieni. Another Inese Kauķe, who was in the top 30 in the world championship, started better than in the last stage, the Riga woman who won the overall standings two years ago took 4th place this time.

Ingus Znotiņš, the third-place winner of the last stage of Magnesia 2h O-RUN, demonstrated a convincing performance, winning with 73 points and leaving Jāni Dūku., who won in Ķekava, in second place, who has seven points less. Next came the two best ladies - the medalist of three world championships in luge Kendija Aparjode, who was second in the first stage behind Noras Austriņas, who did not start this time, and Anžela Šapavalova, who was in the top three again.

The next stage will now be in three months - on July 12 in Rūjiena.

In Rogaining competitions with 2 to 4 participants, the team includes both athletes and orienteering enthusiasts who are already masters of these competitions, as well as lovers of an active and sporty lifestyle who like to spend their free time in the fresh air and be active. That's why several families also use this option, because rogaining is a very democratic activity in its essence, since the participants can choose the distance and the number of checkpoints suitable for their abilities.