THE “AMBER PRIX” IN WORLD SPORT.
WHO CAN COMPARE?
As they leaf through this book, many readers may wonder why it does not describe bodybuilding events that were taking place at the same time in other Lithuanian cities or in other countries. The reason is simple: this book is dedicated to the sixtieth anniversary of the “Amber Prix”.
Comprehensive information about the development of bodybuilding in Lithuania, the USSR, the socialist countries, Europe, and the rest of the world has been collected and documented since 2012 in our ongoing “World Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding”. The first volume of the encyclopedia—one of a planned three-volume series—is already nearly ready for publication.
In this book, we seek to reveal everything connected with the “Amber Prix” competition: its history, circumstances, background, and behind-the-scenes events. It is difficult to find another bodybuilding event in the world whose history encompasses such a remarkable variety of experiences and occurrences—both positive and negative, extraordinary and unforgettable.
Few bodybuilding events have had as great an influence on the development of this sport as the “Amber Prix”. Throughout its history, it has been described in many different ways: as an illegal competition, a Lithuanian tournament, and an international event. The USSR Ministry of Sports even referred to it as the “Unofficial USSR Bodybuilding Championship.”
For athletes, participation in the “Amber Prix” was always a matter of honor and prestige. Their names have been permanently inscribed in the history of the sport. At a time when opportunities to travel abroad and compete in European and World Championships were extremely limited, the “Amber Prix” provided many athletes with an alternative that allowed them to experience the atmosphere of high-level international competition.
A look at the history of these contests reveals an astonishing abundance of facts and events. Naturally, there were people who did not approve of them. There are still such people today. Yet that is human nature: alongside the ability to appreciate and create, there is always a tendency to criticize and reject. Such is an inseparable part of every significant story.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
The Years of Bodybuilding Prohibition in Klaipeda.
The Period Before the Public “Amber Prix” Tournament (Until 1976).
The history of bodybuilding in Klaipeda differed little from developments in other Lithuanian cities or throughout the socialist countries. It was a period when an officially prohibited sport survived solely through the efforts of enthusiasts — in basements, bomb shelters, and illegal clubs. Today, this era is regarded as a unique testimony to its time and an important part of Lithuania’s sports history.
In 1969, Edmundas Daubaras purchased his first barbell and, together with Algis Zivelis, began training at home. Soon, increasing numbers of local young people gathered at the Daubaras family apartment to exercise. As the constant flow of visitors became difficult for the family to accommodate, training sessions were moved first to the basement of an apartment building and later to the railway workers’ pioneer camp in Giruliai. One of the leading authorities of the time became Rimantas Budrys. Although conditions were extremely modest, the athletes remained dedicated.
In 1970, after the withdrawal from active activity of Klaipeda bodybuilding leader Antanas Jonuskutis (1942–2003), the city’s athletes dispersed among various adapted and non-adapted training premises. Nevertheless, the bodybuilding movement did not stop.
A major turning point came in 1971, when Klaipeda Seaport employee Vytautas Daubaras obtained premises for young athletes in a bomb shelter belonging to the port on Sportininku Street. There, the “Gintaras” (“Amber”) club was established, becoming the main bodybuilding center in Klaipeda during the harshest prohibition years. Around one hundred enthusiasts attended the club. Remarkably, the club’s traditions continue to this day — it is now known as “Amber Gym” and remains one of the organizers of the “Amber Prix” competition.
In 1971, in Tallinn, then part of the Estonian SSR, Innar Mardo (1945-2002) launched the tournament that later became a traditional event known as the “Georg Tenno Memorial.” The overall winners of the first competition were Valdas Aliubavičius from Vilnius in the junior division (the 1968 overall junior winner of the “Amber Prize” tournament) and Vladimir Dubinin from Leningrad in the adult division.
A few words about Georg Tenno. An officer in the Soviet Army, he was accused of espionage in 1948 and sentenced to imprisonment in the Gulag system. While incarcerated, he shared a prison cell with the future Nobel Prize laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. During his imprisonment, Georg Tenno attempted to escape five times. In his famous work “The Gulag Archipelago” (“Архипелаг ГУЛАГ”), Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn dedicated a chapter to him titled “The Convicted Escapee” (“Убежденный беглец”).
In 1972, Edmundas Daubaras left to study philology at Vilnius State University but maintained close ties with Klaipeda athletes. He continued to lead the “Gintaras” club through his associates Algimantas Stalnionis and Algimantas Ratas.
After the USSR and other socialist countries officially banned bodybuilding, activities moved underground. In 1973, Edmundas Daubaras organized illegal bodybuilding competitions in the basement of the old city prison, attended by the bravest Klaipeda athletes of the time. In the adult division, Mindaugas Liaugaudas won first place, while the youth category was won by Algimantas Ratas.
That same year, Edmundas Daubaras gathered athletes from illegally operating clubs in Vilnius and organized strength dual competitions. Forty-six athletes from Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Siauliai participated. It was one of the first attempts to preserve a united Lithuanian bodybuilding community despite the prohibitions.
In 1974, the “Amber Prix” tournament was held in the bomb shelter premises of the “Gintaras” club. Athletes from four underground Klaipeda clubs took part. The competition program consisted of three parts: strength exercises, mandatory posing routines, and freestyle performances.
The junior divisions were won by Antanas Kazlauskas, Algimantas Ratas, and Sigitas Kisonas. In the youth divisions, the strongest competitors were Kestutis Virketis and Evaldas Sorius, while the adult categories were won by Sigitas Vilutis and Vytautas Zenkevicius. The absolute winners of their respective age groups were Antanas Kazlauskas, Evaldas Sorius, and Vytautas Zenkevicius.
After a two-year break, Estonian organizer Inar Mardo (Innar Mardo, 1945–2002) managed to revive the “Georg Tenno Memorial” competition in 1974. He succeeded in convincing Estonian political authorities that bodybuilding was a national Estonian sport with deep traditions. The competition took place at the Tallinn Technical School. Athletes from the “Vilnius School of Bodybuilding” won all first places except in the tallest height category, where Estonian Olev Annus defeated the favored RSFSR representative Vladimir Dubinin. The overall champion became Pranas Murauskas.
In 1975, the “Amber Prize” tournament was already being held in one of Klaipėda’s secondary schools. In addition to local athletes, competitors from Telšiai and Vilnius participated. The junior groups were won by Leonidas Rodionovas, Rimas Apulskis, and Antanas Dobrodzejus. In the youth categories, first places were claimed by Antanas Bašermanas, Algimantas Ruplys, and Aimontas Dolgichas. In the adult groups, the winners were Vytautas Zenkevičius, Olegas Serovas, and Rišardas Krinickis. The absolute winners were Rimas Apulskis, Algimantas Ruplys, and Rišardas Krinickis.
Despite prohibitions, constant surveillance, and poor training conditions, bodybuilding in Klaipeda not only survived but continued to grow stronger. During this period, the foundations were laid for a tradition that would later become one of most famous international bodybuilding events — the “Amber Prix” competition.
In 1975, during a university student exchange program, Edmundas Daubaras spent two months in Prague (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic). There he met Vojtech Fiala, president of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation. Vojtech Fiala was delighted to meet a representative of Soviet bodybuilding after a ten-year break. Seeking to demonstrate good relations with the USSR, he introduced Edmundas Daubaras to officials of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Sports (ČSTV – Československý svaz tělesné výchovy).
Edmundas Daubaras was surprised that, during the years when bodybuilding was banned in the USSR, Czechoslovak bodybuilders enjoyed official government support. In 1975, they participated for the first time in the IFBB European Championship held in the West. At that championship, Czech athlete Petr Stach not only won his category but also became the overall European champion.
At the initiative of Vojtech Fiala, Edmundas Daubaras visited the town of Rodotín, where the renowned athlete Petr Stach lived. The European champion welcomed the distinguished guest by holding an exhibition training session, during which he demonstrated his excellent physical condition and impressive musculature.
