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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 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