SPEND THE SHORTEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR IN THE “SOLSTICE ROGAINING”
Shortly before Midsummer 2025, several dozen active recreation enthusiasts will gather at Tome Folk House to spend the shortest night of the year together in the forest, searching for checkpoints. From Vanagi Mound to Kausupe and Tome Fish Farm, rogainers will have the opportunity to collect points on either 3-hour or 9-hour courses, finishing at sunset or sunrise, respectively.
The goal of the competition is to attract new sports enthusiasts and active recreation lovers, ensure excellent competition quality for experienced athletes, and also take care of those who will be holding a map in their hands for the first time.
The terrain of Tome Parish is no stranger to seasoned rogainers – in 2013, it hosted the 8th Latvian Rogaining Championship. This time as well, athletes will be welcomed by a diverse landscape, where old and young forest stands alternate with open and semi-open areas. Varied terrain, hill formations, beautiful scenery, ditches, the Līčupe and Vilpīte rivers, an extensive network of forest tracks, and swamps will challenge participants throughout the short night.
The idea for the Solstice Rogaining event came to the members of the K-PUNKTS association, Elīna and Krišjānis, while planning the 2025 event calendar. “Our goal is to introduce the public to this democratic sport, so we wanted to organize it in a special festive atmosphere. This year, participants can expect plenty of midsummer-themed surprises – special prizes, Jāņi (latvian summer solstice celebration) cheese and kvass on the course, and more… We hope this will become an annual tradition for participants to warm up right before the summer solstice celebrations!””
In the coming years, we plan to increase the number of seasonal-themed competitions and celebrate not only the summer solstice, but also the winter solstice – and possibly even the spring and autumn equinoxes!