Rollerski from A to B - a film documenting Raimonds Dombrovski's roller ski from the arctic to Baja.

Adventure Film Documenting Roller Ski from Arctic to Baja. In Bethel April 14th, 2024

Latvia-born adventurer and Olympic biathlete Raimonds Dombrovskis will be on hand to introduce a screening of the film “A to B Rollerski”, on Sunday, April 14th, 6:00 p.m. at McLaughlin Auditorium at Gould Academy.  The film documents his incredible and unique journey in 1988 as he roller-skis 4,200 miles from the Arctic Circle to Baja, Mexico in 90 days.  Admission is free, but donations to Bethel Outing Club, the event sponsor, to support youth Nordic ski programs are welcome.

The film is the story of an athlete who emigrates from the USSR to the US in the 1970's at the age of 17 and becomes a seven-time US champion in biathlon. He secures his place on Team USA at the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, but his dream is shattered as a sudden life threatening health condition forces him out of the competition shortly before the Olympics. 

Instead of giving up, Raimonds packs up his VW Westfalia van with canned soup and embarks on a 90-day roller ski trip from Inuvik, Canada, to Baja, Mexico. He's accompanied by his dog, Bucis, and his friend Martin, who drives the van and films the whole journey with a VHS camera. Raimonds uses his trip not only as a way to sort out his life but also as a way to protest the USSR and to promote the freedom of his native Latvia. Fast forward to 2014, and Raimonds, now an experienced adventure traveler in his 50's, retraces the same road trying to find the people he met in 1988 and reflecting on his life after his epic journey and the fall of the USSR.

Raimonds will introduce the film and be on hand to talk about his experience. “A to B” tee shirts in kids’ and most adult sizes will be available for purchase, and he will be donating one of olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall’s roller skis to the Bethel Outing Club as a fundraiser for youth Nordic skiing.