The overall results of the 16th European Championship in Rogaining HERE
The official competition website, with photos, GPS files, and other details, is https://www.erc2020.lv/
This time, we're heading to the competition center a day early - for the opening ceremony. My family and I not only wanted to watch it and register in advance, but I also have an important duty: to lead the opening!
In Milzkalne, there’s already an elevated and festive atmosphere, along with some excitement, and rightly so. This year marks the first major and significant rogaining competition (the World Championship in America has been postponed to next year)! However, I feel a bit disappointed during registration because I need a team member. No worries, there will be time tomorrow. Now, I just need to get ready for the opening.
The gang on its way to the opening ceremony
We’re starting the opening a bit later unfortunately, due to technical issues. I must honestly admit that my English skills are a bit rusty, so I’m quickly trying to refresh them.
After half an hour, I’m prepared for the ceremony, starting energetically and positively - I announce the President of Latvia, the dancers, the competition director Evita, and others. There’s some small “slip-ups” with translating other people's names, but we take it with a smile!
We get home late, my brother and I pretend to be professional chefs as we prepare tortillas to take with us for tomorrow’s competition. I’ve packed several bags and surprisingly managed to organize my competition bag and fill my hydration system with water. I must admit, though, that I couldn’t fall asleep for quite a while due to the excitement. But one thing is clear - I’m ready to crush it tomorrow and fully aim for my goal: a medal at the European Championship in rogaining.
The start "bang" goes off, and we set out on the course. The feelings are uplifting. This time, there are many more teams at the start than usual. I quickly notice that even walking quite fast, we’re falling behind others. I decide not to overexert myself, we move forward while chatting.
We reach KP25, the first checkpoint, in a large group, but soon we split up. I wanted to approach the next checkpoint from above, but Āžakalns redirected our route downward. Here, we have to search a bit for the valuable treasure worth five points, which turned out to be farther from the trail than we expected. I remember the unusually large scale - 1:270000 and I ask my teammate to constantly remind me, “Everything is a bit farther than you think, Elīn.” This phrase became our norm for the entire day.
The path to KP84 is again much longer than it seems, and we start taking "green breaks." I keep reminding myself and Artūrs to drink as much water as possible to avoid dehydration. I’m not entirely sure about my teammate yet, but I know I’ll have trouble digesting food, so at least I can compensate with water intake.
Even though the route through the olive-green area leads beautifully straight to the checkpoint, I decide to go around it through the forest, as it’s a restricted area. It would be quite unpleasant to be "removed from the course" right at the start. Just before we start climbing, towards I see running my idol and inspiration, the fantastic Anita Liepiņa with Valters Kaminski, who quickly mention that they’ll only be running a little today - not the whole day.
The checkpoint is in a very beautiful spot, I don’t want to leave. We cross a large meadow and accidentally find ourselves in a clearing filled with paths made by people. With the help of my compass, I determine the direction, and alongside an Estonian team, we head toward KP73. Along the way, Ilze Lapiņa and Aigars Actiņš dash past us, and we can’t keep up with their pace. Ilze teaches me how to best navigate around the nearby cows, which I was quite scared of.
Before long, we’re left alone with some Estonians who don’t speak much English. According to the GPS, our first attempt to reach the 7-point checkpoint was unsuccessful - we ended up going around the small hill on the wrong side. A bit further, we reach a partially overgrown meadow, and with Artūrs’ help, I quickly figure out where I am. Watching the compass, I head back. This time, several teams confirm that the checkpoint is just behind us. And indeed, we find it right on the other side of the hill.
Next, we follow a distinct, well-trodden path toward KP36, where several teams split off from us, saying they are heading to KP72. I hesitate for a moment but then decide to stick to the plan and claim the additional 5 points. And, out of nowhere, my brother and cousin appear ahead of us. I’m really happy to see them, especially because I left an omelette in the car this morning, which really shouldn’t be sitting there!
We cross the stream with dry feet and arrive at the hydration point. We work super fast here - while I refill both our hydration systems and handle the salt, Artūrs uses tape to fix his feet. I notice other teams heading toward KP46, and I encourage us to keep up and move forward immediately. As we enter the meadow, Pumpurs smiles and says, "Four and a half minutes." I’m confused. "Four and a half minutes - that’s how long we spent at the hydration point." Excellent! I’m happy we handled everything so efficiently.
This time, as we set out to claim the four-point checkpoint, Mother Nature rewarded us with long-awaited rain. We put on light jackets and embark on a nearly 2 km journey to the beautiful KP94. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it! We also had a bit of a challenge with KP56, which required some solid navigation skills, but I think I handled it okej.
