Jūrmala to host European Junior Cup triathlon for the first time, drawing athletes from 22 countries

On Saturday, August 29, the area near the Dzintari Concert Hall in Jūrmala will host the European Junior Cup in triathlon, a major international competition featuring roughly one hundred young triathletes from more than 20 countries. The event has traditionally been held in Riga, but this year Jūrmala hosts it for the first time. Organizers credited the Jūrmala municipality and the "Baltic Marathons" association for taking on the task of running the competition.

Athletes from several continents

Stages of the European Junior Cup are traditionally open to athletes from outside Europe as well, so this year's Jūrmala event will include young competitors from Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Canada, alongside athletes from European countries. In total, 22 countries are represented.

Schedule

The competition begins with the junior girls' race at 9:00, followed by the junior boys' race at 11:00. Latvia's best medal chances lie with the girls' event, where Beāte Jansone — the country's top triathlete and 15th-place finisher at the World Junior Championship — is considered one of the favorites and holds the top ranking among entrants.

Alongside the international cup, the same day will also see the 8th stage of the Latvian Triathlon Cup, the Jūrmala Triathlon for age-group athletes, starting at 13:00.