From July 15 to July 20, the 1st All-Russian Festival "Patriots of Russia-2025" for sports tourism among the deaf took place in the Republic of Bashkortostan, on the picturesque slopes of the Southern Urals. The event brought together over 150 participants and fans from across Russia.

On the first evening, organizers divided tourists from different cities into six teams of 7-8 people and held icebreaker games to help everyone get acquainted. Egor Lygin, a law enforcement representative from Beloretsk, conducted a safety briefing, further enriching participants' knowledge.

The second day featured a seminar organized by the Bashkortostan Sports Tourism Federation, led by Sergey Piven, an All-Russian sports tourism judge in water tourism. His presentation drew 50 attendees, who later took final tests to qualify as third-category judges. The practical segment, overseen by chief festival judge Iskander Latypov, took place on land, followed by optional catamaran training on the water.

July 17 focused on hiking skills. Under the guidance of festival director Grigory Remenyuk, participants practiced knot-tying, route planning, and competition preparation. In the afternoon, Latypov led a kayaking basics session, while free time was filled with volleyball matches.

Competitions kicked off on July 18, with events in “catamaran-4” and “catamaran-2” disciplines. Later that day, the opening ceremony welcomed distinguished guests, including: Dmitry Rebrov, President of the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Deaf; Zulfiya Galiyanova, First Deputy Head of the Beloretsky District Administration; Olga Shevnina, Chair of the Regional Branch of the All-Russian Society of the Deaf; Oleg Ivanov, Chair of the Regional OSFSG Branch; Andrey Grigoriev, Representative of the Ministry of Sports of Bashkortosta; Alina Gubaidullina, Representative of the Ministry of Labor of Bashkortostan; Flus Khabiryanov, President of the Bashkortostan Sports Tourism Federation.

Dmitry Sobolev delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of Alexander Bochkov, President of the VOG (All-Russian Society of the Deaf). Khabiryanov awarded the "Tourist of Russia" badges to top-performing VOG members. Post-ceremony, competitions continued in kayaking (men’s/women’s) and rescue operations, followed by a patriotic education tournament.

On July 19, the hiking competition commenced, with participants tackling obstacles like the “butterfly,” “cobweb,” and “rock climbing.” The second stage tested topographic knowledge, knot-tying, and tent assembly. That same day, attendees received third-category referee certifications based on the July 16 seminar.

The final day (July 20) featured the family competition “Mom, Dad, and I – A Tourist Family.”

Family Competition Results:

1.       Mitrofanov Family (Chelyabinsk)

2.       Kuznetsov Family (Ufa)

3.       Latypov Family (Ufa)

The winning Mitrofanovs shared:

“We came to relax and never planned to compete, but our daughter insisted—and we took first place! Every challenge was new to us. An incredible experience!”

Overall Team Standings:

1.       “Hot Hearts” (Ufa-2)

2.       “Salavat Yulaev” (Ufa)

3.       “Ural” (Chelyabinsk)

The closing ceremony, attended by Dmitry Rebrov, honoured the winners. The top three teams received certificates worth 16,000, 12,000, and 8,000 roubles, respectively. Participants parted with joyful memories, already looking forward to next year.

Festival Results Across All Disciplines

Dmitry Rebrov reflected:

“The camp radiated warmth and camaraderie. Participants bonded through games and competitions—catamaran, kayaking, hiking, rescue drills, and patriotic challenges. My gratitude to the organizers and beautiful Bashkiria for this celebration of sport and unity. The Federation’s mission is to connect people through sports, and we’ve achieved that!”

PHOTO ALBUM

Text: Maria Mazhenina, Olga Troinikova, Nurlan Tazhigulov

Photo: Tatiana Yaroshenko, Elena Avramenko

Translation: Daria Kudelina