Izhevsk feels the glow of Universiade Flame

Izhevsk is the 19th city in Russia to be given the honour of hosting the Torch Relay for the World University Games. The Relay's route through Izhevsk took in educational institutions, city parks and tourist attractions. The distance covered by the 47 Torchbearers, in order to light the City Cauldron for the Universiade Torch, was exactly 6,200 metres. 

The task of carrying the Universiade Torch through the city's streets and squares was given to top students of Izhevsk and famous sports stars, including Nadezhda Pushpasheva, a participant in the Paralympic Games in Beijing and London, 20-time Russian champion and member of the Russian national table tennis team; Ivan Kuznetsov, a bronze medal winner at the World Championships and a member of Russia's national sledge-hockey team; Vladislav Lekomtsev, the 3-times world champion and member of Russia's cross-country skiing team; and volunteers representing youth charities and the companies sponsoring the Summer Universiade.    

"When I was running with the Torch, I could sense what a big responsibility it was. I'm happy to have been part of an international event like this!" said Varvara Vasilieva, one of the Torchbearers. "I'm delighted that a Russian city is hosting the Universiade in 2013: after all, Kazan is such a beautiful and ancient city.   During the Relay I was thinking about how close-knit and patriotic we all are in Izhevsk, and about the unity of the Russian people as a whole. I'm proud that I live in Russia!"

The starting point for the Universiade Torch Relay in Izhevsk was the Integral Palace of Culture at Izhevsk State Technical University, where the first Torch was lit during a grand ceremony.  The honorary task of starting the Relay was given to a professor and Ph.D. in Education, the author of numerous works about the history of sport in the Republic of Udmurtia, Nikolai Soloviev.

Students of Izhevsk and local cirtizens gave a warm welcome to the main symbol of the Summer Universiade, as the Torch Relay wound its way along the streets of Izhevsk:  there was much cheering, raucous applause and smiles all round.

It's symbolic, that during the handover of the Universiade Flame in the square near the Eternal Flame, it was received by Anatoly Suvorov, a veteran of labour and sport and advocate of a healthy lifestyle, who had carried the Flag of Victory during the Relay of Peace on May 9 in Izhevsk.

The Torch Relay came to an end in Central Square in Izhevsk, where the City Cauldron was lit. The honorary guests at the grand ceremony were President of Udmurtia, Alexander Volkov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Udmurtia, Nikolai Musalimov, Mayor of Izhevsk, Alexander Ushakov, and Deputy Head of the Department of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Tatarstan, Andrei Yasko. 

"We are delighted that Izhevsk was chosen as one of the 30 cities which were given the honour of hosting the Universiade Torch Relay," Alexander Volkov commented.  "We are going to continue to develop university sports in the republic and build sports facilities, so that young people are able to get involved in sport in every part of Udmurtia. After all, sport is a guarantor of success, good health and longevity."

"Today, by taking part in the Torch Relay, we are getting involved in the upcoming Universiade in Kazan.  We are proud of our sports stars, have high hopes for them, and wish them every success at the World University Games in Kazan!" Alexander Ushakov emphasised.   

"The Universiade Flame is a symbol of peace, friendship and student unity. This Torch Relay is an unprecedented event: it has never happened before in the history of university games," Andrei Yasko noted. "It is really symbolic that with exactly a month to go until the opening of the Games, the Torch is being hosted by Izhevsk. We invite you all to get involved in this major event, either as volunteers or spectators. And we wish our sports stars outstanding achievements!"  

To commemorate the Universiade Torch Relay in Izhevsk, Andrei Yasko presented city leaders with souvenir torches.

And people in the city of Kirov will not have long to wait to see the Universiade Flame:  the main symbol of the Summer Universiade will be carried through the city's streets and squares on June 7th.

The Universiade Torch Lighting Ceremony took place at Paris-Sorbonne University where the first ‘World Student Games’ were held in 1923.

The historic moment in the Torch Relay arrived when the Universiade Flame embarked on a round-the-world voyage aboard the world’s largest bark - the tall ship Sedov. On July 15th, the Torch was handed over to a team of navy cadets – the Keepers of the Universiade Flame. Travelling aboard the bark Sedov, the Torch covered 45,000 nautical miles and repeated the route of greatest sailors of all times. 

The Russian leg of the Universiade Torch Relay started off on January 25, on Russian Students' Day. Travelling from east to west, the Flame is carried through Russia’s 30 top student cities such as Khabarovsk, Yakutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Arkhangelsk, Stavropol, Pyatigorsk, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Vladimir, Moscow, Perm, Izhevsk, Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod, Yoshkar-Ola, Cheboksary, Ulyanovsk, Saransk, Penza, Saratov, Samara, Orenburg, Ufa and passes through 43 municipal districts of the Republic of Tatarstan, finishing its odyssey in Kazan on July 6, on the opening day of the 2013 Summer Universiade. 2,013 Torchbearers will carry the Universiade Torch as it will make its way all over the country. 

Universiade Torch Relay partners:

Hyundai Motor CIS is the General Partner and Official Transport Provider of the Kazan 2013 Summer Universiade. Hyundai Motor CIS is an exclusive distributor of Hyundai cars in the Russian Federation. Currently the company owns one of the largest dealer networks in the Russian automotive industry and comprises over 140 automobile showrooms.

Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia LLC is an Official Partner of the 27th Summer Universiade Kazan 2013. The Coca-Cola system is a long-standing partner of some of the world’s most important sporting events and places great emphasis on promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyle around the world. Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia gives a warm welcome to the Universiade Flame in Russia and acts as the partner of the 2013 Summer Universiade Torch Relay.

OAO MegaFon is the General Partner of the 27th Summer Universiade Kazan 2013 and the Russian leg of the Universiade Torch Relay. MegaFon is one of the leading all-Russian universal communications operators running its business in all segments of the telecommunications market in Russia. MegaFon became the first operator with a network covering all regions of Russia. It was also the first national operator to launch 3G network for commercial operation and is currently the leader of mobile Internet services.

SOGAZ Insurance Group is the Official Partner and Insurance Provider of the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan. SOGAZ Insurance Group: be nervous only about victories at the games, all other things at the Universiade are insured!

ОАО Aeroflot Russian Airlines is the Official Partner and Official Airline of the 27th Summer Universiade Kazan 2013. Apart from that, Aeroflot is the partner of the 2013 Summer Universiade Torch Relay.

OOO Trade House Forward (FORWARD Sportswear) is the Official Provider to the 27th Summer Universiade Kazan 2013 and official partner of the 2013 Summer Universiade Torch Relay. FORWARD Sportswear is quality, vibrancy, comfort and beautility! Being with FORWARD means being part of achievements and victories of great Russia!