Athletes from Vorkuta Win Polar Games Spartakiad of Peoples of Northern Russia

Representatives of 11 Russian regions took part in the 22^nd Polar Games Spartakiad of the Peoples of Northern Russia, which were held in Vorkuta from 26 October to 4 November as part of the plan of events of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2021–2023. More than 1,200 athletes from 28 cities and districts took part in the competition, while athletes from Vorkuta won the team event. Representatives of Ukhta finished second and athletes from Syktyvkar came in third. The Roscongress Foundation is organizing the events of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

The competition programme consisted of 15 sports, including basketball and 3×3 basketball, boxing, volleyball, judo, kyokushin, futsal, swimming, shooting, wrestling, WTF taekwondo and ITF taekwondo, rhythmic gymnastics, hockey, and chess.

The Spartakiad was held at seven sports facilities: the sports halls of the Palace of Children’s and Youth Creativity, the Miners’ Palace of Culture, the Shakhtar Sports House, the Olymp Universal Sports and Entertainment Complex, the chess club, and the Lokomotiv and Arktika Sports Complexes. The winners and runners-up in the team categories of the Spartakiad not only received medals and cups, but also financial incentives.

The Spartakiad of the Peoples of Northern Russia was held as part of the ‘Sport – a Vital Norm’ federal project of the national Demographics project. Starting this year, the competitions were dedicated to the memory of former Vorkuta mayor and the initiator of the games, Igor Shpektor. The event is being organized by the Vorkuta Department of Physical Culture and Sports.

Russia is chairing the Arctic Council in 2021–2023. As part of its chairmanship, Russia is implementing an extensive cultural and sports programme of events. One of the goals of Russia’s chairmanship is to help create the necessary conditions to increase the proportion of the Arctic population involved in physical culture and sports, as well as to build more sports facilities.