Among the participants of the “Amber Prix” tournaments were individuals who later became prominent Lithuanian public officials. Risardas Krinickis, who served for many years as one of the leaders of the State Control Committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, made a significant contribution to organizing numerous international “Amber Prix” tournaments between 1995 and 2008. For his merits to the international bodybuilding movement, he was awarded the “International Honor Gold Medal” of the World WFF-WBBF Federation in 2008.
Another participant was Kestutis Virketis, long-time Director of the Legal Department of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania. He also made an important contribution to organizing the 40th anniversary “Amber Prix” tournament. In 2024, he too was awarded the “International Honor Gold Medal” of the World WFF-WBBF Federation for his contribution to the international bodybuilding movement.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
WORLD BODYBUILDING HISTORY.
USSR BODYBUILDING FEDERATION WAS CREATED IN KLAIPEDA.
In 1986, while preparing the “Amber Prix” tournament, Edmundas Daubaras returned to active organizational work in bodybuilding in Klaipeda. The circumstances were favorable for such a return: he had completed his law studies at Vilnius State University, and his personal life had become more stable. Anatolij Gončarov, President of the Klaipeda City Bodybuilding Federation and a People's Judge, had repeatedly encouraged Daubaras to rejoin the city's bodybuilding movement. Apparently, 1986 was the right time to do so.
At that time, three bodybuilding clubs were operating in Klaipeda. There was no shortage of athletes, and many competitors regularly participated in contests. However, the city lacked outstanding personalities who could emerge as true leaders of the sport. Over time, the “Amber Prix” tournament itself had become somewhat routine. This was likely one of the main reasons why Edmundas Daubaras was invited back into active organizational work.
While organizing the 1986 “Amber Prix” tournament, Daubaras invited Vladimir Dubinin, a former prominent Soviet bodybuilder from Leningrad, to Klaipeda. Following his defeat at the 1974 Georg Tenno Memorial, Dubinin had virtually withdrawn from competitive bodybuilding and public life for nearly thirteen years. Nevertheless, he accepted the invitation and arrived in Klaipeda.
Although the competition itself proceeded according to the usual format, after the event Daubaras hosted an informal gathering at his home. Among those invited were several influential leaders of Soviet bodybuilding: Vladimir Dubinin, Moscow representative Vladimir Shubov, and Arkadiy Kashansky, who represented the Ukrainian SSR. Innar Mardo was not present, and Roman Kalinauskas was not considered for invitation due to previous disagreements.
During the meeting, Edmundas Daubaras presented two strategic issues for discussion. The first proposal was to organize a major international bodybuilding tournament within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Such an event would help attract the attention of the central Soviet sports authorities and strengthen bodybuilding’s position within the official sports structure. Vladimir Dubinin agreed to take responsibility for the initiative and began organizing the international “White Nights” tournament in Leningrad.
The second issue concerned the establishment of an official USSR Bodybuilding Federation under the USSR State Sports Committee. Until then, the informal leadership tandem of Roman Moroz and Roman Kalinauskas had failed to provide consistent direction for Soviet bodybuilding and lacked meaningful support from the central sports administration.
Drawing on his experiences in Czechoslovakia, where he had observed the successful cooperation between the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation and the country's Ministry of Sports (ČSTV), Daubaras proposed a clear plan of action. Vladimir Shubov and Vladimir Dubinin, who already possessed valuable contacts within Soviet sports institutions, were tasked with pursuing the federation's official recognition through the USSR Weightlifting Federation. The participants supported the proposal and quickly began taking practical steps toward its implementation.
Later that same year, Vladimir Dubinin successfully organized the international “White Nights” tournament at the prestigious Oktyabrsky Concert Hall in Leningrad. The event soon became one of the most respected bodybuilding competitions in the Soviet Union.
Following this meeting, Edmundas Daubaras turned his attention to another important issue—the search for a new bodybuilding leader in Klaipeda. The city lacked athletes capable of competing successfully at the highest level. Although there were promising competitors, the shortage of qualified coaching had prevented Klaipeda bodybuilders from achieving top results for several years in the Soviet Union’s most prestigious competitions: the “Amber Prix,” the “Georg Tenno Memorial”, and the Kaunas “Komsomol Cup”.
In his search for the most promising candidate, Daubaras focused on Viktoras Jucys. In his view, Jucys possessed all the qualities necessary to become the new leader of Klaipėda bodybuilding. Thus began Viktoras Jucys’s journey toward sporting prominence.
The athlete’s preparation incorporated foreign training methodologies, Daubaras’s accumulated knowledge, and years of practical experience. Equally important was the influence of the Vilnius School of Bodybuilding, one of whose principal architects was Ceslav Tamulevic. Special emphasis was placed not only on perfecting the compulsory poses but also on developing high-quality posing routines.
As Vitalij Asovskij, a disciple of Ceslav Tamulevic, once remarked: “If you woke any athlete from the Vilnius School of Bodybuilding in the middle of the night and pulled him out of bed, he could perform any compulsory pose flawlessly, almost while still asleep.”
These principles became the foundation of Viktoras Jucys’s preparation for future competitions and his rise within the sport.
More information you can get on international site www.wff.lt
Chairman WFF-WBBF International Judges Council
Secretary General WFF-WBBF Lithuania
The Years of Bodybuilding Prohibition in Klaipeda.
The Period Before the Public “Amber Prix” Tournament (Until 1976).
The history of bodybuilding in Klaipeda differed little from developments in other Lithuanian cities or throughout the socialist countries. It was a period when an officially prohibited sport survived solely through the efforts of enthusiasts — in basements, bomb shelters, and illegal clubs. Today, this era is regarded as a unique testimony to its time and an important part of Lithuania’s sports history.
In 1969, Edmundas Daubaras purchased his first barbell and, together with Algis Zivelis, began training at home. Soon, increasing numbers of local young people gathered at the Daubaras family apartment to exercise. As the constant flow of visitors became difficult for the family to accommodate, training sessions were moved first to the basement of an apartment building and later to the railway workers’ pioneer camp in Giruliai. One of the leading authorities of the time became Rimantas Budrys. Although conditions were extremely modest, the athletes remained dedicated.
In 1970, after the withdrawal from active activity of Klaipeda bodybuilding leader Antanas Jonuskutis (1942–2003), the city’s athletes dispersed among various adapted and non-adapted training premises. Nevertheless, the bodybuilding movement did not stop.
A major turning point came in 1971, when Klaipeda Seaport employee Vytautas Daubaras obtained premises for young athletes in a bomb shelter belonging to the port on Sportininku Street. There, the “Gintaras” (“Amber”) club was established, becoming the main bodybuilding center in Klaipeda during the harshest prohibition years. Around one hundred enthusiasts attended the club. Remarkably, the club’s traditions continue to this day — it is now known as “Amber Gym” and remains one of the organizers of the “Amber Prix” competition.
In 1971, in Tallinn, then part of the Estonian SSR, Innar Mardo (1945-2002) launched the tournament that later became a traditional event known as the “Georg Tenno Memorial.” The overall winners of the first competition were Valdas Aliubavičius from Vilnius in the junior division (the 1968 overall junior winner of the “Amber Prize” tournament) and Vladimir Dubinin from Leningrad in the adult division.
A few words about Georg Tenno. An officer in the Soviet Army, he was accused of espionage in 1948 and sentenced to imprisonment in the Gulag system. While incarcerated, he shared a prison cell with the future Nobel Prize laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. During his imprisonment, Georg Tenno attempted to escape five times. In his famous work “The Gulag Archipelago” (“Архипелаг ГУЛАГ”), Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn dedicated a chapter to him titled “The Convicted Escapee” (“Убежденный беглец”).
In 1972, Edmundas Daubaras left to study philology at Vilnius State University but maintained close ties with Klaipeda athletes. He continued to lead the “Gintaras” club through his associates Algimantas Stalnionis and Algimantas Ratas.
