Kazan ready to host 5th WUC Canoe Sprint

The brand new rowing center

KAZAN – Past weekend was especially busy for a number of functional areas within the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate as participants of the 5th World University Canoe Sprint Championship – one of the test events in the run-up to the 27th Summer Universiade – started arriving in the host city of the upcoming 2013 Games.

Employees involved in the Accreditation functional area were among the first to begin their work at the test event. The accreditation centre is situated in Kazan’s Tennis Academy and 12 operators – less than half of them are volunteers – are involved in its work. Apart from athletes, umpires and members of official delegations, the entire staff engaged in delivering the test event – including the organisers and volunteers – must undertake the accreditation process. It’s worth mentioning that up to 2,000 people – almost half of the total number of applicants – got their accreditation badges. If all submitted application data are correct, the procedure takes only a few minutes. The accreditation process for athletes is more complicated, which is conditioned by FISU’s International Control Commission (CIC).

Accreditation in full swing

The weekend was also ‘action-packed’ for the Kazan 2013 transport team: staff and volunteers provided ‘meet and greet’ services to athletes and members of official delegations at the Kazan International Airport and railway station and transported them to their places of accommodation. The staff in charge of the Transportation functional area organised the moving of Brazil and Japan’s national teams from their hotel to the Universiade Village and held tours of the Rowing Centre for the official delegations that had already arrived in Kazan. 15 pieces of the Kazan 2013 fleet (3 tourist class buses, 8 microbuses and 4 light motor vehicles) were put into operation and tested.

Participants are welcomed at the airport

Athletes and members of official delegations will be accommodated in the Universiade Village. Three meals per day will be provided at the Tennis Academy located in close proximity to the athletes’ place of residence. Additional catering staff and cooks, as well as volunteers and administrators will be recruited to assist the employees of Kazan 2013’s Food Unit at the Tennis Academy. Apart from traditional meals, athletes will be also treated to vegetarian and halal food.

A total of 163 athletes, 46 members of official delegations from 18 countries of the world have submitted entry forms to the 2012 FISU WUC Canoe Sprint organising committee. The Canoe Sprint events kick off on August 29th at 10 a.m. in the Rowing Centre. The admission is free to all spectators.

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)