The “Fedor Konyukhov Cup” Youth Regatta Starts on Lake Turgoyak

On Lake Turgoyak in the Chelyabinsk Region, a Russian national youth sailing regatta called the “Fedor Konyukhov Explorer’s Regatta” is being held with “Optimist” and “Cadet” classes competing.

From 9 until 14 June 2019, a youth sailing regatta known as the “Fedor Konyukhov Explorer’s Regatta” is held with Optimist and Cadet Classes Competing, on Lake Turgoyak (in the city of Miass, Chelyabinsk Region) at the “Golden Beach Hotel and Club”.

The youth sailing regatta is in its eighth year.  It traditionally hosts about one hundred young sportspeople from Russia’s various regions.  As of this year, the regatta is a listed annual event on the Russian Ministry of Sports calendar.

Aleksandra Gubina, the General Director of the “Golden Beach Hotel and Club” says that “At the time of the Regatta, the Southern Urals’ Lake Turgoyak becomes a hotspot for competitors from all over the country.  “Golden Beach” prepares specially to hold this high-level event.  The regatta on the Turgoyak isn’t only about sport, as the facilities at the “Golden Beach” provide for entertainment, education and sightseeing opportunities for the competitors.  This year there will be a special workshop for Optimist competitors and coaches.  The seminar will be held by a member of the team of the Optimist class of Russia, one of the leading Russian coaches in this yachting class – Alexander Lazdin.

The presiding judge over the competition will be Vadim Mekhnikov, head judge of the Optimist Association of Russia, and the Vice President of the Russian Yachting Federation.

The awards ceremony will be attended by Fedor Konyukhov, who will conduct a number of meetings with the youth participants of the competition and the pupils of the “Fedor Konyukhov School of Explorers”.

On 9 May this year, Fedor Konyukhov completed an historic 154 day voyage aboard the rowboat “AKROS” across the Southern Ocean from the shores of New Zealand to the Drake Passage in Chile.  It was the first stage in his circumnavigatory expedition.

It is worth noting that the rowboat expeditions involving the rowboat “UralAz” (Atlantic Ocean crossing in 2002), the “Turgoyak” (Pacific Ocean crossing in 2014), and the “AKROS”

(Southern Ocean, Cape Horn 2019) were devised in Miass with the support of Uralians.  The rowboat “UralAz”, aboard which Fedor Konyukhov traversed the Atlantic over 46 days is currently on display in Miass.

This year Fedor will come to Miass to present medals to the winners and prizes to those who took part in the competition.  The medals will be made by goldsmiths at the workshop of the school of applied decorative arts, “LIK”.

The famous explorer, whose exploits have been followed by the world for many months, will meet with the competitors in the regatta in order to tell them the story of his passage of the Southern Ocean and to tell them of his plans for the future.

The traditional sponsor of the regatta is the oil and gas service company “AKROS”. The company supports other projects by Fedor Konyukhov, such as his artistic exhibitions, as well as his expeditions, including his circumnavigatory voyage through the Southern Ocean.