Women's Home Guard Musters for 30-Hour Endurance Competition
The Women's Voluntary Defense Organization is having its annual endurance competition in Rapla County this weekend.
In what is similar to the Erna raid, 10 four-member teams from various districts of the women's home guard all over Estonia gathered Friday for drawing the starting order. After a night of bivouacking, the first team will start on Saturday at 6.00.
The 45-kilometer course goes through Kaiu, Kehtna and Käru municipalities.
The course is actually longer as they will pass through marshes and forests to avoid enemy activity on the roads - simulated this year courtesy of a company in the Defense League's Rapla district, led by Elari Hiis, Käru municipality mayor.
The women's mission will be to avoid contact with the enemy, which confers penalty points.
As they make their way along the course, they will pass checkpoints where they will have to complete tasks - from marksmanship to first aid as well as a potluck. In some years, the women have had to enter a smoke-filled building.
The first team is expected to reach the finish at Käru around 10:00 on Sunday.
Last year's winner was the Järva district of the organization.
Kristopher Rikken