What followed could be described as constant contact with the map, silence, and relentless rain. We were soaked, everything we had was soaked, and the forest wasn’t the driest place either. These conditions certainly didn’t make the temperature any warmer.
KP82 cheered me up with its easy accessibility. While we tried to figure out how to reach KP54, Pumpurs challenged me to recall my high school Spanish. It was a fun way to keep the brain working, at least.
Near KP54, I did get a bit mixed up. I knew we were in the right meadow, but the compass disagreed with my thinking. Then, I remembered the phrase, "Everything is a bit farther than you think," and it saved the situation.
The path to KP80 also required some effort, but by looking at the vegetation, I realized we had gone too far and successfully found the little hill. It was still drizzling, so what difference did it make at that point? We decided to get even wetter by crossing a stream and a substantial swamp.
The forest beyond the wet swamp was much more unforgiving than before, and at one point, I realized I truly didn’t know where we were. I silently pleaded for some higher power, and with the help of the compass, I finally spotted the big ridge and a trail that led us back to the main road. KP31 wasn’t part of our original plan, but how could we not grab it when it was right there?
From there, it was fairly straightforward - just following the road. I kept my focus sharp near the checkpoint area, and this time, distant voices helped guide us to KP42. Once we were back on the road, I promise Artūrs a surprise - relief from the weight of his heavy backpack. We take it off, manage to jog a bit, and cleare our heads. I felt great, my legs were still light, and nothing was rubbing uncomfortably yet.
It started getting dark, which was no surprise. I stubbornly decided I wouldn’t put on my headlamp until we reached the next hydration point. We had to make it there without stopping. Of course, this led to searching for KP101 too early and getting a bit lost on the way to hydration point W1. Finally, I gave in and pulled out my headlamp. Night had fallen - my least favorite part of rogaining. Let the real games begin!
At the W1 hydration stop, Aivars, who was in charge at the time, did an amazing job motivating two tired young competitors. We chatted about Rīga-Valmiera, Stirnubuks races, and he shared various tips on coping with pain. His encouragement really boosted our morale, making us feel recharged and ready to push on. For a while, I couldn’t stop thinking of him as a guardian angel who swooped in just at the right moment.
There was no debate about getting KP62 - we had to go around. The trails here were fairly easy to follow, my mind and compass were working well together, and I walked along loudly discussing things with myself, examining everything around me. In the end, we managed to grab the checkpoint without any issues. I should mention that the small olive-green area before the control point was a guest house, beautifully lit with fairy lights. I saw some guests relaxing after a sauna. Oh, how much I would’ve given at that moment to be in their place!
Choosing the path to KP81 was straightforward; we went around via the main road. Unfortunately, the checkpoint was wet, and crossing a ditch led to our shoes filling with water. We laughed, thinking that taking the long way around now would be silly, so we trudged through. This was easily the deepest spot we encountered during the whole race, and in the pitch-black of night, no less. But by talking out loud and commenting on the situation, we pushed through, and soon enough, we were back on the main road, with our sights set on the next big checkpoint, worth 10 points.
What could possibly be worse than a low-value checkpoint hidden in the twists and turns of a motocross track at night? Finding it, of course! If it weren't for two bright headlamps giving us a rough idea of the checkpoint's direction, we wouldn't have found it so quickly.
I breathed a sigh of relief—it was midnight. Roughly 50 kilometers had been conquered, and finally, we were heading toward the sea. Our first attempt at finding the straight trail to KP102 failed, but once we crossed the main highway, it became more visible. We kept moving forward, but navigating at night made it hard to determine where our much-anticipated intersection was. I tried counting my steps to measure the distance, but this method hadn't worked out well earlier. Oh, how useful a watch would be now!
I told my teammate, "Better we go too far and reach the coastal dunes than wander into the forest before the checkpoint and get completely lost." We reached a junction that was impossible to miss. I knew it was the right one. The rain started coming down harder, making my body feel cold, though my mind was racing. I actively scanned everything around me, looking for any landmarks marked on the map. We reached the yellow field. Great! I started cutting across it diagonally but changed my mind halfway through and returned to the edge to be more certain of our location. At this point, the changing vegetation near the clearing was playing tricks on me in the dark, making it difficult to spot. For a moment, we strayed and stood by the edge of another clearing until, finally, the checkpoint appeared glowing in the distance. Perfect!
Now, it was time to relax a bit. We knew the direction back to the road, so I put the map aside to clear my head. We grabbed KP63 along with a small group of other orienteers and decided to take a brief 10-minute break.
