Battle for the Baltic

Chris Davies — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:52:44 +0000

This year, the Baltic Open Powerboat Championship took place in Lithuania with competitors coming from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Poland, and Germany to compete on the Mastis Lake in Telšiai.

In total fifty drivers had entered; the youngest racer was only eight years old and of those entered the biggest classes for the junior competitors.

With ten entered in GT10, once again it shows how well this newly recognised UIM Class is gaining in popularity. On this occasion it was the three Finnish competitors who had travelled to Lithuania that took to the podium after the fourth and final heat.

Pos	Number	Name	Country	Heat 1	Heat 2	Heat 3	Heat 4	Total
1	49	Valter Laine	FIN	400	400	40	300	1100
2	48	Alex Anttila	FIN	300	300	400	225	1000
3	4	Veronica Laine	FIN	225	225	30	400	850
4	11	Giedrius Morkūnas	LTU	169	71	300	71	540
5	25	Arijus Miliauskas	LTU	53	169	225	127	521
6	21	Ignas Šilingas	LTU	127	127	95	169	423
7	77	Adas Šileika	LTU	95	53	169	95	359
8	87	Emilis Morkūnas	LTU	71	95	127	53	293
9	41	Meida Riabko	LTU	40	30	71	30	141
10	13	Elimantas Raziulis	LTU	30	40	53	40	133

It would be another overseas racer that would also be standing on the top step of the UIM F2 podium when Uvis Slakteris, the 2016 UIM F2 European Champion beat the local hero Edgaras Riabko into second place.

Riabko, the current F2 European Champion had qualified on pole position but in the first heat he jumped the start lights. Ironically, he was also the Officer Of the Day and had to give himself a one lap penalty for the infringement.

Third overall was Slakteris fellow countryman Nikita Lijcs.


Pos	Number	Name		Heat 1	Heat 2	Heat 3	Heat 4	Total
1	51	Uvis Slakteris	LAT	400	400	400	400	1200
2	41	Edgaras Riabko	LTU	225	300	300	300	900
3	71	Nikita Lijcs	LAT	300	225	225	225	750
4	24	Maximilian Rohm	GER	169	169	169	169	507
5	7	Ieva Millere	LAT	127	127	127	127	381

Amongst the other Baltic Championship winners were the Estonian racers Stefan Arand in the F4 class, Sten Ivanov in GT30, Paul Richard Laur in GT15 and Rene Suuk in the OSY400 class.

The Lithuanian Motorboat Sports Federation were pleased to be able to hold the Championship of Baltic States this year in Telšiai and contribute to the announcement of the start of the 2022 “Telšē lingoun” celebration of the capital of Samogitija.

Not many have seen such an spectacular sight, so it will be a great gift not only for the residents of Telšiai, city guests, but also the people of Lithuania, fans of powerboat racing. We thank the Telšiai District Municipality, partners and sponsors for their support and organisation.

Municipality Mayor Kąstutis Gusarov said,

I am glad that the Powerboat Championship of Baltic States will take place right here in Telšiai. I am grateful to the organisers, competitors, and all the residents of Telšiai and city guests who contributed to this beautiful festival. I hope that all the drivers and spectators from this championship leave here with the best emotions and memories of the city of Telšiai, which invites you all to return to us one day soon.

Images by Laura Lakovica/Viesturs Lacis & The Lithuanian Motorboat Sports Federation.

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UIM 2022 Baltic Open Championship Archives ⋆ Powerboat Racing World

Battle for the Baltic