Vilnius proved again that despite their short legs, these tiny sprinters are anything but slow. This Saturday, Vilnius’ Vingis Park was the epicenter of corgi excitement as Welsh Pembroke and Cardigan corgis, their devoted owners from Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia, Ukraine, and thousands of dog lovers gathered for the much-anticipated “Corgi Race Vilnius 2024.”
This event is all about spending time with pets, connecting with fellow dog lovers, and enjoying the outdoors in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Building on the success of previous events in 2020 and 2023, the “Corgi Race Vilnius” attracted thousands of spectators, who cheered on their favorite four-legged competitors. This year’s event was larger than in previous years, with 100 dogs compared to around 60 last year. This time, almost half of the dogs that attended were from neighboring countries.
The event offered a variety of activities, including the new competition, the “Travel Panorama Corgi Solo Sprint,” where each competitor ran a separate track, racing to cover the distance in the shortest time. The winning sprinters, that crossed the finish line fastest, were Moka, Bruno, and Persikutė.
Those corgis who preferred to show their style rather than their speed attended the best costume contest. Spectators cheered as the top three contenders were crowned based on live online public voting, adding a playful twist to the day’s festivities. The attention-grabbing costumes were inspired by the unique height of corgis, as well as the breed’s cheerful character. Corgis impersonated Ed Sheeran, the Wolf dressed as Grandma, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, a bus, Corgi Dracula, a unicorn, Corgi Bolt, and many more.
The main event, “Corgi Race,” started by grouping the dogs by weight. The contenders competed in heats, semifinals, and the grand 50-meter sprint race. Vingis Park ensured everyone had a prime view to see the winning dogs. The park is a popular spot for gatherings and is especially loved by dog owners for its many walking trails and a special dog beach, located by the Neris River.
Reflecting on the day, event organizer Dovilė Bielousovaitė said, “These doggies might have raced with the shortest legs in town, but they proved that their hearts are as big as their competitive spirit. Their physical preparation and friendliness towards each other were truly impressive. With plenty of licks, sniffing, petting, treats, and fun, the races brought smiles to everyone. And I think that for the dogs it was the greatest walk in the park. And for humans, it brought lots happiness watching corgis wiggle their way to the finish line.”
The idea for a corgi race in Vilnius emerged when two friends, Vytenis Škarnulis and Edgaras Kitavičius, disagreed about which of their corgis, Džiugas or Bulka, was faster. They created a Facebook event for the first race in 2020, expecting around 10 corgis and 20-30 friends, but the event unexpectedly drew hundreds of people and 38 corgis.
