Latvians beat Estonians in a duel between European Championship bronze medallists at City Legends in Strenči
On Saturday, July 15, in the 4th stage of the season held in Strenči, the most popular rogaining or team orientation series in the Baltic States “Pilsētu leģendas” in the longest 6-hour “Garmin” distance was celebrated by the bronze medal winners of the 2020 European Championship in 24h rogaining Zigmunds Bībers and Alberts Jasāns (Let us there laime die), leaving behind the 2021 bronze medalists in the European Championship from Igaunijas Tonisu Pīrisildu and Vinni Pillu, while the top 20 bicycle orienteers of the European Championship Mārtiņš Linde and Andris Sarksņa took the first two places in the 3h MTBO.
Original publication date: 17.07.2023
Reaching the midpoint of its fourth season, the multi-stage rogaining series “Pilsētu leģendas” made its first visit to Strench, with over half a thousand participants competing in the “Strenčupītes” rogaining. The competition center was located at the Strenči cultural center, but in the distance the participants ran past the peat pressing factory, visited Seda tireli, Sūnu village, Purvciem, Mīlestības vēri, etc. A large part also swam across Gauja several times, thus refreshing themselves from the heat.
In the 6h “Garmin” distance, after collecting 194 points out of the maximum 200, Bībers and Jasan won the first place for the second time in the season, who are the clear leaders of the overall standings. 172 points were accumulated, but they spent almost four minutes over the time limit (6h) and in the end, with 168 points, the best Mix or mixed team “O+” from Estonia with Piirisilda and Pilla ranked second in the competition out of 80 teams. Only one point less (167 points) than the Estonians Edgaram Jurjānam and Evijai Abiļevai. The winners of the first stage, Valdis Čunka and Jānis Ķemers (Riga adventure team) with 159 points, this time in 4th place. After skipping the third stage, ZVOC ladies Anete Geduševa-Bērziņa and Dace Gaigala returned with another victory in the women's category, who also managed to earn a pair of 150 points (156). On the other hand, with 128 points, the best family team Pētersoni - father Kaspars and son Dominic, whose sister Marta Luīze won the Baltic Championship U18 3000m in Šiauliai on the same day.
In the 4h “Kokmuižas” distance, the two best teams - Māris Heinols/Armands Broks (ExValcenieši) and Sandis Zukulis/Elīna Petrovska (Glyudu Cascade) - got the same number of points - 134 points, but ExValčenias spent less time on the distance, so Māris, who started in the series stages on the Vidzme side with Armanda won the first place in the absolute rating, while Sandim and Elīna won the first place in the mixed group. Edgars Rumba/Artūrs Čeirāns (Libyans) finished the top three among 53 teams, accumulating 10 points less than the first two teams. In the women's competition, the usual leaders Ievai Godiņai/Aigai Kalniņai (B3/Bez Kompas) had to settle for second place this time, as four more points (109) were collected by Nora Baranovska with daughter Tīnu Sonoru (Ku ku). Despite overspending 8 minutes, the Aigars and Tomass Čeksteri (All in Balls) families were still decisively first with 82 points.
In the 2h “Isostar” distance, the fight for victory turned out to be very fierce, the first four teams in the 27-team competition were within two points. Uldis Pormeistars with Gunāru Ozoliņu (LV Bārdas) overspent a little over six minutes and got 54 points instead of 61, which still did not prevent him from being first for the second time in the season. Second place winners Gustavs Venters and Alise Čurkste (Susliki) also finished a little after the time limit, with 53 points instead of 55 points on the scoreboard. The two teams ranked third with 52 points made it to the time limit - Ivars Žagars/Astra Šauere (I and A) and Kalvis and Lilija Briči (Hippo and cat). Ilze and Inese Vilciņa (Milk is in the fridge) were once again the best in the women's competition, earning 46 points, while Miķelis Zumbergs with daughter Anci Zumbergu won the family competition with 31 points.
The first two places in the 3h MTBO were won by the two favorites and Mārtiņš Linde and Andris Sarksņa, who were in the top 20 in the sprint at the European Championship, earning 163 and 158 points, respectively, while Mārtiņš Godiņš completed the top three, finishing in the top three for the first time this season and providing the Godini family with two awards in Strench. For the women, Annija Krūma took their first win, earning 107 points, two points ahead of their nearest competitor and Aigai Strazdiņai settling for second place for the third time in the season. Vilnis Frišfelds collected the most points (72) for the second time in the O-run, or rogaininga 2h race, while Anitai Užulei, who has 66 points, won for the fourth time for women.
The Rogaining series is organized by “Piedzīvojumu sacensību apvienība” in cooperation with Valmiera County Council and supporters - Intervals.lv, Garmin, Isostar, Magnesia and Kokmuiža.