Ikaunieks has been managing the “Smeceres sila” sports base for the 12th year, and during that time the development has been remarkable. An improved track, a shooting range, a tunnel under the stadium – this allows for increasingly high-level competitions. In a conversation with Latvian Television’s “Sporta studio”, Ikaunieks said that he is used to organizing a lot, therefore
before the European Junior Championship there was not so much excitement, but a lot of work.
On the morning of the relay race day, Ikaunieks supervised the setting up of the race site and gave instructions on the work to be done for the successful running of the race. True, the International Biathlon Union also had its own supervisors at all the most important points of the competition.
“You can operate very well with all the things. You don’t have to move around the track – here we get to the shooting range and to the start,” Ikaunieks introduced the venue of the competition. “The shooting range is built according to all international IBUs [Starptautiskās Biatlona savienības] requirements. It is equipped with all electronics, it is also possible to provide live TV broadcasts. The shooting range itself corresponds to the level of the World Cup.”
Before the competition, the most challenging task in the preparation of the shooting range is to provide the athletes with a perfectly level line of fire. Where carpets are laid, the surface must be like a table, emphasized Ikaunieks. It’s a lot of work, especially in challenging weather with 5 degrees during the day and freezing at night.
“It’s all a big handiwork that needs to be smoothed out and worked on a lot. People at the shooting range work every night to get it ready,” explained Ikaunieks.
On the other hand, Pēteris Putniņš himself once trained in biathlon, but now he is the chief judge of the shooting range. He has participated in the preparation of the European Junior Championship for several years.
Initially, the competition in Madona was planned for the beginning of 2021, but due to the covid pandemic, the preparations took two years longer.
“The dream is probably to make a World Cup stage in Madona sometime in the future. Maybe it’s my dream or a common dream, I don’t know. We’re going for it,” said Putniņš. “Let’s sort out the licenses, develop the base. Hopefully, in the future, we’ll be able to organize a bigger stage as well.”
Putniņš’s little excitement went away shortly after the start of the competition, when it became clear that everything in the shooting range was in order and working.
“Then I understand that the rhythm has started and everything is clear to everyone. Then move on with a calm heart,” said Putniņš.
In order to be able to monitor order at the shooting range, Latvians had to pass the International Biathlon Union judge’s license under gun control.
“I don’t just take care of the issues of the shooting range, I take care of absolutely everything that is in the IBU representation – all branches,” Putniņš listed his duties. “Advertisement, start, finish, organization, bases, what the track widths should be. It’s all included there, as that exam was quite extensive.”
Jēkabs Nākums, experienced in biathlon, had to study the rules a lot in order to become a judge. The exam lasted more than two hours. In Madonna, the former Olympian, now a coach, worked in the technical control of weapons.
“We’re checking the trigger mechanism here. It has to be at least half a kilogram. If it passes half a kilogram, we let it through. That means he [ierocis] is safe,” Nākums introduced an area specific to biathlon. “We check whether the equipment has all the stickers, advertisements on it. Everything that the International Biathlon Federation requires. I think it’s close to the standards of the World Cup stage here.”
After his own observations, Nākums made sure that the athletes and coaches in “Smeceres Sila” felt extremely comfortable.
More than 200 people – mostly Madonians – ensured the running of the competition. Of these, 120 were volunteers.
When asked when “Smeceres sila” will have a large stadium with 5,000 seats, Ikaunieks emphasized that the sketch project has already been designed.
“The project for the big house and the stands has been created. All of this is actually already a ready-made project. We are currently looking at financial attraction in order to realize it and have a world-class stadium with all the stands here,” Ikaunieks outlined his future plans. “What we have built so far, what I mentioned about the shooting range, has already been built. There is no need to build anything extra there, it meets all the requirements. This large, spacious stadium was also built in such a way that there would be enough space for the World Cup cup.”
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