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2003-04-07 1st International "Winteriada-2003" — Baikal Nordic Games Festival Closing Ceremony
The official closing ceremony of 1st International "Winteriada-2003" — Baikal Nordic Games Festival was held in Baikalsk in April 5. It took place at Alpine Downhill Skiing Center decorated with “Winteriada-2003” balloons and flags. The ceremony attacked participants, government bodies’ representatives, sport fans and spectators. Alexander Rudik, the organization committee co-chairman, informed that the festival had drawn attention of 600 sportsmen from Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States and other countries and over 10 000 spectators. The festival program included 11 sport events and competitions held from March 8 to April 5. Alexander Rudik then wished “Winteriada-2003” would become a regular winter festival at lake Baikal. Valery Kuzin, first vice-president of Russia’s Olympic Committee, State Duma deputy, also suggested the festival to be held annually but not once in four years as if the Olympic games. Then Roman Ishenko, chair of Siberian Baikal Tourism Association, told that this was a challenging work to organize this kind of festival. Some competitions were very hard to arrange. Opening and closing ceremonies also took much of an effort. “We would be able to organize next year's festival only consolidating the public, enterprises and the government" – he said. Alexander Krupsky, chief arbiter of the games, chair of Irkutsk Regional Committee for Sports and Physical Culture, told that 20 Russian teams and three teams from abroad had taken part in competitions. 50 sets of medals were handed in to the participants. After that Vasily Saikov, head of Sludyanka settlement where most of the competitions took place, proposed to host the next festival in Sludyanka as well. Every speech ended off with a set of colored balloons flying up to the sky. Behind the stage one could see skiers who were sliding downhill with yellow and blue banners wavering in the wind. Finally launching the Russian tricolor made of balloons turned out to be the most breathtaking scene. Alexander Rudik then handed in “Winteriada–2003” cups to Baikal Pulp & Paper Plant and Ilim Pulp Enterprise — grand sponsors of the festival. And after the "Baikal Fairytale" show presented by kids from Shelekhov he announced 1st International “Winteriada–2003” — Baikal Nordic Games Festival closed.
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