Over time, more and more Russians begin to get carried away. In the warm season, rafting is very popular. It involves rafting on mountain rivers.
The rafting process itself is breathtaking and teaches people who find themselves on the same raft to work as a team. But many people love rafting not only for the emotions during overcoming water rapids. For some, even a trip to a rafting site is an unforgettable adventure, full of indescribable impressions.
Shuya
The Shuya River is very popular among lovers extreme sports. It is located in the south of Karelia in the Lake Onega basin. Its length reaches 10.1 thousand kilometers.
The reservoir flows through the territories of the Prionezhsky, Pryazhinsky and Suoyarvsky districts of the Republic of Karelia.
This river is as beautiful as it is capricious. Shuya has areas of different nature and different depths. Narrow and rocky places give way to areas of high water and vice versa.
Rapids are present throughout the entire area of the river. But they are safe. Rafting along it has been assigned the second category of difficulty.
It is believed that Shuya is also loved because she is easy to reach. It flows near Petrozavodsk. And this city is large administrative center, it has a train station and an airport.
Suna
Suna is a short river that flows into Lake Onega. Its length reaches 280 kilometers. Along the course of this body of water there are also lakes.
The shores of the Suna are rocky and low. In some places there are swampy areas. But there are also sandy beaches.
The Suna River is famous for the fact that on its territory there is famous waterfall. It is called Kivach. It is considered the second highest waterfall in Europe. To see it, people specially come to Karelia.
Chirka-Kem
This Karelian river is located in the northern part of the republic. The length of the river reaches 221 kilometers. It flows into Lake Yushkojärvi. It has a large number of rapids and various rifts.
Chirka-Kem is suitable for experienced rafters. For beginners, riding it can be dangerous. It is believed that the section with the most difficult and exciting obstacles is located on a section of the river located between the village of Tiksha and the village of Borovoe.
Okhta
Local residents also call this river “Nizhnyaya Okhta” and “Ovtuya”. It is located in the north of the Republic of Karelia and is a right tributary of the Kem. The length of this mountain river reaches 142 kilometers.
It flows past the Island of Spirits. It houses a unique museum of funny wooden figures. This establishment is located under open air. Tourists will also be able to visit the surroundings of the monastery located on Trinity Island.
Ural
The Urals are the third most popular place for rafting. It is very attractive to young athletes, because the local rivers are ideal for first rafting.
As a rule, the difficulty of rafting in the Ural reservoirs does not exceed three points.
It will be interesting not only for those who like to travel along mountain rivers, but also for tourists who like to explore local attractions.
It is worth noting that the rivers of the Urals are very calm in summer, so they are recommended for novice athletes to raft. Experienced rafters will find it more interesting to conquer the Ural reservoirs in the spring, during the flood period.
White
The Belaya River is the largest tributary of the Kama. White flows through Southern Urals and the Urals.
The length of Belaya reaches 1.43 thousand kilometers.
They begin rafting on the Belaya River in May and finish in October.
Belaya flows past the Granite Canyon, which is considered one of the most beautiful places in the Republic of Adygea. Also, those who like to tickle their nerves will be able to walk along the longest suspension bridge in the area.
Those who have been involved in rafting for a long time are recommended to choose the upper reaches of the Belaya River for rafting. There are a lot of return shafts, clamps and shifters. Most of the descent will be carried out in areas where it is impossible to drive along the banks. The last automobile trail ends at the “Goose Ford” - one of the interesting parts of the route along Belaya.
Rafting competitions are often held here.
Chusovaya
Chusovaya, like Belaya, is a left, but not so large, tributary of the Kama. It flows through the territories Perm region, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions.
Its length reaches 735 kilometers.
Where the river passes through mountain ranges, its banks abound with both beautiful and terrifying rocks, which are popularly called stones.
This river is considered relatively calm. But this calm leaves room in a person’s attention for contemplation. After all, its shores are famous for their extraordinary beauty.
Caucasus
In addition to the Belaya River, which also exists in the Republic of Adygea, the Caucasus has another body of water that is excellent for rafting. We are talking about the Mzymta River.
Mzymta
The length of this river reaches only 89 kilometers. But, despite his small size, in some places she shows a capricious, one might say, violent character. But in other parts of Mzymta it is calm and happily takes rafting beginners on its waters.
