Beforehand, excuse my inconsistency of narration, after these contests I’m full with impressions and above all with new ideas and suggestions that occurred as a result of communication with contestants. “Zhigulevskoe More 010” is completed, and to date it’s the most powerful event in the world which gathers  the strongest racers of Russia. Just few of them were absent for big causes (they submitted an application but couldn’t come). This indicates the foremost authority of this event. I’ve been at all the “ZhigMore” marathons except the first one, so I’m able to compare (objectively from my side). This very event impacted me to race when I came there for the first time. It seems to me that the official standing left not very good mark on this event. Things seemed to go as ever: cordial organizers and hosts of the event, bar “Zhara”, kiters party, perfect award ceremony, organization of accommodation and transport, so, as for conditions and conveniences, I have no complaint. But as for the sport constituent, I have it. I don’t know what makes for it. Either the level of racers grew so much or officialism influenced so – let’s sort it out in succession.

As for course race
The distance was very good for the course race, it seems to me that it should be taken as a principle for this discipline. It allows to test all sportsmen’s skills of working at different courses, doesn’t clutter the contestants, and allows to start snowboarders simultaneously saving racing time. Then, Swiss Start System which was long discussed and almost replaced by another kind of start. Aleksey Razhev was right saying “Let’s try!”. I appreciated this start procedure, and all who I asked were also satisfied, though I still think we should forbid changing tack to left in the pre-race zone at a minute to start. Of course, in the first races the pre-race zone was almost clear, and one could go riding right and left, but later in last races, when sportsmen had trained this procedure, the tack changing amounted to a suicide. Aleksey deserves respect for the distance and start procedure. Then, as for refereeing. This is very theme I absolutely don’t like. I was thinking much of it, and it’s worth writing about, because this errors lead to misunderstanding and makes sportsmen furious. All protests connected with start and finish are the shame on judging panel. The referee, who traces start and finish, sometimes seals the racer’s fate, that’s why he should be a man with refereeing experience but not Tom, Dick and Harry who were given a pen and a scrap of paper. Then, the absence of referees by the signs also lead to some negative kind of stuff, when finished those who didn’t run all the distance in advance of leaders, and they had to uphold their rights for leadership (incident with snowboarders), and strict fixation could bar from it. The refereeing is a sore subject. It is necessary to bring up kite referees, to involve experienced people for this mission. I believe that if Aleksey Razhev could combine organizer’s and chief referee’s charges, this problem would not occur. Then, as for course race. To my mind, it’s high time to divide the fleet into professionals and amateurs as in freestyle. Firstly, today’s armament drive doesn’t provide any chance of success to those who use standard equipment, and they can take no more interest in racing. I want to make it clear that in these words I want to support large-scale involvement in this kind of sport, and I talk for those who don’t want to take part in the armament drive. From my side, I thank my lucky stars and I’m going to keep arming for having a chance for struggle. Now about races. This marathon is notable for stable weather. Firm cover, temperature from 10 degrees below zero and colder, and even wind of 2 to 5 mps. Supercharges on every 3-5 meters didn’t advantage skis with different geometry, more influence had lubricants and skill of pressuring the ski heels. The geometry is not so important. Speedskis give an advantage only on flat and firm road, in other cases they are a burden to skier, but on the ice cover their advantage is incontestable. Kites are quite a different matter. For those conditions the best were kites with loaded profiles and of maximum surface. It is worth notice that Russian kite production forges ahead, and by now its superiority is tangible (if to speak of prototypes or, in other words, specialized kites for races). I’d loke to make special mention of such manufacturers as Elf, ParAAvis, Sergeant. Their production is up-to-date and tailored for races. With that wind we had it was very difficult to rival them, but it doesn’t belittle its services. I was asked to estimate objectively the kites, but I’m afraid I can’t say anything about ParAAvis and Sergeant because I’ve never tested it, but I managed to test Elf Zero SV. I It was very impressive. I felt like changing Cadillac to Porsche Carrera, if compare FS and Elf. If compare 2 and 3 speeds, the advantage in covering the distance has the 2nd speed. That’s all for kites. I’d like to congratulate and award Aleksey Pavlov, my friend and the member of our team. He had no equal though the competition was strong. It’s nice that snowboard in course race is onwards and upwards, and guys race on very high level.

As for marathon.
It’s quite natural that the Championship of Russia left its mark on it. At previous “Zhigulevskoe More” events the marathon was the only discipline. During the registration for last years races everything was checked: the availability of fully charged mobile phone, navigator or compass, map with rescuers’ phone numbers etc. This time leaving your phone number was enough. The procedure was simplified, and it decreased the solemnity of this discipline. The distance for two races was the same, and the wind was of the same directions for two days. The first race was interesting and dynamic. The last sign I reached the first with great advance but I didn’t cherish any illusions, in front there was 11 km of tacking by the general course, and behind – experienced racers with racing kites. As a result, they suitably ate me up. During the second race the wind was slighter,  the race started on the verge of wind conditions and, as it seems to me, they should have measured the wind on the signs. Near the last one there was evidently no wind, it appeared only short-run. It was better to shorten the race by the general course for 2-3 km, and everything would be ok without skating stride with kites on. But the worst thing was the following. Near the last sign there was no minutes of sign skirting. I had been vainly demanding it from the chief referee for two days. This allowed many racers to turn without reaching the last sign and to finish successfully. Well, they should have this on their conscience. There was a car near the sign, but is stayed about 150  meters far from it, and if there were referees, heaven only knows. The fact is that the minutes of sign skirting doesn’t exist or wasn’t given.
Generally, I’m content with this journey. Thanks to organizers, sponsors, participants, rivals, personal thanks to Aleksey Razhev and Eugeniya Rakusheva for holding this grandiose event which gathers so many people keen on kiting. As I’m also an organizer in other kinds of sport, I realize the workload you should manage, that’s why I want to be understood correctly, and I want my remarks not to be considered the criticism.

Igor Lezinov