Fortunately, the most gloomy predictions that last season’s muddy Sabile stage could be repeated in Madona, part of which could be enjoyed this September in the “Sveikuļi Meža” stage, did not come true. Therefore, more than three thousand participants in all distances together enjoyed the beautiful “Smeceres sila” and the massive landscapes of the hills of Vidzeme highlands, the highest in Latvia, in wonderful autumn weather.
As usual, the event opened at nine in the morning with the participants of the ENEFIT hiking distances leisurely enjoying the beauty of the surroundings. Then at eleven o’clock the smallest GARDU MUTI Susuri started, followed half an hour later by the canicross (a runner connects with a dog). In the middle of the day, the two longest distances – GARMIN Lusis and VENDEN Stirnu buks – runners. The novelty of the end of the season was the joint start of the LATVIA STATE FORESTS school championship and the Vāvere distance at 12:30, which could be implemented in connection with the network of trails of the well-maintained “Smeceres sila” sports complex, wide enough to accommodate a larger number of participants on the track at the same time, without causing inconvenience to the runners around. The final start of the season was given to the runners of one KARTE VESELĪBA Zaķis.
27km GARMIN Lūsis was convincingly won for the fifth time this year by 10km vice-champion and half-marathon bronze medalist Kristaps Bērziņš, who a week ago triumphed in the 14km Knights’ distance at the Lāčplēši cross-country. Guido Kalniņš, the runner-up bronze medalist in trail running and the record holder of the Vilkači Marathon, finished the second stage in a row, this time closer (3:38) to Bērziņš. The trio was completed for the second time this season by Lithuanian Valdas Rubel, who was replaced by Vents Lupkins by a minute.
For women, the winning streak was extended to four by Anete Schwilpe, who has been showing great form and performance this year, and who recently won the Ultra Marathon in Ireland. The leader at the beginning of the season and this year’s trail champion, Agate Armane, who won the first place in the Stirnu buka distance at the Sveikuli Forest stage in September, finished second behind Shvilpa for the third time in the season, this time losing ten minutes to her coach. Aiga Taulína, who won the second place in the last stage, finished third for the second time this season.
Jānis Girgensons, the multiple Latvian champion in various running distances, returned to the honor of the winner after the second place in STIRNU BUKA 21km distance in September. For the first time, Jānis had a double victory, because in his best season, after some 4th places, Jānis Jerofejevs entered the top three for the first time and won the second place. After a difficult middle of the season, where he had to fight with an injury, Klāvs Stankevics returned to the podium at the end of the season, who was second and third in Saulkrasti and Alsunga, while Lithuanian Andrius Šipkinas, who entered the Top3 in the first five stages, finished fourth.
For the women, Klinta Lauska, the bronze medalist of this year’s Latvian Championship, returned to the top step of the podium, as in the first two stages of the season, showing a very good performance, character and overcoming difficult situations. Zanda Malančukas, another winner of three first places in Stirnu buka this season, who, starting from the last “Stirnu buka” stage, won four weekends in a row – Izskrien Ogri 10km, Apkärt Lielezeram in Limbaži 13.7km, 14km in the Knights’ Distance in Lāčplėš cross, this time she finished second . Ilona Daģe took the third place in the second stage in a row and for the third time this season, who now has bronze in the Latvian championship 5km.
KARTE VESELIBA Zaķis in the 12km distance, similarly to Buka, there were participants with the same name in the first two places, this time they were Andriem. In the absence of two Latvian record holders – Uģ Joča and Dmitrij Seryogin – who had won the previous stages, Andris Ronimois won the first place with a very good speed, who had just won the Irish Ultra marathon distance. Second place was won by Andris Jubelis, who won the orientation sport at the final stage of the Latvian Cup a week ago. For the first time, Andis Sakne entered the top three and earned the third place, who just successfully competed in the world steeplechase championship held in the USA, winning awards in his age group.
The women also did not do without the representation of the orienteering sport, as the multiple orienteering champion Sandra Grosberg remained unbeaten for the second stage in a row. In a similar fight for second place, Diāna Liepiņa overtook Ineta Jerofeeva, thus both of them changed positions compared to the previous stage. At that time, Diana had no idea that the next day she would win bronze at the Latvian Cross Country Championship.
In the 5.3km LATVIA STATE FOREST schoolboy championship, the Latvian championship medalist in cross-country and roller skiing Ginters Bērziņš was the first to finish in the second stage in a row, behind whom the runner-up champion of the U16 group Adrians Vaisjūns finished second, and the top three was completed by Leons Zīders, who was a few seconds ahead of the cross-country skier from Gulbene region of Adriana Stepi.
For the girls, last season’s leader in cross-country skiing in the U16 group, Martīne Djatkovića, won for the second time in the season, followed by the winner of the Ventspils stage and one of the leading orienteers of her age, Melanij Rožukalne. The third was Laura Jansone, whose best performance until now was 4th place in Vecpiebalga.
Helmuts Rasa won the Vävere 5.3km distance as in Vecpiebalga, Mareks Zālītis a step higher, who won the Lāčplēši cross-country 5km Lāčplēš distance a week ago, and Andris Bukovskis won the first prize with the third place, preventing Artur Norden from entering the top three for the third time. For women, the third victory for Signe Birkenberg, whose sister won in Smecere silage seven years ago, when Stirnu buks visited there last time. The winner of the first stage, Evita Skrulia, earned the sixth prize, the second time she was the second, but the first time on the podium was Parsla Kathina.
During the SALOMON sprint stage, many “breathed” that there was no Uģ Joča, where he was saving up for Sunday’s victory in the Latvian Cross Country Championship. This situation was used by Arnis Paškēvics, the second fastest mountain sprinter of the last stage, who was followed by Vladislavs Nedaivodins, who once achieved success in the youth group in biathlon, who had won the sprint title in the third stage in May in Joča’s absence. Mārtiņš Krauklis sprinted for the second time in the top three, and Andis Sakne was very close. For women, the first two places remain unchanged for the second stage in a row – Sandra Grosberga and Anete Švilpe. In the previous two stages, he was close to the top three, but now he got there and, just like in the first stage, the persistent Agita Kalva showed the third time.
The SPORTLAND team is credited with the second success this season Jēkanpils skrein/Mizuno. Over 7,000 points were collected by the overall leader team “Rieksti mīl vaveres”, while the third place was Talsu palaknu sports club.