As always, “Lāčplēšu cross” gathered many participants. Around seven hundred participants tried the interesting and, for the vast majority, slightly difficult course, among which, in addition to several leading national runners and representatives of other sports, the vast majority were also supporters of an active lifestyle and families.
The organizers offered the participants to compete in the usual three distances – for children in the Laimdota distance (from 500m to 1000m), and for the rest either in the 4.7km Lāčplēša or 14km Bruninieks distance, where the circle of nine thematic obstacles had to be completed three times. The participants of the “Lācplėš cross” in a sporty and patriotic spirit overcame interesting thematic obstacles such as “Little Mountain Goat”, “Big Danger Mountain”, “Wolf’s Gate”, “Swamp Wader”, “Wet Spriditis”, “Lācplēša Belt”, “Spidala’s Trap” , “Olympic circles”, “Conqueror of the stage”.
In the most prestigious 14km distance of the Knights, the main favorite Kristaps Bērzins, who returned to the “Lāčplēšu cross” after several years, took the lead from the very beginning, who increased his advantage with each lap and won by two minutes, repeating the success of 2017.
At the beginning, an interesting battle for the other two prizes developed between the three participants. From the fourth place after the first lap, he rose to the second place and in the end, the title triathlete and winner of many prize-winning places in “Stirnu buks” Andrejs Dmitrievs, who was also the second two years ago, but won in 2021, secured a fairly stable vice-leader status. By the way, Dmitrieva’s two sons, Maij and Ivan, were second in their age group in the children’s Laimdota distance.
The top three was completed by Emīls Stiprais, who once competed well in the “Patria run” obstacle races, while Rihards Linde, who won medals in the Latvian championships in middle distances, took the 4th place.
For women, after the first lap, the young Una Pērkone took the lead, but then the young woman who won many awards in “Stirnu buks” finished third. On the other hand, after the third places obtained in the previous two years, Zanda Malančukas finally took the first place, who also won “Around Lielezeram” in Limbaži a week ago and “Izskrien Ogri” two weeks ago, and was second in “Stirnu Buk” three weeks ago. Between the two mentioned above, Lauma Izāka stood out with the first prize and the second place in the “Lāčplēšu cross”.
Mareks Zālītis, who earned victories and awards in “Stirnu bukos” at the distance of 4.7 km Lāčplēš, beat Raivi Berkoldus, who was third last year. Therefore, Zālītis repeated the success of 2020, and Berkold also took second place this year. Renars Vasilijevs finished third, earning the first prize, while Daniils Vakuličs and Ringolds Gagainis finished close behind him.
SK “Baltais/Bulta” were decisively first in the team evaluation, but in a similar battle for second place, “Marathona club” was a few points ahead of the “Zalktis lido” team.
For women, Kristīne Vāvere, who successfully started this year’s “Patria run” obstacle races, remained unsurpassed, to whom Daina Stonka, who won the rogainings of “City Legends” gave way to her by less than half a minute. This year’s winner and second place winner Signe Birkenberga climbed to the third step of the podium in “Stirnu bukos”.
Gagainis and Kate Salnāja (2012-2013), Mārtiņš Āboliņš and Mia Jasmīne Kļavniece (2014-2015), Rogers Vendiņš and Paula Liepiņa (2016-2017) were the fastest in Laimdota’s children’s distances. Gatis Krastiņš and Olīvija Orniņa (2018-2019), Harijs Žigurs and Hanna Lebedoka (2020 and younger).