It originates from lakes Kardyvach and Maly Kardyvach. Traveling along this river you can see the so-called emerald waterfalls.
Also in the Mzymta basin there are several mineral springs, the presence of which will please people who care about their health.
This river is one of the few mountain reservoirs where it is pleasant to relax with the whole family. Both adults and children feel great in the Ah-Tsu gorge. Surprisingly, in the same gorge there is a waterfall, which has a sixth level of difficulty. Only professionals with extensive rafting experience can overcome it.
Yakutia
Traveling around Yakutia is very popular among lovers of untouched nature. There is a very picturesque flora and varied fauna here, unspoiled by human intervention.
Timpton
This Yakut river is the right tributary of the Aldan. Its length reaches 644 kilometers. Its current passes through the Aldan Highlands.
Rafting on this river has been assigned the fourth level of difficulty.
Chulman
It is a left tributary of the Timpton. Great not only for rafting, but also for fishing.
Its length reaches 109 kilometers.
Rafting on the Chulman River has been assigned the third level of difficulty, which means that even beginners can “ride” this river.
Others
Also, speaking about the best places for rafting in Russia, one cannot fail to mention the Kola Peninsula. There is the famous Umba River here. Its lower reaches are excellent for rafting. The river has rapids of the third and fourth levels of difficulty. This fact, coupled with the short length of the reservoir, makes traveling around Umba very exciting.
It is also worth mentioning the mountain rivers of Eastern Siberia. Rafting enthusiasts often visit Oia, Snezhnaya, Bolshaya White River, Khara-Murin and Kitu. However, these reservoirs are suitable only for those rafters who are confident in their abilities.
Beginners should prefer the Irkut River. Its passage is not considered difficult or dangerous.
Conclusion
There are many mountain rivers in Russia that will delight rafting enthusiasts. Each person is able to choose the route that he can handle.
The main thing is that when choosing a place for rafting, take into account the level of your sports training and do not take unnecessary risks.
The raft is designed for rafting on stormy rivers. Differences from: the oars here have one blade, the boat is inflatable and, most importantly, to participate in river rafting you do not need any special physical training, because you will do it with instructors.
Catamarans, in turn, differ from rafts in that it is not a completely inflatable boat - the side inflatable parts where people sit are connected by rafters. Therefore, a catamaran is more mobile in rough water than a raft, and riding it is a little more difficult and dangerous. However, companies involved in organizing active rest for beginners, they often combine rafting on mountain rivers on rafts and catamarans.
As a rule, instructors organizing rafting tours provide all the features so that people boarding boats for the first time do not get injured. But in any case, helmets and a life jacket will be required. Check to see if the clubs you apply to provide these important things.
Where to study and raft?
Rafting is a commercial activity extreme recreation, so here you choose areas that interest you, and tours there can be organized by various sports clubs and travel companies. The most popular routes in Russia are Karelia, Mountain Altai and the Caucasus.
"Adrenaline Tour"
Many in Lately interested in: rafting - what is it? In a general sense, rafting is rafting down wild rivers with rapids on large frameless inflatable boats. Rafts are quite reliable and stable, have great buoyancy, so you don’t have to worry about your safety. One of the most important advantages of such a holiday is the capacity of the raft (from 6 to 12 people), and this allows you to go on an extreme voyage with a large group.
Rafting in detail
Let's figure it out: rafting - what is it, swimming exclusively on rivers? In fact, this is a broad concept and means all types of extreme recreation on rivers, rapids and waterfalls. This is not just a risk, but a spirit of competition and overcoming. And also a separation in the full sense of the word - from the land, civilization and the usual way of life.
Rafting is an original way to get acquainted with the water element. Often rafting refers to any activity on the water where rafts are used. Since water tourism involves a certain risk, it was exclusively the privilege of professionals. But this was the case until the raft was invented - a vessel that can be used for rafting on water bodies of any complexity.
Russian Rafting Federation
In Russia, rafting has been recognized as an official sport since 2003. The Russian Rafting Federation is a non-profit organization and has been operating since 2001. This organization received accreditation in 2003. Competitions in this sport are included in international, all-Russian and interregional sporting events. The Russian Rafting Federation is also a member of the International Rafting Federation. Judges for this sport must meet certain qualification requirements.
