Estonian Athletes Triumph at Latvian Winter Swimming Championships in Liepaja

  • 24.11.2024.

This past Saturday, November 23rd, the 17th Latvian Open Winter Swimming Championships took place at the Beberliņi recreation area in Liepaja, with strong international participation. Over 130 winter swimmers from eight countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Germany, and England, competed in the event. Estonian athletes Rauno Parg and Triinu Pall dominated the men’s and women’s categories in all distances up to 100 meters.

Participants competed in a specially created 5-lane pool in the Beberliņi reservoir, testing their skills in eight main disciplines ranging from 25 to 450 meters, as well as two additional disciplines for young seals and seals.

Estonian Dominance

In this year’s championship, Estonian swimmer Rauno Parg from Tallinn stood out in the men’s competition, triumphing in several distances with impressive results: 100 meters breaststroke in 1 minute and 26 seconds, 50 meters freestyle in 26 seconds, 25 meters breaststroke in 16 seconds, 25 meters butterfly in 14 seconds, and the same distance in freestyle in 12 seconds.

Similar to the men’s competition, Estonian winter swimmer Triinu Pall from Tartu dominated the women’s events, winning all distances except for the 200m and 450m, where only one participant from Latvia competed. In the 100-meter breaststroke, she won with a time of 1 minute 49 seconds. She completed the 50-meter freestyle in 36 seconds, 25 meters breaststroke in 21 seconds, 25 meters butterfly in 19 seconds, and the same distance in freestyle in 16 seconds.

Latvian Successes

As in the last winter swimming championship organized in Liepaja in 2020, this year the 450-meter distance was fastest conquered by Jānis Buna from Riga, representing the winter swimming club “Latvijas ronis,” with a time of 8 minutes 16 seconds. The 200-meter distance was completed fastest by Andis Bukonts from Valmiera, representing the club “Ozolnieku roņi,” with a result of 3 minutes and 25 seconds.

The only female swimmer in the 450-meter distance, Gunta Ostrovska from Riga (“Latvijas ronis”), finished in 12 minutes and 59 seconds, while Sanija Samsone from the winter swimming club “AKVA Vitamīns” completed the 200 meters in 5 minutes and 56 seconds.

The championship also featured team relay races, where a group of four participants had to complete a 25-meter distance one after another. Only 4 home teams participated in the relay – the victory was celebrated by the Liepaja cycling and winter swimming club “VeloRonis” team “Veloronis Profi”, completing the distance in 1 minute and 31 seconds.

Additional Activities and Prizes

On a sunny winter day, visitors could watch the exciting swims and enjoy a wide range of additional activities at the Beberliņi recreation area. The local producers’ and artisans’ market offered delicious food and drinks, various culinary products, honey, spices, teas, and local wines, as well as warm scarves, hats, and other handicrafts. After the swims, participants could warm up in saunas and a hot tub and regain energy with free tea and soup.

According to the organizers, all participants in all distances received a starter kit with Eugesta energy and other sponsors’ gifts, a specially designed medal for participation, as well as surprise souvenirs. The fastest swimmers in all distances received prizes from the competition sponsors. At the end of the awards ceremony, Linda Kilevica randomly won a gift card worth 200 EUR for the purchase of an EVO coat, while Juris Andžāns received a gift card worth 100 EUR for a trip with AirGuru. Daiga Cionele won the Zinzino prize in the lottery.

Special surprise prizes from sponsors Eugesta, Čili Pizza, and Zinzino were awarded to both the oldest participants Līga Saulīte (81) and Vasilijs Kudiķis (81), as well as the youngest winter swimmers Laura Dambīte (17) and Bruno Korotkovs (15), and the fastest Liepaja residents in each distance.

The winter swimming championship was organized by the Liepaja cycling and winter swimming club “VeloRonis” with the support of the Liepaja City Municipality in cooperation with the International Winter Swimming Association (IWSA). More information about winter swimming, training, and competitions is available on the website veloronis.lv.