Latvian Strongman Competition and Children’s Event “The Little Strongman’s Adventure”

On Saturday, 6 June, at 3:00 p.m., the opening event of this year’s “Autotehnica Latvian Strongman Championship” will take place at the Preiļi Park bandstand. Nine of Latvia’s strongest athletes will participate and compete in teams.

The first team will comprise Artis Plivda from Preiļi, Didzis Zariņš from Mārciena and Aivars Šmaukstelis from Kocēni. Māris Rozentāls’s trainees Jānis Šleckus, Edgars Andersons from Kuldīga and Oskars Martužans from Ugāle will form the second team, while the third will consist of Ivars Grahoļskis from Dundaga, Magnuss Vucāns from Talsi and Jānis Ilgavižs from Rundāle.

At the competition in Preiļi, the athletes will have to complete four events. The first will be the “Autotehnica” locksmith relay: rolling a 130 kg tyre, followed by carrying barrels (100 kg) and 120 kg car parts. In the next event, the “Piena spēks” crucifix, the strongmen will have to hold milk churns. After that, the athletes will have to struggle while carrying a 225 kg load up the “B&B Tools” stairs, while the final event will be a combination of “XL” Energy Drink and “Keraterm”.

Throughout the event, families with children are invited to take part in “The Little Strongman’s Adventures”. “The Little Strongman’s Adventures” is an event for children, parents and grandparents whose main value is the opportunity for the whole family to spend time together by participating in sports games and attractions, as well as developing skills in various creative workshops. In 2015, it will be organised throughout Latvia for the eleventh season.

The “Little Strongman” programme follows a single central theme and includes a specific story, design and subject matter. Children aged 3 to 12 may participate in the event. Before completing the challenges, all little strongmen must register and receive colourful participant cards on which the judges will record completion of the relevant activities and the results achieved. During the event, participants must complete 6–8 attractions that will be simple, original and interesting, and have stood the test of time—including activities remembered by the children’s parents as well as those that are relevant to children today. Throughout the event, everyone can learn and discover new and creative things by taking part in the creative workshops. Families can make souvenirs, drawings, pendants and other items together. After completing all the tasks, participants will receive a diploma and a surprise prize.

The official general sponsor of the 2015 strongman season is “Autotehnica”, a company engaged in the repair of lorries and their trailers, forestry machinery, tractors, construction machinery, agricultural machinery and buses. Supported by “Arčers”, “Škoda”, “XL Energy Drink”, “B&B Tools”, “Fiskars”, “Melna Coffee”, “Officeday”, “Keraterm”, “Smiltenes piens”, “Bosch” and the meat-processing company “Nākotne”. 

Admission to the event: adults – EUR 3, schoolchildren and students – EUR 2, admission is free for pensioners and preschool-age children.