After the USSR and other socialist countries officially banned bodybuilding, activities moved underground. In 1973, Edmundas Daubaras organized illegal bodybuilding competitions in the basement of the old city prison, attended by the bravest Klaipeda athletes of the time. In the adult division, Mindaugas Liaugaudas won first place, while the youth category was won by Algimantas Ratas.
That same year, Edmundas Daubaras gathered athletes from illegally operating clubs in Vilnius and organized strength dual competitions. Forty-six athletes from Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Siauliai participated. It was one of the first attempts to preserve a united Lithuanian bodybuilding community despite the prohibitions.
In 1974, the “Amber Prix” tournament was held in the bomb shelter premises of the “Gintaras” club. Athletes from four underground Klaipeda clubs took part. The competition program consisted of three parts: strength exercises, mandatory posing routines, and freestyle performances.
The junior divisions were won by Antanas Kazlauskas, Algimantas Ratas, and Sigitas Kisonas. In the youth divisions, the strongest competitors were Kestutis Virketis and Evaldas Sorius, while the adult categories were won by Sigitas Vilutis and Vytautas Zenkevicius. The absolute winners of their respective age groups were Antanas Kazlauskas, Evaldas Sorius, and Vytautas Zenkevicius.
After a two-year break, Estonian organizer Inar Mardo (Innar Mardo, 1945–2002) managed to revive the “Georg Tenno Memorial” competition in 1974. He succeeded in convincing Estonian political authorities that bodybuilding was a national Estonian sport with deep traditions. The competition took place at the Tallinn Technical School. Athletes from the “Vilnius School of Bodybuilding” won all first places except in the tallest height category, where Estonian Olev Annus defeated the favored RSFSR representative Vladimir Dubinin. The overall champion became Pranas Murauskas.
In 1975, the “Amber Prize” tournament was already being held in one of Klaipėda’s secondary schools. In addition to local athletes, competitors from Telšiai and Vilnius participated. The junior groups were won by Leonidas Rodionovas, Rimas Apulskis, and Antanas Dobrodzejus. In the youth categories, first places were claimed by Antanas Bašermanas, Algimantas Ruplys, and Aimontas Dolgichas. In the adult groups, the winners were Vytautas Zenkevičius, Olegas Serovas, and Rišardas Krinickis. The absolute winners were Rimas Apulskis, Algimantas Ruplys, and Rišardas Krinickis.
Despite prohibitions, constant surveillance, and poor training conditions, bodybuilding in Klaipeda not only survived but continued to grow stronger. During this period, the foundations were laid for a tradition that would later become one of most famous international bodybuilding events — the “Amber Prix” competition.
In 1975, during a university student exchange program, Edmundas Daubaras spent two months in Prague (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic). There he met Vojtech Fiala, president of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation. Vojtech Fiala was delighted to meet a representative of Soviet bodybuilding after a ten-year break. Seeking to demonstrate good relations with the USSR, he introduced Edmundas Daubaras to officials of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Sports (ČSTV – Československý svaz tělesné výchovy).
Edmundas Daubaras was surprised that, during the years when bodybuilding was banned in the USSR, Czechoslovak bodybuilders enjoyed official government support. In 1975, they participated for the first time in the IFBB European Championship held in the West. At that championship, Czech athlete Petr Stach not only won his category but also became the overall European champion.
At the initiative of Vojtech Fiala, Edmundas Daubaras visited the town of Rodotín, where the renowned athlete Petr Stach lived. The European champion welcomed the distinguished guest by holding an exhibition training session, during which he demonstrated his excellent physical condition and impressive musculature.
Among the participants of the “Amber Prix” tournaments were individuals who later became prominent Lithuanian public officials. Risardas Krinickis, who served for many years as one of the leaders of the State Control Committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, made a significant contribution to organizing numerous international “Amber Prix” tournaments between 1995 and 2008. For his merits to the international bodybuilding movement, he was awarded the “International Honor Gold Medal” of the World WFF-WBBF Federation in 2008.
Another participant was Kestutis Virketis, long-time Director of the Legal Department of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania. He also made an important contribution to organizing the 40th anniversary “Amber Prix” tournament. In 2024, he too was awarded the “International Honor Gold Medal” of the World WFF-WBBF Federation for his contribution to the international bodybuilding movement.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
GREAT ORGANIZATION.
GREAT DATES.
As 2028 approaches, the International WFF–WBBF Federation is preparing to commemorate a significant milestone – the 60th anniversary of its international activities. During this period, the organization has grown into a global sports movement, bringing together members from 141 countries across all continents.
Despite the challenges that have affected the world in recent years – including the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and other international developments – the Federation has maintained active operations, consistently promoting initiatives in sport, physical activity, fitness, and healthy living. Our mission is to provide opportunities for people of all ages and physical abilities to participate in sporting activities while strengthening international cooperation in this field.
The Federation's history is closely linked with Lithuania and its contribution to the development of international sport:
• In 1967, the international tournament “Amber Prix” was established in Lithuania. In 2027, the event will celebrate its anniversary in Klaipėda.
• In 1968, the International Athletic Gymnastics (Bodybuilding) Federation was founded in Lithuania and coordinated the development of this sport in numerous countries.
• During challenging historical periods, the Federation faced various restrictions; however, its community successfully preserved sporting traditions and ensured the continuity of its activities.
• Following 1991, the Federation actively expanded its participation in the international sports movement, developing cooperation with sports organizations and institutions in many countries.
• Since 1999, special attention has been devoted to children's sports through the “Fit-Kid” programs and to the development of sports opportunities for persons with disabilities.
• In 2004, fitness model competitions were introduced into the Federation's event program, attracting broad international interest.
• Since 2024, the Federation has further intensified its activities in fitness, physical activity, and wellness, promoting sport as a means of improving public well-being and quality of life.
The results achieved in recent years confirm the relevance of these activities and the growing public interest in them. In 2026, approximately 300 athletes from various countries participated in the professional “Universe” competition held in Klaipėda, while the European Amateur Championship in Croatia attracted more than 2,000 participants.
Throughout its history, the Federation has sought constructive cooperation with national and local authorities, sports organizations, and public institutions. In many countries, our events have been recognized as a meaningful contribution to promoting physical activity, strengthening international relations, and encouraging healthy lifestyles. In recent years, the Federation's work has received attention and recognition in Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Estonia, India, and other countries.
The forthcoming 60th anniversary represents not only an important historical achievement for our organization but also an opportunity to once again emphasize the importance of sport in strengthening public health, international cooperation, cultural dialogue, and social unity.
We look forward to continuing meaningful cooperation and to contributing, through joint efforts, to the promotion of sport, physical activity, fitness, and healthy living on an international scale.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
1976–1977 “AMBER PRIX” TOURNAMENTS.
THE FIRST PUBLIC BODYBUILDING COMPETITIONS IN THE USSR AFTER THE BAN.
In 1976, Edmundas Daubaras organized the “Amber Prix” tournament together with the “Zemaitija Cup” in the city of Telsiai, Lithuania. The strength events were held in one of the city’s schools, while the physique presentation program took place at the Telsiai Culture Palace. These competitions became the first publicly held bodybuilding contest in the Soviet Union after bodybuilding had been officially banned.
At that time, bodybuilding in the USSR was prohibited and actively persecuted by Soviet authorities. Nevertheless, Edmundas Daubaras succeeded in convincing the administration of the Culture Palace that the event violated no regulations. The competition was openly advertised to local residents, and the hall was filled with spectators. Organizing such an event involved considerable personal risk, but the tournament proceeded successfully and without consequences from the authorities.
Athletes from Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Siauliai participated in the event.
