Latvia’s Best Young Cyclists Are from Baloži Secondary School

The team from Baloži Secondary School, “Baloži Secondary School”, has convincingly become Latvia’s best young cyclists’ team of the season and won the right to represent Latvia at the European Young Road Users’ Competition in Vienna, Austria, on 3–6 September. The team members are Jānis Stepanovs, Kristaps Cīrulis, Rainers Grass, Anete Katrīna Breikša, Sanija Klaka and Ulrika Garisone; the teachers are Andris Žilko and Lauma Žilko.

The top three also included “Kusa – 1” from Kusa Primary School, a multiple previous-year winner of this competition, which scored 994 points and took second place, while third place, with 733 points, went to another former leader of the competition, “Pope” from Pope Primary School.   

The Latvian Grand Final of the CSDD competition for pupils in Years 4–6, the “Young Road Users’ Forum 2015”, took place on Friday and Saturday, 5–6 June 2015. The overall results of the Latvian Grand Final were as follows:

At the final competition, Latvia’s best young cyclists had to demonstrate their theoretical knowledge of the road traffic regulations; assess safety in various situations that may arise in road traffic; know how to provide first aid, with the tasks based on real-life situations encountered by medical professionals when assisting pupils; understand the technical structure of a bicycle; and complete a practical cycling test.

The second round of the “Young Road Users’ Forum 2015” competition was attended by the winners of all regional rounds—a total of 32 teams, or nearly 200 children (if the winners of a regional competition could not attend the final, the team with the next-highest overall score that had not qualified for the final was invited to participate).

During these two days, the children not only competed for the title of the best young cyclists’ team, but also had the opportunity to relax by watching animated films and solving “challenging” brain teasers. A special surprise was a performance by the “Zili brīnumi” science centre, which featured various science-related tricks. The finalists also took part in various team-building games, fun relay races, and watched professional bicycle-trial demonstrations and shows.

The CSDD has been organising the “Young Road Users’ Forum” competition for 22 years, and its aim is to improve pupils’ knowledge and skills in road safety. Further information about the event is available on the CSDD road safety portal for children and young people: http://www.berniem.csdd.lv/index.php/satiksmes-drosiba/reg/konkursi.

The Young Road Users’ Forum is organised by the CSDD, which cooperates in developing the competition content with the National Centre for Education, a partner in the CSDD’s educational projects for many years. The competition is carried out by the association “For a Strong Latvia”; it is financed from compulsory third-party motor liability insurance funds, with support from the Latvian Automobile Association and the Emergency Medical Service.

The CSDD thanks every competition participant and the team teachers, wishes everyone a safe summer holiday, and invites children and young people to take part next season both in the “Young Road Users’ Forum” competition and in the other CSDD road safety projects for children and young people!

CSDD Public Relations Department

Telephone: 67025730

E-mail: csdd@csdd.gov.lv

Website: www.csdd.lv

Twitter: @csdd_lv

CSDD 24-hour information telephone: 67025777