Early on the morning of November 17, 54 active recreation enthusiasts from Mārupe municipality's Tourism Information and Craft House started a 100km long journey through Mārupe, Jelgava, and Jūrmala municipalities. The dark season, challenging weather conditions, and various aching body parts forced 20 participants to withdraw from the hike.

The 100km hike route was specially designed for this event, allowing participants to visit not only various sightseeing spots but also three organizer-created camps, where it was possible to warm up and replenish energy, food, and drink supplies. This year, the checkpoint camps were located at the foot of the Ložmetējkalns observation tower (32nd kilometer), next to Lake Sloka (64th kilometer), and in the yard gazebo of Jūrmala's Bulduri Evangelical Lutheran Church (82nd kilometer).

Most participants withdrew from the hike between the 30th and 82nd kilometer – a total of 20 active recreation enthusiasts. Although some did not complete the entire planned route, for several participants this was their first time covering such a long distance. The organizers were equally happy and proud of everyone who dared to sign up for this challenge and, in challenging weather, managed to cover at least 30km!

Although the hike was not organized as a competition, participant Sabīne Šķēle wanted to finish as quickly as possible and managed to do so in 14 hours and 14 minutes. Sabīne herself mentioned that “the scariest things in 100 kilometers are not the demons in the dark, but in your head.” Comparing the ultramarathons “Taisnais”, “Rīga - Valmiera” and this one, Sabīne confidently says that this was the hardest, precisely because of the darkness.

2.5 hours later, the end point of the hike was reached by Agita Vazdiņa and Kaspars Adijāns, followed by Liāna Aldiņa and Vairis Krauklis, who met during the distance. By the way, V. Krauklis had completed the 6-hour Brīvības rogaining distance the day before the 100km hike.

Although the organizers had allocated a maximum of 26 hours to complete the route, the last 5 finishers, whose time was closer to the 27-hour mark, were greeted with great excitement – young people Oskars Neļķe and Maruta Greidiņa, long-distance enthusiast and multiple Rīga-Valmiera finisher Mārtiņš Veseris, as well as self-challenger Krista Gromova, who decided to participate in the hike just a few days before the start.

THANK YOU TO THE SUPPORTERS!

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