Winners of the 1976 Tournament
Junior Group Winners
• Rimas Apulskis
• Stasys Stanius
• Rimas Česaitis
Youth Group Winners
• Antanas Basermanas
• Aimontas Dolgichas
• Evaldas Sorius
Adult Group Winners
• Valentinas Vandys
• Risardas Krinickis
Overall Champions
• Rimas Apulskis
• Evaldas Sorius
• Rišardas Krinickis
For comparison, an international bodybuilding event held in Kaunas the same year took place secretly in a factory cultural hall outside the city and without spectators. Another international bodybuilding competition organized in Kalinin (now Tver, RSFSR) was officially prohibited by authorities, yet athletes still staged the contest in a tiny local sports club as an act of protest. Only a small circle of supporters attended.
In 1976, while training at the Vilnius “Viktorija” club, Edmundas Daubaras met lawyer Grigorij Leonov, who had just graduated from the Faculty of Law at Vilnius University and had been appointed as a people’s judge in Klaipėda.
After Grigorij Leonov moved to Klaipeda, Edmundas Daubaras persuaded him to assume leadership of the city’s bodybuilding movement. The reasoning was practical: a judge’s position opened doors among city officials and made it easier to establish legal opportunities for athletes. While Edmundas Daubaras continued to manage organizational matters, Grigorij Leonov worked on creating legitimate legal foundations for bodybuilding activities in Klaipeda.
In 1977, the “Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation” was officially registered under the Klaipeda City Sports Committee. This was an unprecedented development in the entire Soviet Union. Although bodybuilding remained banned throughout the USSR, Klaipeda now had an officially functioning bodybuilding federation. It remained the only legally operating bodybuilding federation in the Soviet Union until 1987, when the USSR Bodybuilding Federation was established under the USSR Ministry of Sports.
By legal means, all unofficial bodybuilding clubs in Klaipeda were closed, leaving only three clubs operating under the federation:
• “Gintaras” — headed by Edmundas Daubaras
• “Satrija” — headed by Sigitas Vilutis
• “Alksnyne” — headed by Oleg Serov
The public competitions in Telsiai caused a sensation throughout the Soviet bodybuilding community. Many were astonished that such an event could take place openly. The leader of bodybuilding in the Estonian SSR, Innar Mardo (1945–2002), sent a letter of support to Edmundas Daubaras and promoted the “Amber Prix” tournament in Czechoslovak sports publications.
Encouraged by the success in Telsiai, Edmundas Daubaras, assisted by his father Vytautas Daubaras, organized the 1977 “Amber Prix” tournament at the Klaipeda Seaport Culture Palace. This event featured only physique presentation categories without strength exercises. Once again, the tournament was public, and local athletes personally spread information about the competition among supporters. The hall was filled with enthusiastic spectators.
Athletes from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda participated in the 1977 tournament, which further strengthened Lithuania’s role as the center of unofficial Soviet bodybuilding during the years of prohibition.
1977 “Amber Prix” Tournament
In 1977, Edmundas Daubaras organized the public “Amber Prix” bodybuilding tournament at the Klaipeda Seaport Culture Palace. Athletes from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda participated in the competition. The hall was full of spectators invited by the athletes and their supporters. These contests became one of the first public bodybuilding events in the Soviet Union after the sport had been officially banned.
Junior Division
First Height Category
1st place – Viaceslav Chleborodov (Vilnius)
2nd place – Edvardas Burba (Klaipėda)
3rd place – Rimas Apulskis (Klaipėda)
Second Height Category
1st place – Boris Dolgov (Vilnius)
2nd place – Benas Uckus (Kaunas)
3rd place – Nikolajus Kuznecovas (Vilnius)
Third Height Category
1st place – Stepan Nevera (Vilnius)
2nd place – Evaldas Sorius (Klaipėda)
3rd place – Edvardas Miseniovas (Kaunas)
Adult Division
First Height Category
1st place – Algimantas Kersulis (Vilnius)
2nd place – Vytautas Daubaras (Vilnius)
3rd place – Jonas Zurauskas (Kaunas)
Second Height Category
1st place – Kestutis Petrosius (Vilnius)
2nd place – Risardas Krinickis (Vilnius)
3rd place – Stasys Maksimovas (Kaunas)
Third Height Category
1st place – Stasys Cukanovas (Vilnius)
2nd place – Albertas Besakirskas (Kaunas)
3rd place – Vytautas Zenkevicius (Klaipėda)
Overall Winners
Junior Division – Borisas Dolgovas
Adult Division – Stasys Cukanovas
You can find more information on international site www.wff.lt
THE 1977 STRUGGLE AGAINST THE POLITICAL DECISIONS OF THE USSR AUTHORITIES.
1977: THE INTENSIFICATION OF BODYBUILDING PERSECUTION IN THE USSR
In 1977, Edmundas Daubaras once again travelled to the Czechoslovak SSR for two months under a university exchange program. The sports activity program was similar to that of previous years and included meetings with the President of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation, Vojtech Fiala, as well as with the federation’s vice-president, Professor Frantisek Bulva.
Seeking to demonstrate loyalty to their government, the Czechoslovak officials organized a meeting for Edmundas Daubaras, as a representative of Soviet bodybuilding, with the leadership of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Sports. At that time, the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation already had its own office within the ministry, where the federation’s secretary, the well-known bodybuilder Peter Tlapak, was working.
Vojtech Fiala also arranged Edmundas Daubaras’ visit to the national Olympic training center located in a mountain resort area. At that time, members of the national bodybuilding team were preparing there for the World Championships. Meetings and discussions took place with athletes and coaches.
Later, Edmundas Daubaras visited the city of Brno, where Professor Frantisek Bulva organized two meetings of the Council of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation. Edmundas Daubaras attended these meetings as a guest and delivered a presentation on the situation of bodybuilding in the USSR.
1977: THE INTENSIFICATION OF BODYBUILDING PERSECUTION IN THE USSR
In 1977, the persecution of bodybuilding in the USSR intensified even further. The USSR Ministry of Sports issued directives calling for stricter measures against bodybuilding, and the sports ministries of the Soviet republics repeated and actively enforced these orders. At the same time, a coordinated campaign against bodybuilding began in the Soviet press. Particularly aggressive criticism came from journalist Dmitry Ivanov of the newspaper Sovietsky Sport. As pressure mounted, nearly all prominent bodybuilding organizers throughout the USSR fell silent.
Refusing to accept the situation and drawing inspiration from the examples he had witnessed in Czechoslovakia, Edmundas Daubaras began corresponding with the editorial office of Sovietsky Sport, the USSR Weightlifting Federation, and officials of the USSR Ministry of Sports. However, these efforts produced no positive results.
At the end of 1977, Edmundas Daubaras, together with the best bodybuilders of the city, took part in the “Georg Tenno Memorial” held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It was one of the most prestigious bodybuilding competitions in the USSR at the time. The most successful performance came from Patras Stanius, who won third place in the junior category.
More information is on International Site www.wff.lt
WORLD BODYBUILDING HISTORY.
USSR BODYBUILDING FEDERATION WAS CREATED IN KLAIPEDA.
In 1986, while preparing the “Amber Prix” tournament, Edmundas Daubaras returned to active organizational work in bodybuilding in Klaipeda. The circumstances were favorable for such a return: he had completed his law studies at Vilnius State University, and his personal life had become more stable. Anatolij Goncarov, President of the Klaipeda City Bodybuilding Federation and a People's Judge, had repeatedly encouraged Daubaras to rejoin the city's bodybuilding movement. Apparently, 1986 was the right time to do so.
At that time, three bodybuilding clubs were operating in Klaipeda. There was no shortage of athletes, and many competitors regularly participated in contests. However, the city lacked outstanding personalities who could emerge as true leaders of the sport. Over time, the “Amber Prix” tournament itself had become somewhat routine. This was likely one of the main reasons why Edmundas Daubaras was invited back into active organizational work.
