Opening of Summer Season Traditional Track and Field Relay Race

Saint-Petersburg
April 30, 2006

The Opening of Inline Speedskating Season in Russia starts from competitions in Saint-Petersburg. The race took place already for the second time on the main square of the city - Palace Square, near the Hermitage.

The participation of inline skaters in this race become possible with the help of Mr. Mikhail Kochetkov from Saint Petersburg Track and Field Federation, Rollersport Federation, Russia League of Speedskating and Team «Omega».

In 2005 eleven teams participated in this race. This year there was one team more. Each team consists of 6 persons with different level of skating. There were 6 stages: 1500 m, 1480 m, 1480 m, 1650 m, 830 m and 500 m.

The race went by the circle through the places in the center of Saint-Petersburg : Palace square – Pevcheskaya Square – Moika embankment – Aptekarskiy Pereulok – Millionnaja street – Palace square

Difference in stages length allowed to use tactical struggle and make the Relay Race very interesting for spectators.

The winners of the race becomes «Ice Team», which includes members of Omega Team and Ice speedskaters. They cover the distance of 7 km and 440 m during 16 minutes and 32 seconds. Second was team “Alrternativa”, third – Team “Aurora”

This competitions gave the choice for sportsmen to estimate their readiness before the race on may 9, 2006 “Bereg Muzhestvennih” in Sosnovij Bor (Leningrad Region ) and became an impulse for “borning” of new teams