May 15, 2017Republic of Udmurtia

Republic tug of war tournaments are becoming a tradition

The 8th Open Republic Tug of War Tournament took place on April 30 in the village of Grakhovo, Republic of Udmurtia

The 8th Open Republic Tug of War Tournament took place on April 30 in the village of Grakhovo, Republic of Udmurtia.
Teams from various towns and villages of the republic, as well as guests from Dagestan and Samara Region, competed for victory in two weight categories (up to 600 kg and up to 720 kg). The Dagestanis have been taking part in this event for the second year, while the Samara tug of war athletes from the Novokuibyshevsk and Kuibyshev oil refineries, Samaraneftegeofizika and Udmurtneft are preparing for the 13th Rosneft Summer Spartakiad. In addition to the experienced Udmurt athletes from Malaya Purga, Zavyalovo, Kizner and Grakhovo, a team from Syumsi District tested its strength at this level for the first time. In two months, these very athletes will host the 26th Summer Republic Rural Sports Games.
The tournament was held in a round-robin format so that every team met every other. Over 6 hours, the teams fought 18–20 bouts each. The most intense match was between Dagestan and Yelabuga: 1 minute 38 seconds was how long it took the southerners to beat the guys from Tatarstan. In the up to 600 kg category, the team of Fire Station No. 28 of Grakhovo District won for the second year in a row, a fine gift for Fire Service Day on April 30. Second place went to the strongmen from Zavyalovo, bronze to Malaya Purga. In the heavyweight category, the best were the athletes from Malaya Purga, representatives of Dagestan were second, and the Grakhovo tug of war athletes rounded out the top three.
At the award ceremony, the head of Grakhovo District, Viktor Belov, presented the winners and medalists with cups, medals bearing photos of last year's leaders on the insert (this has become a tradition), diplomas and certificates. In addition, the medal-winning teams received calendars and mugs with the symbols of the district and Udmurtia featuring tug of war scenes. As a token of gratitude and respect, the head of the district presented the Dagestan team with the "Friendship" Cup.
The tournament was not only an exciting celebration but also a useful competition. For the teams from Udmurtia, this event is a stage in their preparation for the rural games; for the other athletes, it is an opportunity to refine certain elements of technique and improve their physical qualities.