While organizing the 1986 “Amber Prix” tournament, Daubaras invited Vladimir Dubinin, a former prominent Soviet bodybuilder from Leningrad, to Klaipeda. Following his defeat at the 1974 Georg Tenno Memorial, Dubinin had virtually withdrawn from competitive bodybuilding and public life for nearly thirteen years. Nevertheless, he accepted the invitation and arrived in Klaipeda.
Although the competition itself proceeded according to the usual format, after the event Daubaras hosted an informal gathering at his home. Among those invited were several influential leaders of Soviet bodybuilding: Vladimir Dubinin, Moscow representative Vladimir Shubov, and Arkadiy Kashansky, who represented the Ukrainian SSR. Innar Mardo was not present, and Roman Kalinauskas was not considered for invitation due to previous disagreements.
During the meeting, Edmundas Daubaras presented two strategic issues for discussion. The first proposal was to organize a major international bodybuilding tournament within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Such an event would help attract the attention of the central Soviet sports authorities and strengthen bodybuilding’s position within the official sports structure. Vladimir Dubinin agreed to take responsibility for the initiative and began organizing the international “White Nights” tournament in Leningrad.
The second issue concerned the establishment of an official USSR Bodybuilding Federation under the USSR State Sports Committee. Until then, the informal leadership tandem of Roman Moroz and Roman Kalinauskas had failed to provide consistent direction for Soviet bodybuilding and lacked meaningful support from the central sports administration.
Drawing on his experiences in Czechoslovakia, where he had observed the successful cooperation between the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation and the country's Ministry of Sports (ČSTV), Daubaras proposed a clear plan of action. Vladimir Shubov and Vladimir Dubinin, who already possessed valuable contacts within Soviet sports institutions, were tasked with pursuing the federation's official recognition through the USSR Weightlifting Federation. The participants supported the proposal and quickly began taking practical steps toward its implementation.
Later that same year, Vladimir Dubinin successfully organized the international “White Nights” tournament at the prestigious Oktyabrsky Concert Hall in Leningrad. The event soon became one of the most respected bodybuilding competitions in the Soviet Union.
Following this meeting, Edmundas Daubaras turned his attention to another important issue—the search for a new bodybuilding leader in Klaipeda. The city lacked athletes capable of competing successfully at the highest level. Although there were promising competitors, the shortage of qualified coaching had prevented Klaipeda bodybuilders from achieving top results for several years in the Soviet Union’s most prestigious competitions: the “Amber Prix,” the “Georg Tenno Memorial”, and the Kaunas “Komsomol Cup”.
In his search for the most promising candidate, Daubaras focused on Viktoras Jucys. In his view, Jucys possessed all the qualities necessary to become the new leader of Klaipėda bodybuilding. Thus began Viktoras Jucys’s journey toward sporting prominence.
The athlete’s preparation incorporated foreign training methodologies, Daubaras’s accumulated knowledge, and years of practical experience. Equally important was the influence of the Vilnius School of Bodybuilding, one of whose principal architects was Ceslav Tamulevic. Special emphasis was placed not only on perfecting the compulsory poses but also on developing high-quality posing routines.
As Vitalij Asovskij, a disciple of Ceslav Tamulevic, once remarked: “If you woke any athlete from the Vilnius School of Bodybuilding in the middle of the night and pulled him out of bed, he could perform any compulsory pose flawlessly, almost while still asleep.”
These principles became the foundation of Viktoras Jucys’s preparation for future competitions and his rise within the sport.
More information you can get on international site www.wff.lt
1976–1977 “AMBER PRIX” TOURNAMENTS.
THE FIRST PUBLIC BODYBUILDING COMPETITIONS IN THE USSR AFTER THE BAN.
In 1976, Edmundas Daubaras organized the “Amber Prix” tournament together with the “Zemaitija Cup” in the city of Telsiai, Lithuania. The strength events were held in one of the city’s schools, while the physique presentation program took place at the Telsiai Culture Palace. These competitions became the first publicly held bodybuilding contest in the Soviet Union after bodybuilding had been officially banned.
At that time, bodybuilding in the USSR was prohibited and actively persecuted by Soviet authorities. Nevertheless, Edmundas Daubaras succeeded in convincing the administration of the Culture Palace that the event violated no regulations. The competition was openly advertised to local residents, and the hall was filled with spectators. Organizing such an event involved considerable personal risk, but the tournament proceeded successfully and without consequences from the authorities.
Athletes from Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Siauliai participated in the event.
Winners of the 1976 Tournament
Junior Group Winners
• Rimas Apulskis
• Stasys Stanius
• Rimas Cesaitis
Youth Group Winners
• Antanas Basermanas
• Aimontas Dolgichas
• Evaldas Sorius
Adult Group Winners
• Valentinas Vandys
• Risardas Krinickis
Overall Champions
• Rimas Apulskis
• Evaldas Sorius
• Rišardas Krinickis
For comparison, an international bodybuilding event held in Kaunas the same year took place secretly in a factory cultural hall outside the city and without spectators. Another international bodybuilding competition organized in Kalinin (now Tver, RSFSR) was officially prohibited by authorities, yet athletes still staged the contest in a tiny local sports club as an act of protest. Only a small circle of supporters attended.
In 1976, while training at the Vilnius “Viktorija” club, Edmundas Daubaras met lawyer Grigorij Leonov, who had just graduated from the Faculty of Law at Vilnius University and had been appointed as a people’s judge in Klaipėda.
After Grigorij Leonov moved to Klaipeda, Edmundas Daubaras persuaded him to assume leadership of the city’s bodybuilding movement. The reasoning was practical: a judge’s position opened doors among city officials and made it easier to establish legal opportunities for athletes. While Edmundas Daubaras continued to manage organizational matters, Grigorij Leonov worked on creating legitimate legal foundations for bodybuilding activities in Klaipeda.
In 1977, the “Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation” was officially registered under the Klaipeda City Sports Committee. This was an unprecedented development in the entire Soviet Union. Although bodybuilding remained banned throughout the USSR, Klaipeda now had an officially functioning bodybuilding federation. It remained the only legally operating bodybuilding federation in the Soviet Union until 1987, when the USSR Bodybuilding Federation was established under the USSR Ministry of Sports.
By legal means, all unofficial bodybuilding clubs in Klaipeda were closed, leaving only three clubs operating under the federation:
• “Gintaras” — headed by Edmundas Daubaras
• “Satrija” — headed by Sigitas Vilutis
• “Alksnyne” — headed by Oleg Serov
The public competitions in Telsiai caused a sensation throughout the Soviet bodybuilding community. Many were astonished that such an event could take place openly. The leader of bodybuilding in the Estonian SSR, Innar Mardo (1945–2002), sent a letter of support to Edmundas Daubaras and promoted the “Amber Prix” tournament in Czechoslovak sports publications.
Encouraged by the success in Telsiai, Edmundas Daubaras, assisted by his father Vytautas Daubaras, organized the 1977 “Amber Prix” tournament at the Klaipeda Seaport Culture Palace. This event featured only physique presentation categories without strength exercises. Once again, the tournament was public, and local athletes personally spread information about the competition among supporters. The hall was filled with enthusiastic spectators.
Athletes from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda participated in the 1977 tournament, which further strengthened Lithuania’s role as the center of unofficial Soviet bodybuilding during the years of prohibition.
1977 “Amber Prix” Tournament
In 1977, Edmundas Daubaras organized the public “Amber Prix” bodybuilding tournament at the Klaipeda Seaport Culture Palace. Athletes from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda participated in the competition. The hall was full of spectators invited by the athletes and their supporters. These contests became one of the first public bodybuilding events in the Soviet Union after the sport had been officially banned.
