Ritvars Kalniņš has secured his fourth consecutive triumph in the Backyard Ultra “Lūša pēdās” endurance race in Jēkabpils, Latvia, covering 261 kilometers over 39 hours to win the 2026 edition of the grueling event.
The victory marks Kalniņš’s fourth straight win in the ultramarathon, which took place from April 18 to April 20, 2026, in the forested Mežaparks area of Jēkabpils. The race began at 11:00 a.m. Local time on Saturday, April 18, with 142 runners from four countries — Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Ukraine — taking on the challenging 6.706-meter loop around the Radžu ūdenskrātuve reservoir.
According to verified race reports, Kalniņš completed 39 laps of the course, equating to 261 kilometers, to claim the top spot. His winning distance represented a significant increase from previous years, as the benchmark for elite performance has risen steadily since the race’s inception. In 2023, just four laps (~26.8 km) was considered a strong showing. by 2026, nine laps (~60.3 km) were required merely to earn a special finisher’s medal and place in the top 100.
The event’s growing competitiveness was reflected in the participation and performance metrics. Of the 142 starters, 118 runners surpassed the marathon distance of 46.9 kilometers (seven laps), while 38 athletes reached the 15-hour mark at 100.5 kilometers. Seventeen competitors endured the full 24-hour period, covering approximately 160.8 kilometers, and seven athletes pushed beyond 30 laps to exceed 201 kilometers by Sunday afternoon.
Among the seven who reached the 30-lap threshold were three Latvian runners, two Lithuanians, and two Estonians. In the women’s division, Estonian athlete Gerli Nikolajev of Guide Running Estonia claimed victory with 30 laps, setting a personal best by improving her previous record by 12 loops.
The race saw notable attrition during the overnight hours. Two-time champion Gita Muceniece of SK “Mitauer”/Bauskas novads withdrew after 27 hours, while Inga Abu-Dema, also of SK “Mitauer,” secured third place with 20 hours of continuous running.
Kalniņš’s victory underscores his dominance in the event, which has become a key fixture on the Baltic ultra-endurance calendar. The Backyard Ultra format — where runners must complete a set loop within each hour or be eliminated — tests not only physical stamina but mental resilience, particularly as fatigue accumulates over successive cycles through the night.
Organizers noted that the 2026 edition attracted the largest and most international field in the race’s history, with participants representing a broader geographic spread than in prior years. The inclusion of a Ukrainian competitor highlighted the event’s role in fostering international sporting camaraderie amid ongoing regional challenges.
As Kalniņš celebrates his fourth consecutive title, attention now turns to whether any challenger can break his streak in the 2027 edition. For now, his name remains synonymous with the “Lūša pēdās” race, a testament to sustained excellence in one of endurance sport’s most demanding formats.
Archysport will continue to monitor developments in the ultra-endurance scene and provide updates on future iterations of the Backyard Ultra “Lūša pēdās” as they become available.
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