Preparation for rafting
Each of the rafting participants must first of all think about their safety. The vessels must be of high quality, and the equipment must be reliable. The design of the raft should provide extreme sports enthusiasts with additional insurance against falling overboard (inflatable crossbars that secure their legs). Swimming participants also wear a helmet and In addition, sometimes additional equipment will be useful. For example, if the water in the river is icy, then you should think about a wetsuit; you can also choose comfortable shoes - boots with ribbed rubber soles. Rafting tours can only be carried out by those who know how to swim, because even if you are wearing a life jacket, it will not be able to independently deliver a person to the shore.
At the same time, the most reliable lifesaver is the raft itself, and if you suddenly find yourself overboard in a stormy river, it is better to go through all the obstacles, holding tightly to the raft, than to get to the shore by self-rafting.
How to take part in a rafting tour?
To participate in rafting, the participant must evaluate the difficulty of the route. It depends, in particular, on the obstacles that need to be overcome. Obstacles will be stones in the river bed, rapids (areas with a difference in water level), as well as other unevenness in the water flow (shafts, drains, barrels). It is worth noting that great difficulties are caused by barrels - areas with reverse flow, which occurs where water masses fall from the drain. They can impede the movement of the vessel and carry it back into the flow of water, where it can capsize. There is a worldwide classification of the complexity of obstacles in areas of water bodies. There are 6 difficulty categories in total. Therefore, the higher the difficulty number, the more dangerous and risky the route.
Reviews
Every year everything more people they want to feel the fullness of emotions that rafting can give. Reviews about this activity are only positive. Moreover, many fans of this sport note that if you try to ride like this at least once, then it’s impossible to stop. Even many lovers of passive recreation note that after they went rafting on a mountain river, they did not regret at all that they risked doing something unusual for themselves.
How is the swim going?
For people who do not have special training, no higher than 3rd category is permissible. For those who want to fully experience adrenaline in large doses, special expeditions are offered. However, only those tourists who have descended steep rapids more than once dare to take such a risk.
During the trip, people sit on the sides of the raft and row with oars under the guidance of an instructor. The guide will give simple commands regarding the direction of the oars. On difficult routes, the unit’s instructors are athletes. Rafting is not only rowing, but also stops in beautiful places with cooking over a fire, overnight stays, and songs with a guitar.
Geography of travel
Now that we have sorted out all the details, we hope you will no longer wonder: what is rafting? Therefore, let's move on to a review of the most popular routes. The most famous rafting centers are Karelia, the Caucasus and Altai. However, there are other, no less interesting, routes: Siberia, Yakutia, Far East, Ural. As part of such tours, you can not only go rowing, but also get acquainted with amazing beauties protected and wild areas of Russia.
Karelia
Our country has many unique water routes that you can travel from spring to autumn. A large number of rafting tours are organized in Karelia. For rafting, there is plenty to choose from. The most popular rivers are the Suna, Shuya, Okhta, Chirka-Kem and others. Even children can participate in rafting on Shuya. This river flows through densely populated areas on steep, high banks covered with pine forests. There are also many beaches and, naturally, rapids of the second degree of difficulty. Those who want to get a particularly thrilling experience can take a trip along the difficult rapids of the Okhta River. Rafting in Karelia offers a wide variety of route options. The Psta River, which flows through the northern part of the republic and flows into
A characteristic property of the rivers of Karelia is the alternation of lake sections with river sections. One of the most exciting is the “Janisjoki-Valaam-Ladoga Skerries” tour, which lasts a week. It includes a trip through the rocky bays among the Ladoga Islands, rafting on the Janisjoki River and a tour of the estate, which is located in a fabulously beautiful place. Rafting in Karelia is an unforgettable experience along routes of varying difficulty.
Murmansk
Enough interesting route for rafting lovers is the Umbozera River ( Murmansk region). Along its entire length there are rapids, reaches, lakes (there are places up to the 4th category of difficulty). The best place for rafting on this river - July-August. This type of holiday will appeal to those who love an active but secluded holiday, fishing, northern berries and mushrooms.
Caucasus
In the Caucasus, Mzymta also attracts the attention of tourists. By the way, it is on them, as well as on the mountain rivers of Altai, that the rafting federation holds stages of the Russian Rafting Championship. The source of the Mzymta is in the mountains, then it flows through a narrow valley and flows into the Black Sea near Adler. Rafting from the Akh-Tsu gorge is in demand among mothers with children, because here rafting takes place on almost calm water. But there are more difficult routes: from the Krasnaya Polyanskaya hydroelectric power station to the Akh-tsu gorge. In some areas, the raft even begins to jump along huge shafts, overcoming the turbulent water abyss.
