I.Metshin: “The most important marker is a huge number of children and adults at the sports grounds”

In the new winter season, 32 sporting and mass participation events in nine sports are planned in Kazan: hockey, skiing, winter fishing and triathlon, ski orienteering, snow football, speed skating, figure skating and ice climbing. It is expected that they will unite about 30 thousand lovers of sport. Albert Salikhov, chairman of the Committee of physical culture and sports, told more about the upcoming events and the readiness of the city's sports infrastructure for winter today at the Business Monday at the Executive Committee of Kazan.

In winter 19 skating rinks with rental stores of more than 3 thousand skates will work in Kazan

This winter season the skate rental stores will open at 9 indoor and 10 outdoor rinks. Two ice rinks with artificial ice – at the stadiums “Raketa” and “Trudovye Rezervy” - were the first to start work this year. Also, a rink at the stadium “Motor” is ready. Presently, one half of the skating rink at the Kremlin embankment is available for mass skating, the flood of the second will be completed soon, the speaker reported.

In addition, Kazan has a large number of up-to-date ice palaces, where training sessions of the sports schools are organized, as well as courses for mass skating are provided. One of them is the arena with artificial ice opened in 2019 at the residential area Yudino. The venue became a training ground for the trainees of the “Strela” sports school and a long-awaited place of leisure for the residents of the district.

“In the near future it is planned to complete the preparation of six more rinks: at the Field hockey Center, at the stadium “Tasma”, at the Park “Black lake” and on Dubravnaya street. Another ice rink will open at the “Khan's yard” on the territory of the Kazan Hippodrome on December 21, and in January 2020 – in the residential area Zalesny at the recreation center “Solnechny”, - said A.Salikhov and added that this year in Kazan will be opened 19 rinks with rental stores of more than 3 thousand skates.

In addition to the grounds for mass skating, 78 hockey rinks will start working. On 39 of them the ice is prepared. The speaker reminded that every year the tournament “Golden puck” is held at the hockey boxes.

More than 1600 skis will be available for Kazan citizens at 12 skiing centers

Besides, 8 illuminated ski runs will work in the city: at the Gorky Park, at the village of Derbyshki, at the Park “Kruliya Sovetov”, in the residential area Chebaksa, at the stadium “Lokomotiv” in Yudino, at Gorkinsko-Ometievsky forest, Central stadium and Victory Park. Ski rental will be arranged at 12 skiing centers.

“In Yudino, the first stage of reconstruction of the “Lokomotiv” stadium is being completed. For today, the sports complex has been renovated, construction of running tracks completed, as well as a roller track and a shooting range, purchased a new ratrack, which will help to prepare the ski runs at the professional level”, – reported the head of the sports Committee. This season, the first ski start is scheduled for December 29 – there will be competitions in cross-country skiing for the prizes of the Federation of cross-country skiing and biathlon of Kazan. The traditional Kazan ski marathon is scheduled for March 7, 2020.

In the residential area Nagorny 3 ski-jumps will operate for professional skiers, while for non-professionals will open a track with a lift. The center also offers ski equipment rental.

“Sports infrastructure has become a great legacy of the major events held in Kazan. Today it works for both professional and non-professional sports, it is a base for our national teams, and for children and youth sports schools,” said Ilsur Metshin, the mayor of Kazan. He also stressed the importance of the program of the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov on the organization of sports grounds at the residential areas. “Today we have managed to cover almost all parts of the capital-the sites have been developed in the yards and at schools. The most important marker is a huge number of children and adults, residents of nearby houses, at these sites”, - the mayor concluded.