It's better at home: Russian cross-country skiing championship starts in Syktyvkar

Sergey FuchsCorrespondent SportAll materialsThe Russian Cross-country Skiing Championship starts on Saturday in Syktyvkar. For Russian skiers suspended from international competitions, this is the last tournament in the busy calendar of the current season. The representation at the national championship this year is very serious. Alexander Bolshunov and Natalya Nepryaeva will start at the Republican Ski Complex named after Raisa Smetanina, who together won five gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. For various reasons, including injuries, the 2022 Games champions Sergey Ustyugov, Tatyana Sorina, Yulia Stupak and Veronika Stepanova will miss the competition in Syktyvkar.

Yulia StupakThe Russian Ski Championship has always been distinguished by a high turnout of the leaders of the national team. This factor began to take on increased importance after skiers were suspended from participation in international competitions. In March, the International Ski Federation, against the backdrop of the situation in Ukraine, first deprived Russia of the right to host the World Cup Final in Tyumen, and then decided not to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in competitions under the auspices of the organization. However, non-participation in the last races of the international season did not prevent Nepryaeva from winning the overall World Cup. «Physically, everyone was tired by the end of the season, it always was. Plans for the Russian Championship will not change in any way, regardless of whether we have an international next season or not. This is a mandatory program. Everyone who is healthy is obliged to compete in the Russian Championship,» said Elena Vyalbe, head of the Russian Ski Racing Federation. The national championship in Syktyvkar will end on April 4. Medals will be awarded in the freestyle sprint and team sprint, skiathlon, 10 km and 15 km freestyle races, classic relay races, as well as 30 km and 50 km mass starts.