Medeu high-mountain skating rink
Medeu high-mountain skating rink is opening its 40th winter season on October 1, chief administrator of Medeu Aleksandr Goncharov told Tengrinews.kz. Mass skating will be available Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. with 2-hour breaks for ice cleaning. Prices will stay the same as in previous season, but membership cards are going to be introduced for frequent visitors. Besides, the visitors will get to see animators, who will work on weekends and organize different competitions for children. According to Goncharov, the main task for the new season is to prepare for the 32nd World Bandy Championship to be held in January-February next year. 18 teams from different countries will take part in the tournament. “The skating rink will host such a major event for the first time in 20 years of independence. That's why we are expecting a lot of tourists and hockey fans,” Goncharov said. The rink will be closed for mass skating during the Championship. A pilot tournament - International Bandy Championship of Almaty Akim (Mayor) - will be held on October 21-22. National teams of Sweden and Russia that hold the largest number of medals in bandy will take part in this competition. Entrance will be free of charge for everyone willing to watch the competition. This year is an anniversary year for the “records shop”: that is what Medeu was called by the best ice skaters of the world. Water froze up for the first time in Medeu 60 years ago. By Vladimir Prokopenko
Medeu high-mountain skating rink is opening its 40th winter season on October 1, chief administrator of Medeu Aleksandr Goncharov told Tengrinews.kz.
Mass skating will be available Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. with 2-hour breaks for ice cleaning. Prices will stay the same as in previous season, but membership cards are going to be introduced for frequent visitors. Besides, the visitors will get to see animators, who will work on weekends and organize different competitions for children.
According to Goncharov, the main task for the new season is to prepare for the 32nd World Bandy Championship to be held in January-February next year. 18 teams from different countries will take part in the tournament. “The skating rink will host such a major event for the first time in 20 years of independence. That's why we are expecting a lot of tourists and hockey fans,” Goncharov said. The rink will be closed for mass skating during the Championship.
A pilot tournament - International Bandy Championship of Almaty Akim (Mayor) - will be held on October 21-22. National teams of Sweden and Russia that hold the largest number of medals in bandy will take part in this competition. Entrance will be free of charge for everyone willing to watch the competition.
This year is an anniversary year for the “records shop”: that is what Medeu was called by the best ice skaters of the world. Water froze up for the first time in Medeu 60 years ago.
By Vladimir Prokopenko