Riga Hosts the Sportiest Weekend

On 17 September, Riga city centre hosted the annual healthy-lifestyle festival “Riga Sports Night”. During the festival, Riga residents and visitors could enjoy active recreation, watch the Athletes’ Parade, row along the Riga Canal, learn about various sports, try them out and even take part in competitions.

 Photographs can be downloaded here: https://failiem.lv/u/436fmwb9

The sixth “Riga Sports Night” officially began with an impressive Athletes’ Parade, which this year involved more than 20 sports organisations and brought together nearly 500 sports enthusiasts. The participants set off from Dome Square, making their way through Old Riga to the Freedom Monument, where spectators greeted them with ovations. 

The “One Touch Latvian Universities Rowing Cup” took place on the Riga Canal. Once again, teams from the Latvian Academy of Sport Education won in both the women’s and men’s categories. However, in the symbolic rowing race between the Riga City Council team and members of the Saeima, the parliamentarians proved stronger.

In the very heart of Riga, by the Freedom Monument, an unprecedented 12-hour floorball marathon took place from noon, while Aivars Šmaukstelis achieved a sensational victory in the superfinal of the “Triobet Latvian Strongman Championship”.

At the young talent competition “Show What You Can Do”, held in Kronvalds Park, cycle-trial rider Markuss Karņickis won with a truly impressive show.

This year, the event allowed spectators to discover many new and exciting things in the very centre of Riga, with approximately 50 organisations representing both sport and other sectors taking part. Various other activities, unprecedented until now, also took place, including a night ride along Brīvības Street. Here is a brief photographic glimpse of the sixth “Riga Sports Night”.