Vice-President of Federation of sailing: yachting is not so expensive

City championship regatta will be held in St. Petersburg from 31 August to 1 September and from 7 to 8 September. It is expected that it will participate in more than 500 sailors, not counting windsurfers.

Sergey Alekseev

In anticipation of the start of the championship, as well as on the status and development of sailing in the Northern capital and whether the roads are actually sailing said the President of the St. Petersburg sailing Union, Vice-President of the Russian national sailing Federation Sergey Alexeev.

Let's start with the history of the Championship of the city.

For more than 50 years in early September in St. Petersburg is traditionally held the city championship in sailing is one of the most prestigious sailing events. It is conducted among adult boaters, more than 70 yachts, and, considering that each yacht at least six people of the crew, it is expected more than 500 athletes. We will have two distances: for large cruising yachts, and in parallel for sailing boards, windsurfers.

The first will compete in the yacht classes "the Dragon", "Cybertonic", "Tsetus", "Open 800", "ORC", "ORC Sportboat", "L-6", "SB20" and others. Sailing boards also expected a lot – about a hundred; just Windsurfing competitions will be presented in three classes: national, formula, slalom.

Tell us a little about Sailing Union, the history of its founding and present state.

Sailing Union was created in 1910. Its creation was preceded by the rapid development of yachting around the world: sailing was included in the Olympic program, and in St. Petersburg has already worked for several yacht clubs. By the way, the first yacht club in St. Petersburg was created 2 years before the first English yacht club. And our sailboats in the early twentieth century won a bronze medal at the Olympics!

Today, the main objectives are to defend the interests of boaters, interaction with authorities and business structures, competition, cooperation with sailing organizations in Russia and abroad. We register yachts, educate boaters, we have a technical Commission to prepare a boat for racing and sailing.

In addition to the adult and Olympic, we are actively engaged in paddling and sailing: under sail now goes to only 300 children. We want to increase this figure to 2 000. In addition, we carry out various sea holidays (for example, in the Peter and Paul Fortress in July of this year), as well as sailing regattas.

St. Petersburg sailing Union is accredited by the Committee on physical culture and sport of the Government of St. Petersburg and is a collective member of all-Russian sailing Federation and its representative in Saint-Petersburg.

Who can become a member of the Union?

Any person who loves sailing and wants to sail a yacht, to improve their skills. Maybe he has a boat, maybe he goes to the team, and maybe he has no experience, but he wants to learn. Currently we have about 400 members, but I think that soon the figure will double. The sport is becoming more popular, we are actively children and young people.

What are the benefits of membership in the Union?

What? To be informed of news, participate in competitions, to level, to communicate with other sailors to travel around the world. In addition, the Union is a kind of "party". Because we have, and celebrations are held, and guitar songs, and meetings on the Islands. It's romantic, it's – knowledge of the world, because the boat people are not the only one in the Baltic, and wherever there is the sea.

In Petersburg sailing yet in its infancy. What, in Your opinion, is it connected?

Where did You get such a thing? I don't think that it is in its infancy. Yes, during the perestroika sailing in St. Petersburg suffered heavy losses. But now we are working on its revival. We have about 3,000 people have been sailing. There are yachtsmen stunning qualifications.

The number of course, we concede the same in Finland: every third Finnish family has a boat. But there is made at the state level: even in ordinary schools have sailing lessons.

Now in Russia there are many problems that hinder people to get a boat registration issue with obtaining the rights, poorly developed infrastructure, many of the customs restrictions on swimming. For example, I have 40 years of yacht experience, but now, in connection with re-registration, I have to prove that I am able to control the boat!

At what age we should start sailing to become a professional?

In children's sports schools we have attended in 8 years. But, in my opinion, the best age to start is 14 years. Although, many of the 14 years have become true masters, even the Olympic riders. But age is limitless – a and 80 go on the boats so that the young do not catch up!

I started sailing with in 27 years. There are no limits! People come to us and 30, and 40 and older.

It is believed that sailing is expensive. How expensive?

Is not too expensive. There are yacht clubs where to begin sailing-free, especially for children. For example, River yacht club of trade unions on Petrovsky spit. In addition, in the paid children's sports schools there are free places, but even for the money — 3-5 thousand rubles per month; it's cheaper than a fitness club.

Adults can also join join any team. Much of a burden it will not be about the same money. The main thing — to understand, whether you sailing, and what place do you want to take. And realizing this, will become clear from the further costs.

A lot of women in sailing?

Initially in the Soviet Union sailing was mixed, in other words, had both male and female standings. But in the 60-ies of the last century women's championship was canceled. Not something that would have expelled the women, no. Just allow women to race with men on an equal footing. This led to the fact that by the 80s women's sail was worth its weight in gold. In 1984, the women's team have returned, and the gender difference began to decrease to about 70/30 men/women. (It was necessary to train the teams to complete, but not all classes were available for female crews.)

Now to talk about some exact figures are hard statistics are not centrally maintained, but the ratio in children's sport is about the same — 75/25. In cruising sail around 60/40. Some yacht 50/50.

And the last question. What are the prospects for the development of sailing in St. Petersburg?

Prospects, of course. This is the construction of new yacht clubs to replace missing and upgrade existing ones. The increase in the number engaged in all kinds of sailing. Participate in the development of new legislation in the field of recreational craft navigation and specifically the sports of sailing ships. The inclusion of sailing in the basic sports in St. Petersburg. We want Petersburg was worthy of his title of the sea capital of Russia.

Source: "RIA Novosti"