Starty Nadezhd skiing competitions in Krasnaya Polyana
Overview
Photos
On February 16–19 Gazprom's Mountain Tourist Center in Krasnaya Polyana hosted very special guests – more than 130 alpine skiers from 8 to 11 years old competed for the title of the best skier of the Starty Nadezhd national competitions. The participants came from Karachay-Cherkessia and Tatarstan, the Krasnodar Territory, the Moscow and Murmansk Regions, Yekaterinburg, Magnitogorsk, Miass, Moscow, Samara, Saint Petersburg, Ufa and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk; and, of course, young alpine skiers from Sochi took part in competitions.
It was the third time Starty Nadezhd competitions took place on this piste, the first time being in 2010. The competitions are sponsored by the Grand Hotel Polyana five-star resort complex, which is a part of Gazprom’s Mountain Tourist Center.
Starting with this year, Starty Nadezhd are included into the official schedule of the Russian Alpine Skiing and Snowboard Federation (RASSF) and hold the official status of the national competitions. Svetlana Gladysheva, President of RASSF became the Honorary Judge of the competitions in 2012.
On February 17, the first day of the competitions, the weather was wonderful – it was sunny, windless and a bit frosty providing perfect snow for skiing.
First races started at about noon and finished approximately at 6 o'clock in the evening. During that time the participants made two attempts of making the best time in 500-meter slalom.
Moreover, they had enough time to actively root for their friends and be distressed for those who hadn't made it to the leaders.
Passions were overwhelming! There were tears and falls, some fell out of the race, some, on the contrary, improved their results and received congratulations from relatives and coaches. In other words, it was the same as in 'adult' sport.
On February 18, the second day of the competitions, the weather changed a little, as mist overspread the mountains. But the conditions were sufficient for holding the 350-meter giant slalom race.
Once again there had been a surge of rooters' emotions and close sports competition, and by the end of the day the top-list was finally decided.
16 participants took medal places in their age group (for the list of awardees and winners), the places in the overall ranking are as follows: first place – Moscow, Russian Alpine Skiing School Stolitsa, second place – Moscow, Nagornaya Sports School (Sports Club Kant), third place – Saint Petersburg. All the participants were awarded souvenirs and memorable gifts. A show program and a performance by the Moscow band ZNAKI closed the Starty Nadezhd competitions.
Gazprom website Editorial Board