The new season of 'Legend Rogaining' has kicked off in Riga with convincing victories in the longest distances
With over 800 participants starting across multiple distances on March 21st in Ķīpsala, a powerful new season has been launched for the largest rogaining (team orienteering) competition in the Baltic States, “Legend Rogaining.” This year, team sizes have been increased to up to five members, and participants are offered a more generous prize pool.
The first stage took place in excellent weather conditions on March 21st in Ķīpsala, offering participants a brand-new course. The race center was located near the “Olimpia” shopping mall. The route covered the industrial environment of the port, the Spilve meadows, and the vast expanses of Bolderāja, providing the most impressive spring adventure on the streets of Riga. Participants in the four and six-hour distances began their battle for "Intervals.lv" and "Impro" travel gift cards worth up to 1,000 euros, which will be awarded to the overall season leaders.
In the longest Intervals.lv 6h distance, among 84 teams, last season's overall winners Zigmunds Bībers and Alberts Jasāns (Laid mums tur laimē diet) convincingly confirmed their favorite status, scoring 189 points out of a maximum of 200. In a tense battle for second place, Mikus Bērziņš and Edgars Jurjāns (Vietējais naids) with 160 points finished two points ahead of Jurijs Dorofejevs and Armands Kūkājs (Divi gepardi). Kārlis and Rita Lauderi, with 151 points, showed the best result for mixed teams. In the women's category, Līga Rusiņa and Jevgenija Šuļga provided a surprise and took first place with 145 points, while the "Cīmurēni" team stood out with the highest point harvest in the family standings.
In the Impro 4h distance, out of more than a hundred teams, a convincing victory went to Edijs Tropiņš and Ēriks Bogdanovs from “Riga Trail runners.” They were followed by the best MIX team, “Ādaži city,” featuring Sniedze Brakovska and Eduards Pāķis. Finishing just one point behind in third place were Lauris Veidemanis and Niks Patriks Ummers from “Pavasars,” who took first place in the TVNET+ corporate category, leaving last year's overall winners Valters Veiss and Artūrs Kančs from “WELLMAN” right behind them.
In the TVNET+ 2h distance, last year's overall winners Vlads Kutiavinas and Jānis Zeltiņš, competing this year under the new name “Redshift team,” had to settle for third place after a fierce battle with Aivars Hemmelis and Toms Bērziņš. The winners, Kalvis Brūns and Imants Kaktabulis (Route 86), and the second-place finishers “Magnētiskā rezonanse” (Kristaps Kanna and Ainārs Brālītis), both collected three more points, totaling 49.
In the Magnesia 2h Solo rogaining, Oskars Cimmermanis and Daina Saltuma won convincingly with 57 and 50 points, respectively. Meanwhile, in the Alexela 3hMTB distance, first place went to last season's overall winners Mārtiņš Linde and Dina Zobena, who earned 157 and 120 points, respectively.
We say a huge THANK YOU to every participant for your inexhaustible energy and smiles! Special thanks to our supporters and sponsors who helped make this adventure happen. Our greatest gratitude goes to the Riga City Council for their invaluable support, allowing us to create this sports festival together in the very heart of the city!