AFTER THE MEDALS WITH AN OAR

In the run-up to the First European Games Regionplus is continuing to acquaint readers with the types of sport represented at the Games which are to take place in Baku. This time we are going to talk about rowing.

This type of sport was first taken up in Azerbaijan in the summer of 1959. The sportsmen trained at the "Neftci" yacht club located on the territory of the National Park in Baku. In that year Azerbaijani rowers entered in the academic rowing in the II Sports and Athletics Meeting of the Peoples of the USSR. Twelve sportsmen represented Azerbaijan in five types of rowing out of 13 at the tournament. Among them were rowers like Tamerlan Kusov, Gedalio Sadykhoglu and Vladislav Shvetsov.

The commissioning of the "Kur" Olympic rowing base in the city of Mingacevir in 1964 served as a stimulus for the development of rowing in Azerbaijan. Particular credit in the construction of this base goes to the now deceased chairman of the city sports committee of Mingacevir, Parviz Hasanov. It was precisely on his initiative that this sports facility of all-union significance was erected. And it was precisely there that the USSR team trained in academic rowing. Thanks to the high level of skill acquired there, the team got good results in the World and European Championships and the Olympic Games. The team included Azerbaijani sportsmen.

In 1970 the Mingacevir regatta received All-Union status. Rowers from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and even faraway Cuba took part in the regatta in different years.

In the years of Azerbaijan's independence, the base has been in need of restoration. During his visit to Mingacevir in 2004, President Ilham Aliyev gave instructions for the base to be reconstructed in compliance with the latest requirements. After that, Azerbaijan's National Rowing Federation was set up. A new era in the development of this type of sport began with the arrival of promising, young rowers like Cavad Afandiyev, Alexander Zhdanov, Togrul Qurbanzada, Teymur Kutseba, Alexander Glotov and Kamal Mammadov, and in canoe rowing Valentin Demyanenko, Sergey Bezugly and Maksim Prokopenko.

At the First European Games Mingacevir is to host the rowing competitions in kayaking and canoeing. The fourth largest city in Azerbaijan is famous for its reservoir and was well-known as the "City of Light" owing to its proximity to large power stations. The waterway in Mingacevir is more than 1,000 metres long and 10 metres deep. According to the rules of the International Rowing Federation, competitions in kayaking and canoeing are held in nine rows over distances of 200, 500, 1,000 and 5,000 metres.

The rowing competitions at the European Games are to take place on 14-16 June, and 350 sportsmen are to take part in them. They will compete for the medals in 12 rowing disciplines in kayaking (among men and women) and three types of rowing in canoeing (men only). According the Olympic competition regulations, men can compete in kayaking over distances of 200 and 1,000 metres, while women can compete over 200 and 500 metres. The classification of rowers in kayaking and canoeing will be conducted on the basis of rating in previous classifications, places allocated for national Olympic committees and according to the principle of universality.

Two members of the European Olympic Committee (EOC) visited the "Kur" Olympic Centre in Mingacevir some time ago. They remained satisfied with the work being done on the base where the rowing competitions are to take place. The EOC chief adviser on the European Games Guido de Bondt shared his impressions of the trip with Regionplus: "We were stunned by the successes achieved in Mingacevir. Those facilities will undoubtedly be up to the requirements of the sportsmen and will offer them the opportunity to perform to a high standard at the Games. In spite of the fact that the 2015 European Games' Organising Committee in Baku did not have sufficient time to prepare, we feel sure that the detailed planning of the activity and the intensive work being done will ensure that the facilities are completed on time and comply to high standards."

In an interview with Regionplus, the vice president of Azerbaijan's National Rowing Federation (NFGA) and director general of the "Kur" Olympic training centre, Natiq Abbasov, highly assessed the level of preparation for the European Games' kayaking and canoeing competitions. "The conducting this year of the traditional competitions for the President's Cup were of a trial nature. Besides, the para-Olympian, Asif Qasimov, took part in them for the first time.

He competed outside the competition and managed to achieve a good result. Mingacevir is almost ready for the European Games. The buildings in the Athletes' Village have been completed. At the moment, they are continuing to furnish the rooms. 

Approximately 350 sportsmen are to take part in the canoeing and kayaking competitions. We have places for 1,500 rowers and their trainers. By the way, volunteers invited from higher and middle special schools from Ganca and Mingacevir will help us during the European Games. At the moment, 40 volunteers are undergoing training here.

There will be more of them in the very near future. At the same time, we are continuing the preparatory work with the European Games Organising Committee. As you know, highly qualified international experts are working in the committee who took part in the organisation of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2012 Games in London. We seek their advice regarding all organisational issues and we carry out their recommendations and instructions.

Certain changes have taken place in the infrastructure of the "Kur" Olympic Centre. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has allocated additional financing for conducting the top-level competitions. The innovations will embrace all fields. Naturally, the Federation's leadership will do everything in its power to conduct the tournament on the highest possible level. In its level, the forthcoming First European Games will be on a par with the Olympic Games in Beijing and London.

At the present time, we are fitting out the complex with all the necessary equipment."

We would like to note that we are expecting our Azerbaijani sportsmen to win medals in rowing sports too. According to preliminary forecasts they should be able to aspire to at least three medals.