Student Ice Hockey League partners with 2019 Winter Universiade

KRASNOYARSK – A cooperation agreement has been signed between the Executive Directorate of the 2019 Winter Universiade and the Student Hockey League as part of the preparation process for the event, which will take place in 2019, as Konstantin Gureev, Adviser Director General of the Executive Directorate of the Winter Universiade 2019, told the press at a press conference in Krasnoyarsk today.

“Cooperation between two large sports unions will be geared toward popularizing sport among students, developing volunteer movement, and holding global sports events in Krasnoyarsk,” Mr. Gureev said. “The mission of the International University Sports Federation includes not only holding the Winter Universiade 2019, but also developing sports that have been included in the event programme. We are confident that this is just a start on our way to the goal; in the near future, promotion efforts when it comes to sports among young people will increase dramatically, as most universities will join the process,”  said Konstantin Gureev.

Another topic discussed at the press conference was the 2nd Championship of the Student Ice Hockey League, which is being held at Rassvet Stadium in Krasnoyarsk. University teams from across Siberia are taking part in the Championship. The SFU team from Krasnoyarsk will play with the team of the Yugra State University (Khanty-Mansiysk). More than 120 teams from 32 regions of the country will take part in the competition.

“We are very happy that the Championship will start here in Krasnoyarsk and that the traditions of student ice hockey are being established here. We plan to hold the Student Hockey Challenge, the first International Student Ice Hockey Championship next year. This event will be one of test events of the Winter Universiade 2019, with best players coming to us. We expect it to turn into a real festival of student sport,” – said Anton Khramtsov, Managing Director of the Student Hockey League.

Vladimir Kolmakov, Vice-Rector and Director of the Institute of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism of SFU, expressed the hope that students of the Siberian Federal University will represent Russia at the Winter Universiade 2019: “We would like our students to defend the honor of our country here in Krasnoyarsk during Winter Universiade 2019. Another goal is to attract to our University as many children who play ice hockey as possible. We would like them to come to SFU where they will be able to study and play ice hockey at the same time.”

At the end of the press conference, Alexander Bliznevsky, member of the Executive Committee of the Russian Students Sport Union accentuated that “the Student Ice Hockey League is one of the new leagues created in the Russian Students Sport Union (RSSU), which has been cooperating actively with sports federations, developing youth sport in Russia.”

(Source: Krasnoyarsk 2019 OC)