Junior Division
First Height Category
1st place – Viaceslav Chleborodov (Vilnius)
2nd place – Edvardas Burba (Klaipėda)
3rd place – Rimas Apulskis (Klaipėda)
Second Height Category
1st place – Boris Dolgov (Vilnius)
2nd place – Benas Uckus (Kaunas)
3rd place – Nikolajus Kuznecovas (Vilnius)
Third Height Category
1st place – Stepan Nevera (Vilnius)
2nd place – Evaldas Sorius (Klaipėda)
3rd place – Edvardas Miseniovas (Kaunas)
Adult Division
First Height Category
1st place – Algimantas Kersulis (Vilnius)
2nd place – Vytautas Daubaras (Vilnius)
3rd place – Jonas Zurauskas (Kaunas)
Second Height Category
1st place – Kestutis Petrosius (Vilnius)
2nd place – Risardas Krinickis (Vilnius)
3rd place – Stasys Maksimovas (Kaunas)
Third Height Category
1st place – Stasys Cukanovas (Vilnius)
2nd place – Albertas Besakirskas (Kaunas)
3rd place – Vytautas Zenkevicius (Klaipėda)
Overall Winners
Junior Division – Borisas Dolgovas
Adult Division – Stasys Cukanovas
THE 1977 STRUGGLE AGAINST THE POLITICAL DECISIONS OF THE USSR AUTHORITIES.
1977: THE INTENSIFICATION OF BODYBUILDING PERSECUTION IN THE USSR
In 1977, Edmundas Daubaras once again travelled to the Czechoslovak SSR for two months under a university exchange program. The sports activity program was similar to that of previous years and included meetings with the President of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation, Vojtech Fiala, as well as with the federation’s vice-president, Professor Frantisek Bulva.
Seeking to demonstrate loyalty to their government, the Czechoslovak officials organized a meeting for Edmundas Daubaras, as a representative of Soviet bodybuilding, with the leadership of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Sports. At that time, the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation already had its own office within the ministry, where the federation’s secretary, the well-known bodybuilder Peter Tlapak, was working.
Vojtech Fiala also arranged Edmundas Daubaras’ visit to the national Olympic training center located in a mountain resort area. At that time, members of the national bodybuilding team were preparing there for the World Championships. Meetings and discussions took place with athletes and coaches.
Later, Edmundas Daubaras visited the city of Brno, where Professor Frantisek Bulva organized two meetings of the Council of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation. Edmundas Daubaras attended these meetings as a guest and delivered a presentation on the situation of bodybuilding in the USSR.
1977: THE INTENSIFICATION OF BODYBUILDING PERSECUTION IN THE USSR
In 1977, the persecution of bodybuilding in the USSR intensified even further. The USSR Ministry of Sports issued directives calling for stricter measures against bodybuilding, and the sports ministries of the Soviet republics repeated and actively enforced these orders. At the same time, a coordinated campaign against bodybuilding began in the Soviet press. Particularly aggressive criticism came from journalist Dmitry Ivanov of the newspaper Sovietsky Sport. As pressure mounted, nearly all prominent bodybuilding organizers throughout the USSR fell silent.
Refusing to accept the situation and drawing inspiration from the examples he had witnessed in Czechoslovakia, Edmundas Daubaras began corresponding with the editorial office of Sovietsky Sport, the USSR Weightlifting Federation, and officials of the USSR Ministry of Sports. However, these efforts produced no positive results.
At the end of 1977, Edmundas Daubaras, together with the best bodybuilders of the city, took part in the “Georg Tenno Memorial” held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It was one of the most prestigious bodybuilding competitions in the USSR at the time. The most successful performance came from Patras Stanius, who won third place in the junior category.
You can find more information on international site www.wff.lt
2008 INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT "AMBER PRIX".
Is there anyone in the world today who can compare to him?
Klaipėda, Lithuania, 2008
In 2008, alongside the international “Amber Prix” tournament held in Klaipėda, the organizers of the global WFF–WBBF federation were actively working on staging the traditional “Universe” competition in Vilnius, as well as the WBBF World Professional Championship. At the same time, the WFF World Professional Championship, featuring substantial prize money, was again organized in Prague at the Žofín Palace by Czech businessman Martin Kuta.
Following a meeting between the leaders of the WFF-WBBF Federation and the Minister of Sport of the Republic of Poland, Zbigniew Pacelt, Bydgoszcz businessman Jerzy Gotowski took the initiative to organize the WFF-WBBF World Amateur Championship in his city.
This important decision became a significant step in strengthening the Federation’s international recognition and promoting the development of bodybuilding and fitness sports throughout Europe. The organization of the event brought together the efforts of the city authorities, the business community, and sports organizations, while the championship itself became one of the most important WFF-WBBF sporting events of the year.
The World Amateur Championship held in Bydgoszcz gathered athletes from numerous countries and further reinforced the Federation’s position in the international sports arena.
“Amber Prix”
The 2008 "Amber Prix" competition took place in the sports hall of LCC International University.
On the occasion of the event, former President of the Austrian Parliament Professor Alfred Gerstl presented the people of Klaipeda with a unique collection of original photographs of his protégé, then Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as a documentary film depicting Schwarzenegger’s life journey and athletic career.
The photographs were displayed in an exhibition held on the premises of LCC International University, while the documentary film was screened for the large audience gathered to watch the competition.
The official opening ceremony was attended by members of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, representatives of national and municipal institutions, and other distinguished guests. The event was filmed by a production crew from the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), which had arrived from Vilnius.
During the 2008 “Amber Prix” tournament, both living and deceased veterans were honored. After the competition, heads of foreign delegations visited the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania and the Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Lithuania, and also attended a press conference held at the ELTA news agency.
On the occasion of the event, a historical trilingual magazine (10,000 copies) and 3,000 copies of the competition DVD were published. These materials were distributed free of charge at various international events around the world.
A total of 293 athletes from 21 countries participated in the event: Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, and Ukraine.
OVERALL CHAMPIONS
Women's Overall Champion: Jamila Vanessa Toledo (Argentina)
Men's Overall Champion: Darius Buksnaitis (Lithuania)
1976–1977 “AMBER PRIX” TOURNAMENTS.
THE FIRST PUBLIC BODYBUILDING COMPETITIONS IN THE USSR AFTER THE BAN.
In 1976, Edmundas Daubaras organized the “Amber Prix” tournament together with the “Zemaitija Cup” in the city of Telsiai, Lithuania. The strength events were held in one of the city’s schools, while the physique presentation program took place at the Telsiai Culture Palace. These competitions became the first publicly held bodybuilding contest in the Soviet Union after bodybuilding had been officially banned.
At that time, bodybuilding in the USSR was prohibited and actively persecuted by Soviet authorities. Nevertheless, Edmundas Daubaras succeeded in convincing the administration of the Culture Palace that the event violated no regulations. The competition was openly advertised to local residents, and the hall was filled with spectators. Organizing such an event involved considerable personal risk, but the tournament proceeded successfully and without consequences from the authorities.
Athletes from Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Siauliai participated in the event.
Winners of the 1976 Tournament
Junior Group Winners
• Rimas Apulskis
• Stasys Stanius
• Rimas Cesaitis
Youth Group Winners
• Antanas Basermanas
• Aimontas Dolgichas
• Evaldas Sorius
Adult Group Winners
• Valentinas Vandys
• Risardas Krinickis
Overall Champions
• Rimas Apulskis
• Evaldas Sorius
• Rišardas Krinickis
For comparison, an international bodybuilding event held in Kaunas the same year took place secretly in a factory cultural hall outside the city and without spectators. Another international bodybuilding competition organized in Kalinin (now Tver, RSFSR) was officially prohibited by authorities, yet athletes still staged the contest in a tiny local sports club as an act of protest. Only a small circle of supporters attended.
In 1976, while training at the Vilnius “Viktorija” club, Edmundas Daubaras met lawyer Grigorij Leonov, who had just graduated from the Faculty of Law at Vilnius University and had been appointed as a people’s judge in Klaipėda.
