Dozens of boys and girls lined up at the start although snowstorm grew stronger. Sapporo Olympics 1972 relay race champions Alevtina Alyutina and Lyubov Mukhacheva came to Kamchatka to support young skiers. They said the competitions would have been cancelled because of weather conditions if they had been held somewhere near Moscow. Far East residents are known for their stamina and combative spirit, they said. "Members of the Soviet national team from Siberia and the Far East continued to fight in the most difficult conditions like those in Sapporo when we won the relay race along with legendary Galina Kulakova," said Ms. Mukhacheva.
Tourism and sports, dog sledge races, for example, are popular in Kamchatka, the land of geysers and volcanoes, with the territory enough to accommodate half of Europe and populated by only 350,000 people.
Many-time Russian champion Sergei Panyutin told RIA Novosti that participants in Kamchadal international competition that takes place every winter covered up to 300 km, spend a night in tents and go on the race along a scenic route. Foreign tourists have frequented here. Up to 8,000 foreigners, above all Americans, Japanese, and Germans, visit Kamchatka every year. In the Soviet times, Kamchatka was visited by over 40,000 tourists every year.
There are a lot of interesting places and things to see in Kamchatka. Indeed, there over 150 volcanoes, 30 of which are active. The area is a heaven for ornithologists,while 11,000 famous Kamchatkan bears will give a tickle to the most skilled hunters. Fishing and diving aficionados go into raptures over a variety of fish in the rivers and coastal waters. History aficionados will find it interesting to visit the place where a local garrison fought against 6 ships of the British-French squadron that made an attempt to seize the city in 1854. Folk art experts will be able to study the traditions and life style of the indigenous Koryaki and Itelmeni peoples.
Kamchatka is waiting to be rediscovered. After 11 hours of flight you will find yourselves at the end of Eurasia on the virgin lands among friendly people. You only have to be prepared to encounter something new in this wonderful place.
