Latvia's Orienteering Night to draw record 7,174 participants
On September 18, Latvia's Orienteering Night will take place in 22 towns and cities, drawing a record 7,174 participants in 2,290 teams. The event, part of European Sport Week, is being held for the tenth year.
On the evening of September 18, Latvia will hold its annual Orienteering Night, with a record 7,174 participants registered in 2,290 teams this year. The event takes place as part of European Sport Week and is being organized for the tenth time. While the first edition in 2017 drew only a couple hundred participants across six towns, this year's three-hour rogaining course will be held in 22 towns and cities. Balvi and Lielvārde are new additions to this year's map.
Records and largest locations
Compared to last year's 6,107 participants, this year's numbers have grown further still. In Riga's Grīziņkalns area, 1,546 participants in 489 teams will take the start — the first time a single city has surpassed the 1,000-participant mark. Significant turnout is also expected in Jaunmārupe (441 participants, 134 teams) and Liepāja (441 participants, 125 teams).
International participation and families
Citizens of 12 countries will take part, including the United Kingdom, Poland, the Netherlands, Czechia, the United States, Denmark and Italy, along with several teams from Lithuania competing in Daugavpils. More than a third of teams — 892 — are registered in the family category, with 1,416 children and 1,730 adults taking part together. The highest share of family teams is expected in Pļaviņas, Ādaži and Madona. Nearly a quarter of all participants are children under 17, and the youngest include seven babies born this year. The oldest participants are athletes over 80 years old from Ikšķile, Ādaži, Smiltene and Cēsis.
Schedule
Registration and bib collection at all locations will begin at 18:30, with maps distributed from 19:00. All participants will start together at 20:00, with the finish at 23:00. A live broadcast will be available on the Latvian Orienteering Federation's social media channels and other platforms, starting at 18:30.