The path along the Belaya River is one of the most extreme. Here, in a small area, a whole series of rapids are concentrated: Teatralny, Toporiki, Kishi-1, Kishi-2 and Topori. The last three are considered the fifth category of difficulty. The Topora rapids are generally insurmountable, so participants carry rafts along the shore, and the Kishi-2 rapids are passed with the help of additional insurance. This excursion is suitable only for the bravest and bravest. Rafting is truly a test not only of the body, but also of the spirit.
Altai
In Altai, most rivers have a mountainous, stormy character. Rafting along the Katun and its tributary Chuya is the most common in the region. Chuya is a mountain river with quite difficult rapids. Katun is a large and wide body of water with mighty swells; it originates on the slope of the high mountain Siberia - Beluga whales. You can also walk through both bodies of water sequentially. Rafting on the Chuya River is considered much more difficult: during rafting, tourists overcome rapids from the third to fifth category of difficulty. In order to successfully complete them, you will need well-coordinated teamwork, composure and endurance. The “Horizon” rapids are especially striking; here the Chuya River seethes and rumbles between two narrow rocky cliffs, and then turns sharply by as much as 90 degrees. But the thresholds don't end there. Only in the lower reaches of the Katun can you relax, there is no particular danger here, you are even allowed to take children on this route.
You'll like it!
So, rafting - what is it? These are exciting adventures, a release of emotions, and victory over oneself and the water element. At the same time, remember that there are clear rules that must be followed. Only if there is rafting safe holiday, it can bring a lot of fun.
In recent years, lovers of active recreation are increasingly involved in rafting - rafting on rapids rivers on inflatable boats. There are many places in Russia suitable for rafting, and summer is the ideal time for this sport.
1. Altai
This region abounds in rivers with sections of varying degrees of difficulty for rafting. Therefore, both novice tourists and experienced athletes will be able to choose a suitable route for themselves. The most common route is rafting along the Katun and Chuya rivers, its right tributary. This route, of course, is not for beginners; it belongs to the fifth category of difficulty. Dangerous rapids, whirlpools, and funnels await rafters at almost every kilometer of the route. Various rafting competitions are often held here.
2. Karelia
In Karelia there are many rivers for rafting, both very calm and stormy, with rapids and ledges, as well as alternating rivers with beautiful lakes, which is ideal for both novice tourists and those who want to experience more thrilling sensations. Beginners are offered rafting on the Shuya River, the length of the route is about one hundred kilometers, it runs along the most beautiful places Karelia. Rafting beginners also often use the route along the Suna River. On this river there is famous waterfall Kivach. People come to admire it on purpose, because this waterfall is the second highest in the world. Experienced raftingists choose rafting routes on the Chirka-Kem and Okhta rivers. Traveling along the Okhta River and the lakes through which it flows, you can get acquainted with a unique museum comic wooden figures in the open air on the Island of Spirits and with a monastery on Trinity Island.
3. Ural
An ideal place for beginner rafting athletes. The average level of difficulty for the Ural rivers is no more than three points. Rafting on the Ural rivers is interesting because of the sights that you can see during the trip. If you choose the route along the Chusovaya River, you can see the karst Blue Lake and the Miracle Cave. The Sakmara, Koiva, Vizhay, Yuryuzan, and Belaya rivers are also very popular. For novice travelers, it is better to go hiking in the summer, and for more experienced travelers, it is recommended to go in the spring, when the rivers are in high water and have a fast current.
4. Caucasus
The Belaya and Mzymta rivers are the venue for stages of the Russian rafting championship. The Mzymta River is a place where beginners and professionals feel great. In addition, the place from the Ah-Tsu gorge is perfect for family vacation with children - you can simply ride a raft on calm water, which gives beginners an unforgettable experience. And the Greek Gorge is a place with a very high – fifth level of difficulty. Famous place for rafting lovers, the threshold is the Ah-Tsu waterfall, which is one of the most difficult places for rafting with a sixth level of difficulty, which only real professionals can do. A well-known route for tourists is traveling along the rivers of Adygea, in particular along the Belaya River. In the upper reaches the river is turbulent, with waterfalls and rapids; in the lower reaches it is calm and quiet. While traveling along this river, tourists have the opportunity to see a unique dolmen from the megalithic era and the large Azish cave.
