The culmination of spring - the Baltic Championship!
As every year, the spring orienteering season ends with intense forest battles at the level of the Baltic countries. The representation of the Ausekli youth club in the national team this year, in comparison with other clubs (sports schools), was numerically the largest - 9. Gustav Staņa, Martins Cīrulis, Amanta Mikijanska, Henriete Priedīte, Katrīna Cīrule, Melanie Rozukalne, Madlena Freimane, Darta Rožukalne and Gustavs Lass. Whether quantity grows into quality, judge for yourself. About this further in the article.
This year it was Latvia's turn to host the Baltic Orienteering Championship. The picturesque forests of Northern Vidzeme between Api and Alūksni were chosen, entrusting the organization of the competition to 2 clubs - Smiltene Azimut and Alūksne Horizon, in cooperation with the Latvian Orienteering Federation. As is customary in high-level competitions, the teams gathered the day before to participate in model training on race-like terrain. It should be noted the perfectly prepared presentation of the upcoming distances, i.e. planned possible distances on the old maps for both individual competitions and relay races. Planner - Coach of the national adult team Dawid Stefanski. This helped a lot in the preparation process.
The morning of the race day greeted us with heavy rains and +9 degrees, which had already started the night before and continued throughout the day. Forests, fields and gravel roads are paved and difficult to pass in places, but this is not an obstacle for sightseers to compete in an adventurous way!
In the run-up to the presentation of events, after the results of the first day, the Latvian national team ranked second. Slightly conceding to the Estonian national team and slightly ahead of the Lithuanian national team.
How did the athletes of our club fare!?
The most successful start on the first day went to our girls in the youngest group of W14. The whole podium was for us: Katrina Cyrule, Melanie Rozukalne, Madeleine Freimane. Also noteworthy is the 6th place of 12-year-old Dartha Rozukane in the W14 group. M14 Gustav Lash ranked 9th. In the W16 group, Amanta Mikijanska placed just behind the podium - in 4th place, Henriete Priedīte in 10th place. Mārtiņš Cīrulis in 8th place in the M18 group and Gustavs Staņa in the 20th place in the M21 group.
The morning of the second day is much nicer - sunny and +14 degrees. It already seems summer in the sun! Tensions are enormous, in which order the national teams will be ranked will depend on successful starts of relay teams. Emotions and tension always “hit a high wave” in the relay! Do not make the mistake of marking the scatter points. This time the teams assembled in 3-stage relays combining 14 groups with 16 and 18 groups with 20. Each team gives its own point in the national team standings.
In the W16 group, the first team was composed of Amanta Mikijanska (stage 2), the second team was composed of Katrina Cīrule (stage 2), while the composition of the third team consisted only of Auseklis girls: Darta Rozukalne, Madlena Freimane and in the final stage - Melanie Rozukalne. In the M20 group, Mārtiņš Cīrulis completed the 3rd stage in the third national team. In the M21 group Gustavs Stana 3rd stage in the third team.
The team of “Auseklis” girls (Latvia 3 - Dārta Rožukalne, Madlena Freimane, Melānija Rožukalne) managed the most successful start in the W16 greup. In a fierce battle, he finished in a straight ahead of the Latvia 1 team, in which our Amanta Mikijanska made the second stage. Accordingly, Latvia 3 - 1 place, Latvia 1 - 2. Team Latvia 2 finished as number 4. The ability of girls to cooperate in teams with each other should be praised.
For our guys in the M20 group, Mārtiņš Cīrulis finished 4th in stage 3. A little short of the medal., in the M16 group, Gustav Lash made stage 3, but, having done the distance with the many checkpoints, unfortunately missed one of them. As a result, the 3rd team was left scoreless. The high tension did its thing. Each of us derives experience basically only from our own “puns”. M21 Gustavs Stana finished 6th in the 3rd team.
Counting the overall points obtained in the competition in the National Units ranking - Lavija in first place! With which we also congratulate everyone!
We continue to prepare for the busy Summer season!. There will be new challenges and victories!