The Alda Kļaviņa Cup in Canoe Slalom Brings the Traveling Trophies Back to Latvian Hands

As is customary, this competition is an international, regional-level canoe slalom event, attracting both local athletes and competitors from neighbouring countries year after year. This alone gives the home paddlers an extra incentive to “roll up their sleeves” and raise their game, while visiting athletes are equally determined to give it their all. After all, only VERY few have managed to take this prestigious trophy beyond Latvia’s borders.

In the MK1 boat class – which is also Alda Kļaviņš’ original boat class, as well as the most prestigious and popular class at these competitions – this feat has been achieved only once, by Yann Lidstrom of Sweden in 2021.

But will anyone manage to repeat it this year…?

Repeating the feat did happen… but not by an athlete from one of the neighbouring countries. But let’s take it one step at a time.

This year, for the fourth consecutive year, the Alda Kļaviņa Cup was opened by one of the most spectacular canoeing disciplines – Extreme Slalom, or Kayak Cross. As has now become customary, a number of athletes gathered for the event, eager to seize the opportunity to test themselves in this dynamic discipline.

For four years now, athletes have eagerly awaited the moment each year when a Kayak Cross ramp and appropriately configured course elements are built in Latvia – from the Alda Kļaviņa Cup through to the NordicCup stage in Valmiera. This is the moment when everyone who has a passion for the sport can experience the unique sensations of Kayak Cross and develop their skills in the discipline – from launching off the ramp and making lightning-fast turns through the gates, to mastering the unique characteristics of WW boats with 360-degree Eskimo rolls beneath obstacles, as well as engaging in physical contact battles with fellow paddlers on the course.

To sum it all up, the favourites were once again closely matched this year, although every run and every battle on the course is unique. The fastest and most successful paddler in the Kayak Cross this year was Mārtiņš Šteinbergs of Valmiera Sports School, finishing ahead of his teammate Ugo Jercums. Third place went to Dāvis Jozepu of Ozolnieki Sports School.

In the women’s competition, two of the bravest Valmiera athletes went head-to-head. Ilze Bieziņa was the fastest, while Gabriela Tirzīte’s journey is only just beginning!

As is customary, the slalom competition made athletes, coaches and spectators sweat, with the battles between the contenders for the trophies once again proving fiercely contested. For several athletes, the Alda Kļaviņa Cup brought genuine disappointment, while for others it delivered unexpected success.

This year, the MC1 boat class featured a drama worthy of a television series!

With the most titled and experienced athlete in this boat class – Matīss Mežals – unable to compete for rather questionable reasons, many set their sights on claiming the crown. Yet there could be only ONE fastest and most successful paddler.

Those who seriously considered having their name engraved on this travelling trophy proved to be either not quite as fast on the course as they had hoped, made unforgivable mistakes, or simply failed to cope with the psychological pressure they had placed upon themselves… But this time, the dark horse delivered.

Mārtiņš Šteinbergs, taking advantage of a moment of weakness from his coach and borrowing a brand-new C1 boat that still smelled of the factory in the Czech Republic, achieved the seemingly impossible. Mārtiņš puffed out his cheeks and, with laser-sharp concentration, delivered a very strong final run, defying his self-confident – but, as it turned out, less skilful – opponents to claim the MC1 travelling crown.

This is quite a loud and audacious development in the canoe class in Latvia, so we will follow with great interest to see what the representatives of this boat class will bring to the table against the current “migrants” from K1. Or, perhaps, we will see more athletes like Mārtiņš competing in both boat classes, making this a regular part of slalom racing. Time will tell!

There was less drama in the women’s competition, but there was a new trophy holder – quite literally and figuratively. This year, young Valmiera athlete Ilze Bieziņa will have her name engraved on the trophies in both the K1 and C1 boat classes.

The weight of responsibility on her shoulders will only grow over the coming year, because:

any of the nominally older and previously stronger athletes will want to take the trophy away from its current holder next year;
the strong Estonian athlete Marie Peiker will want to return to the competition and reclaim the trophy;
Ilze will have to prove that winning the trophy at such a young age was not simply a fortunate coincidence – the recent history of the WK1 boat class has no such precedent.

Of course, this is only theory, and we wish all the girls good luck, good health, a focused mind and the determination to work hard as the battle for these travelling trophies continues next year!

In the battle for the trophies, Ilze finished ahead of her peers and future direct rivals – Gabriela Kristiāna Tirzīte and Linda Laidiņa. Congratulations to these girls as well on their well-deserved medals!

The 2025 trophy holder, Linards Laidiņš of Ozolnieki Sports School, arrived at the competition in a confident mood – but he was certainly not the only one…!

As always, no bookmaker would dare take bets on the winner in this boat class. Every male kayaker quietly focuses on the task at hand, hoping to deliver the very best they are capable of. In the end, the clock tells the story – speed, strength, precision, endurance and sharpness of mind determine the winner on the course.

There was no shortage of contenders, especially within the Valmiera home team. Renārs Freijs had already demonstrated in the qualification that he wanted to lift the trophy above his head once again, forcing Linards to step up his game even further. Mārtiņš Šteinbergs, buoyed by his success in the MC1 class, was also hoping for a miracle in this final.

But the clock put everything in its place – Renārs’ mistake on the course, Mārtiņš’ penalty and, most importantly, Linards’ speed and precision in the final run determined the outcome.

For the second consecutive year, Linards Laidiņš claimed the trophy, celebrating with immense joy the hard work and dedication that had led to this achievement.

Congratulations to all the other MK1 medallists as well!

With this battle, another edition of the memorial competition in Alda Kļaviņš’ original boat class has come to an end, and the travelling trophies have once again been awarded.

We wish everyone to cherish the best memories of every competition, every teammate and every rival, so that very soon we can return to the course and compete for the next victories.

If we are to succeed in the future, we must know our history, uphold the values of sport and humanity, and through these values carry the name and spirit of canoe slalom forward.

May we succeed!

See you at the next competition,
Alda Kļaviņa Cup trophy holders!

The competition results are available here.

Photos by Arvis Ertmanis from the Alda Kļaviņa Cup competition are available here.