After Grigorij Leonov moved to Klaipeda, Edmundas Daubaras persuaded him to assume leadership of the city’s bodybuilding movement. The reasoning was practical: a judge’s position opened doors among city officials and made it easier to establish legal opportunities for athletes. While Edmundas Daubaras continued to manage organizational matters, Grigorij Leonov worked on creating legitimate legal foundations for bodybuilding activities in Klaipeda.
In 1977, the “Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation” was officially registered under the Klaipeda City Sports Committee. This was an unprecedented development in the entire Soviet Union. Although bodybuilding remained banned throughout the USSR, Klaipeda now had an officially functioning bodybuilding federation. It remained the only legally operating bodybuilding federation in the Soviet Union until 1987, when the USSR Bodybuilding Federation was established under the USSR Ministry of Sports.
By legal means, all unofficial bodybuilding clubs in Klaipeda were closed, leaving only three clubs operating under the federation:
• “Gintaras” — headed by Edmundas Daubaras
• “Satrija” — headed by Sigitas Vilutis
• “Alksnyne” — headed by Oleg Serov
The public competitions in Telsiai caused a sensation throughout the Soviet bodybuilding community. Many were astonished that such an event could take place openly. The leader of bodybuilding in the Estonian SSR, Innar Mardo (1945–2002), sent a letter of support to Edmundas Daubaras and promoted the “Amber Prix” tournament in Czechoslovak sports publications.
Encouraged by the success in Telsiai, Edmundas Daubaras, assisted by his father Vytautas Daubaras, organized the 1977 “Amber Prix” tournament at the Klaipeda Seaport Culture Palace. This event featured only physique presentation categories without strength exercises. Once again, the tournament was public, and local athletes personally spread information about the competition among supporters. The hall was filled with enthusiastic spectators.
Athletes from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda participated in the 1977 tournament, which further strengthened Lithuania’s role as the center of unofficial Soviet bodybuilding during the years of prohibition.
1977 “Amber Prix” Tournament
In 1977, Edmundas Daubaras organized the public “Amber Prix” bodybuilding tournament at the Klaipeda Seaport Culture Palace. Athletes from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda participated in the competition. The hall was full of spectators invited by the athletes and their supporters. These contests became one of the first public bodybuilding events in the Soviet Union after the sport had been officially banned.
Junior Division
First Height Category
1st place – Viaceslav Chleborodov (Vilnius)
2nd place – Edvardas Burba (Klaipėda)
3rd place – Rimas Apulskis (Klaipėda)
Second Height Category
1st place – Boris Dolgov (Vilnius)
2nd place – Benas Uckus (Kaunas)
3rd place – Nikolajus Kuznecovas (Vilnius)
Third Height Category
1st place – Stepan Nevera (Vilnius)
2nd place – Evaldas Sorius (Klaipėda)
3rd place – Edvardas Miseniovas (Kaunas)
Adult Division
First Height Category
1st place – Algimantas Kersulis (Vilnius)
2nd place – Vytautas Daubaras (Vilnius)
3rd place – Jonas Zurauskas (Kaunas)
Second Height Category
1st place – Kestutis Petrosius (Vilnius)
2nd place – Risardas Krinickis (Vilnius)
3rd place – Stasys Maksimovas (Kaunas)
Third Height Category
1st place – Stasys Cukanovas (Vilnius)
2nd place – Albertas Besakirskas (Kaunas)
3rd place – Vytautas Zenkevicius (Klaipėda)
Overall Winners
Junior Division – Borisas Dolgovas
Adult Division – Stasys Cukanovas
THE 1977 STRUGGLE AGAINST THE POLITICAL DECISIONS OF THE USSR AUTHORITIES.
1977: THE INTENSIFICATION OF BODYBUILDING PERSECUTION IN THE USSR
In 1977, Edmundas Daubaras once again travelled to the Czechoslovak SSR for two months under a university exchange program. The sports activity program was similar to that of previous years and included meetings with the President of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation, Vojtech Fiala, as well as with the federation’s vice-president, Professor Frantisek Bulva.
Seeking to demonstrate loyalty to their government, the Czechoslovak officials organized a meeting for Edmundas Daubaras, as a representative of Soviet bodybuilding, with the leadership of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Sports. At that time, the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation already had its own office within the ministry, where the federation’s secretary, the well-known bodybuilder Peter Tlapak, was working.
Vojtech Fiala also arranged Edmundas Daubaras’ visit to the national Olympic training center located in a mountain resort area. At that time, members of the national bodybuilding team were preparing there for the World Championships. Meetings and discussions took place with athletes and coaches.
Later, Edmundas Daubaras visited the city of Brno, where Professor Frantisek Bulva organized two meetings of the Council of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding Federation. Edmundas Daubaras attended these meetings as a guest and delivered a presentation on the situation of bodybuilding in the USSR.
1977: THE INTENSIFICATION OF BODYBUILDING PERSECUTION IN THE USSR
In 1977, the persecution of bodybuilding in the USSR intensified even further. The USSR Ministry of Sports issued directives calling for stricter measures against bodybuilding, and the sports ministries of the Soviet republics repeated and actively enforced these orders. At the same time, a coordinated campaign against bodybuilding began in the Soviet press. Particularly aggressive criticism came from journalist Dmitry Ivanov of the newspaper Sovietsky Sport. As pressure mounted, nearly all prominent bodybuilding organizers throughout the USSR fell silent.
Refusing to accept the situation and drawing inspiration from the examples he had witnessed in Czechoslovakia, Edmundas Daubaras began corresponding with the editorial office of Sovietsky Sport, the USSR Weightlifting Federation, and officials of the USSR Ministry of Sports. However, these efforts produced no positive results.
At the end of 1977, Edmundas Daubaras, together with the best bodybuilders of the city, took part in the “Georg Tenno Memorial” held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It was one of the most prestigious bodybuilding competitions in the USSR at the time. The most successful performance came from Patras Stanius, who won third place in the junior category.