Rafting trip along the Umba River, the most famous river Peninsula is a very exciting and popular route among river rafting enthusiasts. The Umba River is about eighty kilometers long and flows into the White Sea. The most interesting rapids for extreme sports enthusiasts are located in the lower reaches of the river. Some rapids have high levels of difficulty three and four, which makes this river, despite its short length, very interesting for rafting.
6. Yakutia
This place attracts lovers water tourism and thrills not only with interesting mountain rivers in the south and northeast, but also with pristine untouched nature, an abundance of flora and fauna, clean air and magnificent scenery. The rivers Timpton, Aldan and Chuman have the third and fourth categories of difficulty, which makes it possible for fairly experienced athletes to practice rafting.
7. Eastern Siberia
The region provides an opportunity for both beginner rafting enthusiasts and real professionals to feel the rush of adrenaline and the joy of overcoming. For beginners, it is recommended to go rafting along the Irkut River, the route along which is simple and does not pose any great dangers; for those who have already tested themselves on rapids and whirlpools more than once, there are routes along the rivers Iya, Bolshaya Belaya, Khara-Murin, Snezhnaya, Kitoi .
Rafting is not only an exciting adventure, but also an opportunity to explore the nature and sights of Russia, which are usually hidden from the eyes of city residents.
Rafting in Russia began to develop rapidly after an advertising campaign from Camel was carried out. Then the idea of this sport was picked up and began to be included in tourist competitions. Most teams did not have their own rafts, so they had to rent them directly at the competition.
As a sport, it was included in the All-Russian Register of Sports in 2003 (code number 1740001411Я).
Commercial alloy. The instructor sits behind
Rafting is fundamentally different from other types of water tourism both in the type of vessel on which the rafting is carried out and in ideology. Rafting is a commercial type of rafting, meaning no previous experience is required to participate in the rafting. All you have to do is pay for the tour and you are in the group. Accordingly, rivers for rafting should be easily accessible, that is, roads to them are laid to the start and finish of the route.
Examples of classic routes:
- Melen 3-4 k.s. - Türkiye;
- Bhote-Bones 4-5 k.s. - Nepal;
- Marsiandi 4-5 k.s. - Nepal;
Rivers with an abundance of rapids, rifts, rifts and waterfalls are suitable for rafting. Such rivers are usually found in mountainous areas or very rugged terrain. As a result, such areas are poorly or not populated at all.
Rafting routes are classified on a six-point scale (1-6) difficulty categories. Specifications are allowed: for example, 3+ k.s. or 5-k.s. The obstacles themselves are also characterized on a seven-point scale (0-6) difficulty categories. Similar to routes, clarifications are also allowed here: for example, an obstacle of 5++ c.s. or 4-k.s.
Rafting is a rather dangerous hobby, especially when it comes to routes of the 3rd and higher difficulty categories. The main dangers are:
- overcoming powerful rapids and waterfalls;
- getting fused into “barrels” and rubble, underwater pockets;
- injury, hypothermia;
- remoteness from civilization and, as a rule, lack of communication with rescue services;
The most popular rafting destination in Russia is Altai:
- Katun (difficulty category 1-4)
- Chuya (difficulty category 5)
- Argut (difficulty category 6)
- Bashkaus (5-6 difficulty category)
History of rafting development
River rafting is an activity known to man from time immemorial. There is evidence that hundreds of centuries BC, ancient peoples traveled along rivers in canoes. With the development of civilization, timber was floated down rivers, and gold miners and geologists were transported across mountain waters in various boats.
In extreme rafting on mountain rivers, the most noticeable mark was left by the Englishman M. Jones, who laid the foundation for modern ideas about kayaking. He organized the first kayak ascents along the Blue Nile in Africa, the Orinoco River in South America and the Dudh Kosi River in Nepal. Among the Soviet and Russian athletes who have done a lot for the development of the extreme rafting movement are raftsmen V. Brezhnev, V. Mustafin, V. Govor, M. Kolchevnikov, A. Krasnov, G. Leontyev. Most of the first ascents of the most difficult rivers in the territory of the former USSR are associated with their names. Catamaran operators S. Kirillov, A. Volkov, S. Lagoda, S. Chernik are recognized experts in the field of first ascents on catamarans across reservoirs with the most difficult and dangerous obstacles.
