From 19 to 26 April, the Iceberg Winter Sports Palace in Sochi hosted the Russian Curling Championship for men's and women's teams. Eight men's and seven women's teams participated, representing Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Kaliningrad, Tomsk, Novosibirsk Oblasts, and Krasnoyarsk Krai.

Following the competition format, all teams first competed in round-robin group matches, followed by play-offs and final battles. The athletes — guided by their skips (team captains) — strategized like masters of ice chess, battling from morning until late evening.

In the group stage, the men's team from Tomsk Oblast dominated the standings with six wins, while teams from Moscow and Chelyabinsk trailed closely behind. Among the women's teams, Moscow-2, St. Petersburg, and Kaliningrad Oblast led with four wins each.

The Tomsk women’s team delivered a thrilling performance — after losing to St. Petersburg in the play-offs, they staged a comeback, snatching bronze from them in the third-place match.

The finals were fiercely contested, with every end and shot intensifying the rivalry. Team skips expertly crafted their strategies, guiding their players with precision. In the end, the second Moscow team (women) and Tomsk (men) emerged as deserved national champions.

RESULTS

Final Standings

Women's teams

1st place — Moscow-2 (Svetlana Tsedik)

2nd place — Kaliningrad Oblast (Olga Iaroslavtseva)

3rd place — Tomsk Oblast (Anna Serebrennikova)

Men's teams

1st place — Tomsk Oblast (Roman Serebrennikov)

2nd place — Moscow-1 (Sergei Kopitov)

3rd place — Moscow-2 (Daniil Osipov).

At the closing ceremony of the competition, the winning teams were awarded by OSFSG Vice-President Vladimir Veselli.

Evgeny Tavyrikov, Head Coach of the Russian National Curling Team: “The Russian Championship was organized and held at the highest level. We competed in Sirius, an arena accustomed to top-tier events. The ice met all international standards. Based on these results, we’ll form a strong, balanced national team, blending experience and young talent — all motivated to push harder. We hope for swift reinstatement in international competitions and aim to prove just how much we’ve honed our skills over the years!”

Vladimir Veselli, OSFSG Vice President: “The organization of the Russian Curling Championships was excellent. The rising level of play impressed me, leaving me thoroughly satisfied with this championship.”

Text: Nurlan Tazhigulov

Photo: Boris Shchelkovski

Translation: Daria Kudelina