Last weekend near Cēsis city next to the recreation complex ‘’Rakši’’ second annual ‘’Alpaca speed festival 2014’’race was held, which is the second race of Latvian downhill longboarding series 2014. Longboarders from Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus and USA gathered for the race. Number of riders was lower than usual – 34 riders (there were 42 & 45 in the season opening race and first race of the series) – but the main reasons where the fast course (top speed over 80km/h) and injuries (that is why top2 finishers of the previous race Gustavs Gailītis and Lukas Kirkilionis missed out this one).
On the first day after 5 hours of practice qualification runs were held. Āris Muitinieks managed to take #1 spot with average speed of 63,9km/h braking Gailītis 6 quali wins in-a-row streak. Second was Jānis Jirgens (average speed 63,4), but Klāvs Balamovskis grabbed 3rd spot (62,9km/h). In Masters group Lithuanian rider Erikas Jaksiboga took first, while 17 year old locals Toms Dreiblats and Elīza Marija Gailīte took the quali wins in junior and women groups.
The Sunday race was one to remember – in juniors Toms Dreiblats won for the 3rd time this year, leaving Jānis Geisters and Gustavs Zēgners just few feet behind.
In ladies group once again Elīza Marija Gailīte was unstoppable taking the win, while Liene Bērziņa got 2nd, Elza Volonte 3rd and April Whitlow 4th.
In Masters group Lithuanian rider Erikas Jaksiboga beat the locals – Arguts Skudrēns and Artjoms Smirnovs finished right behind.
In OPEN final already from the start Jānis Jirgens managed to grab the lead and finished just by himself and got his first win in Latvian races this year while in a photo finish Lithuanian rider Stepas Jonaitis got 2nd and Belarus rider Oleg Ramanovich got 3rd making it an international podium. Mārtiņš Liepiņš finished just a second later and got 4th.
The next race of Latvian downhill longboarding series 2014 will happen on 30th-31st of August in Madona city and will include night downhill race, slide contest and skate&shoot race – don’t miss it!
Results:
| Juniors | Vārds, Uzvārds / Name, Surname |
| 1. | Toms Dreiblats |
| 2. | Jānis Geisters |
| 3. | Gustavs Zēgners |
| Women | |
| 1. | Elīza Marija Gailīte |
| 2. | Liene Bērziņa |
| 3. | Elza Volonte |
| 4. | April Whitlow (US) |
| 5. | Baiba Grunsberga |
| Masters | |
| 1. | Erikas Jaksiboga (LT) |
| 2. | Arguts Skudrēns |
| 3. | Artjoms Smirnovs |
| 4. | Edžus Konošonoks |
| 5. | Ritmārs Stivriņš |
| OPEN | |
| 1. | Jānis Jirgens |
| 2. | Stepas Jonaitis (LT) |
| 3. | Oleg Ramanovich (BY) |
| 4. | Mārtiņš Liepiņš |
| 5. | Klāvs Balamovskis |
| 6. | Āris Muitinieks |
| 7. | Erikas Jaksiboga (LT) |
| 8. | Kaspars Balamovskis |
| 9. | Darius Stankevičius (LT) |
| 10. | Edžus Konošonoks |
| 11. | Kristaps Dzīvītis |
| 12. | Aivars Kārkliņš |
| 13. | Karolis Mažulis (LT) |
| 14. | Elza Volonte |
| 15. | Jānis Kundziņš |
| 16. | Elīza Marija Gailīte |
| 17. | Artjoms Smirnovs |
| 18. | Liene Bērziņa |
| 19. | Ģirts Čonka |
| 20. | Valdis Vītoliņš |
| 21. | April Whitlow (US) |
| 22. | Baiba Grunsberga |
| 23. | Toms Dreiblats |
| 24. | Jānis Geisters |
| 25. | Kārlis Karlsons |
| 26. | Dominikas Pečkys (LT) |
| 27. | Arguts Skudrēns |
| 28. | Gustavs Zēgners |
| 29. | Rytis Stankevičius (LT) |
| 30. | Kārlis Gross |
| 31. | Olafs Bura |
| 32. | Ritmārs Stivriņš |
| 33. | Toms Jansons |
| 34. | Krišjānis Liepa |