The rafts themselves appeared during the Vietnam War, where these vessels were used to deliver cargo along waterways to American army bases.
In the USSR, rafts were first seen in Altai during the international competition “Chuya Rally” in 1989. This representative forum, which brought together 350 watermen from all inhabited continents and one and a half thousand spectators, became the stage in the birth of Russian rafting. 144 crews of vessels of various classes from 14 countries took part in the launches. Crews from Zambia, Nepal, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Austria, New Zealand, the USA and other countries performed very successfully at the competition; “Bronze” went to Great Britain, “silver” to athletes from New Zealand, and a “gold” medal of the highest standard to athletes from the USSR.
An amazing feature was noted then by the chief judge of the competition, M. Yu. Kolchevnikov, that the superiority of foreign colleagues in the production of rafting equipment lies not in ideas, but in technology. These technologies have allowed rafting to become the most popular means of rafting in the world. By the middle of the twentieth century, rafting on mountain rivers began to become a separate type of sports skill. Various “water” festivals began to be held, in which participants competed for the title of best. By the beginning of the 90s, the development of the international raft movement began to require the unification of the rules for holding competitions. In 1997, the International Federation of Rafting (IFR) was formed, and a year later, in 1998, it was created Russian Federation rafting (RFR) under the leadership of Alexey Viktorovich Rumyantsev. RFR is a member of the European Rafting Association and the International Rafting Federation.
The International Rafting Association consists of 28 countries (South Africa, Chile, Canada, Czech Republic, Norway, USA, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Russia, etc.).
World and European rafting championships are held once every two years.
In March 2000, the World Rafting Championship took place in Chile on the Futaleufu River. Russia in Chile was represented by the St. Petersburg team “Neva-Tour”. 14 men's teams and 6 women's teams came to the competition. These were the strongest teams. And yet, our team won (team captain Sergei Petrov (39 years old), Vladimir Bykadarov (34), Ilya Korolev (29), Alexander Levitsky (20), Dmitry Karbutov (29) and Dmitry Eremin (28)). Based on the sum of all types of programs, our team scored 840 points out of 1000, the Germans, who came second, had 588 points, the team from Slovakia took third place, and the Czechs took fourth place.
In the same year, the Camel Ak Talai Margan ("Rough Water Challenge") whitewater festival took place in Altai, where 15 teams from 11 Russian cities took part. As part of the festival, a 70-kilometer raft marathon along the river, which has no analogues in the world, was held. Katun. Eighteen metropolitan journalists representing ORT, NTV, Ren-TV, TV-6 and others arrived in Altai to cover the competition.
In 2001, the Gorno-Altai State University team participated in the Camel White Water Challenge championship in Zambia on the Zambezi River, where it took only 14th place out of 16 men’s teams, and the Neva-Tour team in 1997 took 4th place on the Zambezi among 21 teams.
In 2003, Altai-Raft won the national selection, which was held on the river. Chuya, Rep. Altai represents Russia at the World Championships in the Czech Republic on the Lipno channel, where he takes 6th place due to a series of mistakes. The average age of the team was less than 20 years, and it was clear that with the competent work of the coaching staff, they would still top the podium, which happened first at the Amazon Cup rafting in 2004, and then on the Quijos River in Ecuador at the Championship world in 2005.
At the World Championships in 2005 - in the first type of the program, the parallel sprint, ours remained only third, losing to the Czechs and Canadians. However, this result could not be considered bad; The level of the best rafters has increased incredibly in recent years. This is confirmed by the fact that in parallel sprint qualifying, seven teams finished within one second.
In slalom, our team became the first, beating the Czechs and Slovaks in a very difficult match.
In a long race, where more points are awarded, the Altai - Raft team took third place, and this was enough for the final victory. And at the World Rafting Cup, which took place in China, the team from Gorno-Altai State University became the strongest in the crews of four-seater rafts.
The European Championships took place in 2006. He passed on the river. Belaya, rep. Adygea. The competition took place in three disciplines: slalom, long race and parallel sprint. Russian athletes have won two awards, both for men. In the sum of three disciplines, the Altai-Raft team took first place, and the athletes of the Gorno-Altaisk state university(SAGU) won bronze.