KP71 was collected without any issues. After that, I decided to take a nap while still moving forward. I tied a rope around myself and let my teammate lead. A few minutes later, he informed me that we needed to head into the forest for the checkpoint. I grabbed the map and confirmed that KP33 was still 500 meters away. Realizing that wouldn’t work, I spread the map on the roadside, used my bag as a pillow, and told Artūrs to wake me in 10 minutes.
Twelve minutes later, we continued down a path that wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. I had slept, but clearly not enough. I decided to take another short break at the W5 checkpoint while Artūrs filled our drinking systems. This nap helped a lot more, and I started feeling much better; I even began to sing and recite lines from songs to wake myself up.
After grabbing KP60, I got genuinely upset with Pumpurs for not fixing his feet problems while I was napping, forcing us to sit down again. Well, at that moment, I couldn’t really move forward super quickly either.
The trek to KP90 felt endless. But I was genuinely happy about one thing - I felt safe. The sea on one side, the main road on the other, and a valuable checkpoint ahead. I kept checking our location so effectively that we confidently found KP90. After this significant point, my teammate also needed a break. I agreed to a 10-minute pause, but this time he was the one lying down. I looked at the map and planned all possible options. My big fatigue point had passed, but honestly, I only had enough strength for myself. I didn’t have the energy to motivate my partner.
As dawn broke, we took off our headlamps at KP40. The night was behind us; now just 6 more hours to go. The final quarter. The last kilometers. And the best part of all this - we weren’t at the far end of the map - we were quite close to the competition center and the finish line.
Zwon't hesitate to say that we're moving so slowly to the next checkpoints that navigation isn’t a problem. Artūrs is barely keeping up and limping, his face showing signs of struggle. When I start asking about his choice of shoes, he seems embarrassed to answer... Clearly, there’s not much else I can do but offer him some tape. Let him deal with it.
Reaching KP69 is a struggle, but we finally make it to the main road. The morning sun shines so beautifully that I can’t resist taking a moment to lie down on the road. It’s warm and pleasant, and I feel happy about sneaking in another seven-minute nap in the middle of our path.
As we head towards KP48, crossing the road, we get our feet wet in the cold morning dew. The checkpoint comes easily, and I’m still surprised by my navigation skills. However, plans change here because Artūrs is moving really slowly through the forest, and it looks like we’ll have to choose a route that stays more on the roads.
KP38, as expected, posed no problems. But I won’t lie - our pace was really slow. Meanwhile, time was racing by relentlessly. At one point, I even started worrying about whether we’d make it in time at all.
Physical fatigue.Of course, my feet were burning as well, my back and shoulders ached, even when I took off my pack. And the road felt like it would never end. I even had such an intense desire to climb over a fallen tree that I completely tumbled face-first into a ditch. I’ve never rolled like that before.
The slow pace allowed me to glance at the map while searching for control points and count how many points we had collected. When I realized on the way to KP59 that we wouldn’t surpass the 200-point mark, I mentally said goodbye to the European Championship medal. Especially in that moment when my teammate was so far behind and there was no one else around, I could let a tear fall. I found myself questioning, “Why am I doing this if I won’t even reach my goal?”
The most frustrating moment was when I spotted a familiar face near the control point. A man I’ve known for years from various orienteering events, and we’d even worked together. But this time, I couldn’t remember his name at all. Not at all! That’s very unlike me, as I usually remember people’s names. It hit me as a good shock moment.
On the way to KP20, we see the photographer and smile at him. There are people around, some even recognize me from the Rīga-Valmiera ultramarathon. I don’t need to ask twice about this - I immediately perk up and start sharing my experience.
Not far from the finish, Artūrs’ dad greets us with encouraging news and asks us to guess the distance we've covered. It looks like we’ll have 90 kilometers at the finish! I’m really happy. Given our struggles in the forest at night and the morning’s hardships, that’s excellent.
But anyway, we made it to the finish. We even sprinted at the end! I started quietly getting annoyed with Artūrs - where did he find that energy after almost crying earlier? But I guess it’s all good.
P.S. The last photo captures the toughest part of the race - getting from the finish to the car with all our gear. For me, it felt like it took forever.
I’ve made it to the car, and now all that’s left is to grab my clothes and head for the showers. I won’t go into too much detail about that, but it’s important to mention because something fantastic happened. My mom announced that our team has crossed the 200-point threshold. This time, I fully embraced the tears of joy. I’m so, so happy and proud!
The awards ceremony begins with a heavy downpour, but despite that, we still have to head to the podium. The Ukrainian and Estonian teams were far ahead of us.
Now it’s time to keep training for the next crazy adventures and learn from all the mistakes and experiences gained during this rogaining. Thanks to Artūrs for agreeing to such an adventure, but as for next year, I can say my little brother will have to step up his game!
