IRONSTAR in Kazan: ideal roads, cleaned Kazanka and even guests from Costa Rica
IRONSTAR tournament took place last weekend. On the eve of the competitions, businessman and co-founder of the project Vladimir Voloshin told Realnoe Vremya why participation fee at 10,000 rubles is not too much in fact, why he likes roads and water in Kazanka, how much time and money the preparation for 'iron' competitions takes and who of Tatarstan VIP decided to cover the distance.
IRONSTAR in Kazan with a 2-year delay
IRONSTAR Russian triathlon project appeared in late 2013. In 2014, competitions started to take place in indoor venues. IRONSTAR 'went out' in Sochi in 2015 for the first time. Vladimir Voloshin told it was the start of international triathlon competitions in Krasnodar Krai. Then IRONSTAR competitions were held in Kirov. Now it was turn of Kazan.
Curiously, the series of IRONSTAR tournaments were supposed to start in Kazan in the beginning. Voloshin told other organisers and he visited the capital of Tatarstan several times to have a look at the site. However, the sports timetable of the city did not allow to organise the tournament (the Universiade finished and Kazan was preparing for the FINA World Aquatics Championships). So the 'iron men' decided to postpone their appearance in Kazan.
'The site was ready in 2016. We have enough participants, even more than we can host,' the speaker noted.
Tougher distances than at Olympics
According to Voloshin, Kazan was the first city to host sprint and Half Ironman. Athletes started Half Ironman early in the morning. Sprinters were due to start at 10 a.m. 'So the built infrastructure will live from morning till evening, and citizens will be able to see the athletes in the two competitions, which will 'mix' and 'cross' at once,' Voloshin told.
Initially, it was planned to use three 30 km laps. Now the organisers changed their mind and chose 5 km six laps. The riverbank was used for Half Ironman – 'four 5 or so km laps,' Voloshin explained. One 5 km lap with a turn near the Millennium Bridge was prepared for sprinters. 'It enables to organise the event well in terms of safety, volunteers and timely aid. Your weather is hot, water is very hot. So we, organisers, need to care about the athletes two times more,' Voloshin added.
Converting the distances into numbers, Half Ironman participants need to swim 1,93 km, pedal 90 km their bicycles and run 21,1 km. For comparison, Olympic triathlon competitions include 1,5 km swimming, 40 km bicycle race and 10 km running.
Expensive pleasure
Explaining the financial part of the tournament, the IRONSTAR organiser told the organising committee had to spend about 10m rubles for 1,000 athletes. Start slots, which triathletes purchase, cover a small part of this sum. The organisers return the rest of the money by sponsors and their own investments. It should be added 1,300 athletes in both distances were going to participate in Kazan.
As for the start slot of the Kazan IRONSTAR, its prices changed depending on time a participant bought it. The closer the tournament is, the higher the price is: from 8,000 to 10,000 rubles. In answer to Realnoe Vremya's reader about its high price, Voloshin noted it is an average price. For example, in Sochi, it is 15,000 rubles.
'To compare: the same competition in Europe will be 18-20 rubles at once plus additional costs that increase the budget from 50 to 100,000 rubles per capita,' the guest of the editorial answered. 'Yes, triathlon is not a cheap sport. It takes time to start to do it,' says Voloshin. Running is the cheapest part in triathlon, while bicycle is the most expensive one. Prices for a bicycle can start from 50,000 to exorbitant tags.
According to Vladimir Voloshin, IRONSTAR tried to create as comfortable as possible offers for the participation of athletes. For example, there is individual and team competitions. On the one hand, the financial and physical load is divided among the participants. On the other hand, responsibility increases. Voloshin noted you are not responsible for yourself only, you are a part of the team that you cannot let down.
As for the transfer, accommodation costs and kit, participants are responsible for them. Para-athletes are the exception. Five participants were to take part in Kazan. Two of them competed in individual Half Ironman.
'Yaroslav Svyatoslavsky who is confined to a wheelchair is one of them. The guy was to swim 2 km using his hands. He will cover the 90 km bicycle race and 21 km half marathon by special bicycles. We ask all people to come and support our para-athletes. Believe me, these guys have an incredible will and aspiration for victory.'
Ideal roads and cleaned Kazanka
Readers of Realnoe Vremya asked how the organisers managed to come to an agreement on blocking city roads during the tournament. Vladimir Voloshin told only negotiations with the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate and detailed elaboration of the plan solved the problem. These limitations should not hinder citizens to get around.
As for the roads, Voloshin noted he visited Kazan for the first time in 2013. He says everything has improved here: 'The quality of roads is ideal. The quality of safety fence is ideal. I think the infrastructure of Kazan is ready more than any other city that is capable of hosting big mass events'.
If citizens always question the water in Kazanka (especially when fishes and ducks started to die), IRONMAN did not have any questions. The Sanitary and Epidemiological Centre of Tatarstan examined it and decided everything was fine. Voloshin explained the company doesn't hold competitions in places where it can't guarantee safety and enough high competition conditions, including the quality of water.
Heat with Leonov and Zinnurov
Vladimir Voloshin told the organisers expected not only participants from Russia and CIS countries in Kazan. For example, triathletes from Germany, India and Costa Rica came to the capital of Tatarstan. 'We want people to leave Kazan with very right impressions, be our ambassadors and ambassadors of Kazan and maybe return here as tourists,' Voloshin told.
The 81-year-old Maksim Kirillov was the eldest participant. Voloshin called him the legendary Russian triathlete who participates in Russian and international competitions and regularly steps onto the podium.
Famous figures also participated in the event, for example, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport of Tatarstan Vladimir Leonov. He competed in relay team and was responsible for swimming. Honoured singer of Tatarstan Elmira Kalimullina, silver and bronze Olympic medallist Irek Zinnurov, famous TV presenter in Match TV channel Irina Shadrina, editor of Lenta.ru Renat Salakhutdinov and a great number of people who represent the largest companies of the country like Lukoil, Rosneft, Rosatom, Sberbank participated in the event. Their kit will help you to find them,' Voloshin noted smiling.