At the European Championships in 2006, women's teams from Russia declared themselves as strong opponents. Russia was represented here by two women's teams, from Krasnoyarsk and St. Petersburg. The teams did not take any prizes, but the Krasnoyarsk team took fifth place in the overall standings; before that, Russian women's teams took places only in the second ten.
Having won the “Amazon Cup” in 2004, the 2005 World Championship and the 2006 European Championship, the Altai team “Altai-Raft” were the first in the history of Russian rafting to receive the title of international master of sports (MSMK), the following athletes: Kalinin Mikhail, Shipulin Konstantin, Dolgov Alexander, Maimanov Makar, Nechaev Sergey and team captain Leonid Menovshchikov.
On May 13-18, 2008, the European Rafting Championships took place in Austria. Teams from 22 countries took part in the competition; athletes took part in raft-4 and raft-6 classes at the following distances: qualification, parallel sprint, slalom, long race. The competition included 25 teams in the raft-6M class, 20 teams in the raft-4M class, 22 teams in the raft-6Zh class and 16 teams in the raft-4Zh class. Among the male crews of raft-4 and raft-6, the first places were taken by Russian teams (“Altai-raft” and “GAGU”); Russian women's teams did not take prizes; The Russian women's team "BZKO" in the raft-4 class took overall only 14th place, and in the raft-6Zh crews the team from Novosibirsk took 20th place; the Krasnoyarsk team eventually took 8th place - for the first time raising Russian women's rafting to the top half of the tournament table.
Rafting as a sport
Rafting is rafting down mountain rivers, passing natural and artificial obstacles against time.
The word “rafting” comes from the English word “raft”, which means “raft”. Rafting is a team sport and each participant performs certain functions during the rafting, and the crew as a whole follows the instructions of the leader-captain.
Rafting competitions consist of four disciplines: Qualification race (by international rules- Sprint), Parallel sprint, Slalom, Long race. The maximum number of points for winning in each event: 100, 200, 300 and 400 respectively. The team that scores the maximum number of points in total becomes the winner in the overall competition - All-around.
| Busy place | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of points | 100% | 95% | 90% | 85% | 80% | 75% | 70% | 65% | 60% | 55% | 50% | 45% | 40% | 35% | 30% | 25% | 20% | 15% | 10% | 5% |
Every year in Russia such competitions are held as: Ak Talay Margaan, Chuya Rally, Russian Championship and Russian Cup, which attract the country's strongest athletes. Competitions are held in two classes: Raft-6 and Raft-4 (divided into men's and women's teams).
The World Rafting Championships are held every two years. Until 2008, only crews consisting of six people took part in the competition, but since the European Championships, competitions between crews of four people have also been held. The Russians became the first champions in four-person rafts.
Rafting technique
In rafting there are 4 teams, due to which the raft moves.
- The move is forward.
- Small stroke
- Taban - back.
- Hook - a stroke with oars perpendicular to the raft axis, during which the raft moves parallel to its previous location.
Results of international competitions
World Championships
| Year | Host country | Class | Team | Qualification | Parallel Sprint | Slalom | Long race | All-around |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Costa Rica | R-6M | Altai-raft | 13 | 28 | 14 | 12 | 14 |
| 2011 | Costa Rica | R-6Zh | Krasnoyarsk | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| 2010 | Netherlands | R-4M | GASU | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| 2010 | Netherlands | R-4Zh | Krasnoyarsk | 7 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| 2009 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | R-6M | Altai-raft | 15 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 4 |
| 2009 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | R-6Zh | Krasnoyarsk | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| 2007 | Korea | R-6M | Altai-raft | X | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 2007 | Korea | R-6Zh | BZKO | X | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
| 2005 | Ecuador | R-6M | Altai-raft | X | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2005 | Ecuador | R-6Zh | BZKO | X | 13 | 10 | 13 | 12 |
| 2003 | Czech | R-6M | Altai-raft | X | 11 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| 2003 | Czech | R-6Zh | Women's team | X | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 2001 | USA | R-6M | Neva-tour | X | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 2000 | Chile | R-6M | Neva-tour | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 | South Africa | R-6M | Neva-tour | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 1998 | Costa Rica | R-6M | Men's team | X | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
World Championships
