Kazan will host another Test Event ahead of the 2013 Summer Universiade

KAZAN – Kazan gears up for yet another test event in the run-up to the 27th Summer Universiade. The Rhythmic Gymnastics Russian Cup and Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Group Championship will be held on November 12-16 in the Gymnastics Centre, Kazan.

It is expected that 38 teams from 35 regions of Russia will take part in the rhythmic gymnastics group competitions whereas the Russian Cup will bring together 36 gymnasts. All gymnasts that will embark on a quest to win medals in Kazan are scarcely older than 15 years. However, despite such a young age, they will compete among professionals in the individual and group routines using hand apparatus – a hoop, a ball, clubs and a ribbon. 

The competitions will take place in the Gymnastics Centre, one of the largest gymnastics complexes in Russia. The venue is most likely to become a home for the national rhythmic gymnastics junior team. The solemn opening ceremony and Day 1 of the competitions is scheduled for November 13. The tournaments will run for three days and come to a close on November 16. 

217 Volunteers to be trained for National Rhythmic Gymnastics Competitions

The training of 217 Kazan 2013 volunteers for this test event kicked off on October 31 in Kazan. On Day 1 of the orientation training event which was held in the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan a group of volunteers got acquainted with the history of the Universiade, test events held in the lead up to the 2013 Summer Universiade, basic principles of voluntary service and conduct of a Kazan 2013 volunteer. 

217 volunteers, including 2 volunteers of Izhevsk and 15 volunteers of Ulyanovsk, will be involved in the delivery of the national rhythmic gymnastics competitions. It is also worth noting that the forthcoming sporting events will test the operations of Ulyanovsk’s volunteers in a dress rehearsal scenario ahead of the 2013 Summer Universiade since recruits of this city will be assigned to the Gymnastics Centre at Games time. 

During the orientation meeting the volunteers were given an insight into the special features of rhythmic gymnastics and discovered more about each of the sporting events, including rules and regulations, official governing bodies, and athlete profiles. As mentioned earlier, 38 teams from across the country are expected to take part in the rhythmic gymnastics group competitions whereas the Russian Cup will bring together 36 gymnasts. It is anticipated that the competitions will also be attended by the President of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation Irina Viner-Usmanova. Daria Dmitrieva, the silver medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games will be among the favourites for gold. 

The orientation training of Kazan 2013 volunteers also provided an introduction to basics of media relations as volunteers steal the limelight increasingly often in the build-up to the Games. 

The volunteer training sessions will also feature general, job-specific and venue-specific trainings. The latter one will be held at the Gymnastics Centre, one of the largest gymnastics complexes in Russia.

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)