The Latvian sailing championship starts in Ventspils

On Monday, June 29, the Gulf of Riga regatta has started – the most prestigious and significant sailing competition of the season in Latvia. Well-known sailors from the Baltic States in Europe and the world will be found in Ventspils, Roja and Kuiviži these days. And the response is great, because the restrictions of Covid-19 have so far prevented the organization of sports competitions and the season started late.

On Monday morning, almost 300 sailors left Ventspils port, a total of 47 crews on yachts, which will compete in the most prestigious Latvian regatta – “Gulf of Riga Regatta 2020”.

The regatta will last five days, on Monday the competition stage will take place near the waters of Ventspils port.

“People are in the mood, they want to drive. You can feel that they like sailing – despite the Covid-19 and all the bans, ”admitted the competitor Anna Aile.

Within five days, the winners in four yacht groups will be determined, medals of the Latvian Sawmillers’ Union will be presented, as well as the Livonian Cup as a symbol of the maritime traditions of the Baltic region.

The city of Ventspils also presented its special prize: to those who measured the farthest route to Ventspils, this time to a Polish yacht that did not know until the last moment whether Poland would be removed from the mandatory quarantine list.

“The Polish team was sitting on the boat and waiting for exactly. 17.00 – Will Poland be removed from the list or not? The moment they saw that they had been deleted, they said, “We will jump on the boat and come to you!” said the organizer of the competition Ilona Skorobogatova.

For the first time in the history of the regatta, yachts gather outside the Gulf of Riga – Ventspils. Already on Tuesday, the participants will go to Estonia – one of the stages is in the port of Saaremaa Montu. Then the yachts return to the bay in the port of Roja, and the last stage of the regatta ends on Friday in Kuiviži.

“Regattas also take place in the Mediterranean, where 2-3 stages last for only one stage, one start. 200-300-400 miles to drive! There is nothing here anymore, ”admitted the organizer of the race, the captain of the yacht Walter Romans.

Already on Sunday, Ventspils residents had the opportunity to enjoy yacht debts – teams from all three Baltic countries could be seen and, for the first time, Polish and Danish yachtsmen are also participating in the regatta. In the Baltic States, the flagships in sailing are Estonians.

“This team of sailors is from Tallinn, Estonia. It is very far from Ventspils and Latvia. But, we believe that the Latvian Open Championship is a very important competition in our region and we always participate! ” admitted a competitor from Estonia Wright Rem.

The start of the largest regatta organized in Latvia on Monday was slightly postponed: there was no wind in Ventspils, but in the afternoon the teams also checked the rain. Tomorrow the sea yachts will leave the port of Ventspils and go to Saaremaa.

–