You can find more information on international site www.wff.lt
OVER ALL WINNERS OF THE “AMBER PRIX” TOURNAMENT
(1967–2026)
MEN
Year – Name, Country
2026 – Gražvydas Naruševičius, Republic of Lithuania
2025 – Simonas Liubeckis (Scymon Lubecki), Republic of Poland
2024 – Rahul Joshi, Republic of India
2023 – Aleksei Lapshin (Алексей Лапшин), Republic of Estonia
2022 – Vasiliy Bespalenko, Republic of Ukraine
2021 – Artur Kameniak (Artur Kamieniak), Republic of Poland
2020 – Maros Kanaš, Slovak Republic
2019 – Golap Rabha, Republic of India
2018 – Aleksandr Sakharov (Александр Сахаров), Republic of Kazakhstan
2017 – Maros Kanaš, Slovak Republic
2016 – Jörg Fuchs, Federal Republic of Germany
2015 – Ahmadi Arash, Islamic Republic of Iran
2014 – Andrei Rumyantsev (Андрей Румянцев), Republic of Estonia
2013 – Andrzej Brzezinski, Republic of Poland
2012 – Pir Sarandib Mehdi, Islamic Republic of Iran
2011 – Naftej Singh, Republic of India
2010 – Dharmender Singh, Republic of India
2009 – Aleksandr Shchogolev (Александр Щёголев), Russian Federation
2008 – Darius Bukšnaitis, Republic of Lithuania
2007 – Aleksandr Shevtsov (Александр Шевцов), Republic of Estonia
2006 – Aleksandr Liubomirov (Александр Любомиров), Republic of Latvia
2005 – Ivan Sergeev (Иван Сергеев), Russian Federation
2004 – Aleksandr Maslovsky (Александр Масловский), Republic of Latvia
2003 – Aivars Vysockis, Republic of Latvia
2002 – Radik Manafov (Радик Манафов), Republic of Lithuania
2001 – Aleksandr Maslovsky, Republic of Latvia
2000 – Radik Manafov, Republic of Lithuania
1999 – Darius Bukšnaitis, Republic of Lithuania
1998 – Ričardas Gurskas, Republic of Lithuania
1997 – Rolandas Pocius, Republic of Lithuania
1996 – Algirdas Kilčiauskas, Republic of Lithuania
1995 – Sergey Ogorodnikov (Сергей Огородников), Russian Federation
1994 – Algirdas Kilčiauskas, Republic of Lithuania
1991 – Olegas Žuras, Republic of Lithuania
1990 – Olegas Žuras, USSR
1989 – Viktoras Jucys, Lithuanian SSR
1988 – Viktoras Jucys, Lithuanian SSR
1987 – Viktoras Jucys, Lithuanian SSR
1986 – Rolandas Bučinskas, Lithuanian SSR
1985 – Algirdas Ivanauskas, Lithuanian SSR
1984 – Vincas Dubickas, Lithuanian SSR
1983 – Vincas Dubickas, Lithuanian SSR
1982 – Eugenijus Gorelikas (Yevgeniy Gorelik), Lithuanian SSR
1981 – Saulius Misevičius, Lithuanian SSR
1980 – Vladas Kapcevičius, Lithuanian SSR
1979 – Olev Annus, Estonian SSR
1978 – Olev Annus, Estonian SSR
1977 – Stasys Cukanovas, Lithuanian SSR
1976 – Rišardas Krinickis, Lithuanian SSR
1975 – Rišardas Krinickis, Lithuanian SSR
1974 – Vytautas Zenkevičius, Lithuanian SSR
1970 – Antanas Mineikis, Lithuanian SSR
1969 – Antanas Mineikis, Lithuanian SSR
1968 – Leonas Pivoriūnas, Lithuanian SSR
1967 – Klemensas Alšauskas, Lithuanian SSR
OVER ALL WINNERS OF THE “AMBER PRIX” TOURNAMENT
(1990–2026)
WOMEN
Year – Name, Country
2026 – Jasmin Norgard, Kingdom of Denmark
2025 – Olga Bogač (Olga Bogacz), Republic of Poland
2024 – Jelena Ivanova, Republic of Latvia
2023 – Vilma Povilonienė, Republic of Lithuania
2022 – Anna Sobolewska Kucharska, Republic of Poland
2021 – Hanna Skytta, Republic of Finland
2020 – Hanna Skytta, Republic of Finland
2019 – Moumita Mazumder, Republic of India
2018 – Nerina Broggia, Argentine Republic
2017 – Halina Halavei, Republic of Cyprus
2016 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2015 – Marina Vlasova, Russian Federation
2014 – Aleksandra Sorokina Kukreš, Republic of Lithuania
2013 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2012 – Valentina Kozlovskaya, Republic of Belarus
2011 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2010 – Vera Vlasova, Russian Federation
2009 – Alina Isidorova, Republic of Latvia
2008 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2007 – Jelena Frenkel, State of Israel
2006 – Jolanta Mileriūtė, Republic of Lithuania
2005 – Olga Yakovleva, Russian Federation
2004 – Svetlana Borisova, Republic of Latvia
2003 – Svetlana Pugachyova, Russian Federation
2002 – Lilija Degutienė, Republic of Lithuania
2001 – Viktorija Glagoleva, Russian Federation
2000 – Marina Burinskaya, Republic of Latvia
1999 – Simona Misevičienė, Republic of Lithuania
1998 – Simona Misevičienė, Republic of Lithuania
1997 – Simona Misevičienė, Republic of Lithuania
1996 – Idalija Kaminskaitė, Republic of Lithuania
1995 – Tatiana Kovalko, Republic of Belarus
1994 – Idalija Kaminskaitė, Republic of Lithuania
1991 – Natalija Murnikovienė, Republic of Lithuania
1990 – Natalija Murnikovienė, Republic of Lithuania
The 2017 “Amber Prix” Tournament. 50 years of this contest.
The international fitness and bodybuilding tournament “Amber Prix,” held in Klaipėda in 2017, was remarkable not only for its high sporting standards but also for a significant historical milestone—the celebration of the tournament’s 50th anniversary. Over half a century, the “Amber Prix” has become one of the oldest and most prestigious fitness and bodybuilding events in Europe and an integral part of Lithuania’s sporting history.
In the same year, the World Amateur and Professional Championships were held in Kaunas, Lithuania, while the European Championships took place in Germany. In 2017, India hosted the international WFF–WBBF “World Grand Prix” tournament and the 6th Asian Championship.
The jubilee tournament in Klaipėda attracted exceptional international attention. Through the mediation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, the global television network CNN broadcast a report about the event to an audience of billions worldwide. Following the competition, an official reception for the heads of foreign delegations was organized at the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.
198 athletes from 17 countries participated in the 2017 tournament: Belgium, Belarus, Estonia, Germany, India, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Cyprus. The international composition of the participants once again confirmed the tournament’s high standing within the global fitness and bodybuilding community.
Competitors took part in Fit-Kids, Aerobic Fitness, Fitness Model, Bikini, Figure, Sports Fitness, Muscle Model, Body Athletic, and Bodybuilding divisions. Athletes competed in various age, height, weight, and performance categories.
The overall winners of the 2017 “Amber Prix” Tournament were Halina Halavei of Cyprus and Maros Kanasz of Slovakia. Their victories crowned one of the most impressive editions of the tournament, further strengthening Klaipėda’s reputation as an important international center of fitness and bodybuilding.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
International “Amber Prix”: Athletes from Every Continent – Is There Another Event Like It in the World?
From 1967 to 2027, the International “Amber Prix” athletics meeting welcomed athletes from 52 countries representing all inhabited continents of the world.
Throughout the history of the competition, athletes from the following countries participated (in alphabetical order):
Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Poland.
The majority of participants came from European countries; however, over six decades the “Amber Prix” evolved from a Baltic regional event into a bodybuilding and fitness competition of global significance. Athletes from Asia, Africa, North and South America, as well as Australia and Oceania, competed in the meeting.
In total, participating athletes represented:
• Europe – 30 countries;
• Asia – 10 countries;
• Africa – 4 countries;
• North America – 2 countries;
• South America – 6 countries;
• Australia and Oceania – 1 country.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Over its 60-year history, the International “Amber Prix” has brought together athletes from all inhabited continents of the world.
2. With participants from 52 countries, it ranks among the most international events held in Lithuania.
3. While Europe was the most strongly represented continent, athletes from Asia, the Americas, and Africa also made a significant contribution to the event’s international character.
4. The competition has played an important role in promoting the name of Lithuania and the city of Klaipeda within the international athletics community.
5. The “Amber Prix” has become a valuable platform for international sporting cooperation and the exchange of athletic excellence.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
Klaipeda City Municipality
Over the past six decades, the “Gintarinis Prizas” (Amber Prix) tournament has become an inseparable part of Klaipeda’s sports and cultural history, closely associated with Klaipeda City Municipality. Consistent municipal support, cooperation, and attention to sports initiatives have enabled the event to grow, strengthen, and become a significant competition that promotes the name of Klaipeda and Lithuania worldwide.
Even during difficult periods, including the years of bodybuilding restrictions in the USSR (1973–1987), the municipality’s mediation and support were of crucial importance. In 1977, the Klaipeda Bodybuilding Federation was established in the city, becoming the only legal bodybuilding organization in the USSR at that time. Through it, connections were maintained with international bodybuilding federations and well-known athletes.
Thanks to the municipality, the “Amber Prix” competitions were hosted in the city’s most prestigious venues – the Zvejų Culture Palace, the former City Culture Palace (now the Klaipeda State Music Theatre), the Klaipeda Drama Theatre, and the Concert Hall. This allowed the tournament to develop not only as a sporting event but also as a cultural phenomenon.
Today, as we mark the 60th anniversary of the “Amber Prix” we celebrate together with the Klaipeda City Municipality and the entire city community, recognizing a long-standing partnership, shared contribution, and a common commitment to promoting Klaipeda worldwide.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
