RUSSIA: A volcano in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka region is turned into a summer skiing base

Record ID: 573690

  • Title: RUSSIA: A volcano in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka region is turned into a summer skiing base
  • Date: 13th July 2008
  • Summary: (CEEF) VOLCANO KOZELSKYI, KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA (RECENT) ( REUTERS) SKIERS ON KOSELSKYI VOLCANO MAN SKIING IN SWIMMING TRUNKS SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS IN SUMMER CLOTHING SNOWBOARDER IN BIKINI TOP, IRINA LEONOVA, GOING UP DRAG LIFT DRAG LIFT WINCH TURNING LEONOVA BOARDING DOWN SLOPE, GOING OVER SNOW JUMP TWO SNOWBOARDERS TALKING IN SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SNOWBOARDER, IRINA LEONOVA, SAYING: "It's just fabulous! That's why foreign tourists come here! It's very unusual: Green grass, snow, all four seasons are united here". SNOWBOARDERS COMING DOWN PISTE SNOWBOARDERS IN VEST TOPS STOPPING VARIOUS OF SKIERS ON VOLCANIC SOIL, PUTTING SKI BOOTS ON SNOWBOARDER IN SHORTS CARRYING BOARD UP HILL (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SKIER, PAVEL VERESHAKA, SAYING: "The season lasts for the whole summer. New snow fall will come in September, a new snow layer will cover the area, therefore we will be skiing for the whole year". SKIER IN T-SHIRT GOING UP DRAG LIFT, DOG RUNNING BEHIND DOG RUNNING UP SLOPE SKIERS GOING UP DRAG LIFT, FOG COMING IN BOARDERS AND SKIERS SKIING IN FOG BOARDERS CARRYING BOARDS UP SLOPE IN FOG SNOW CAT PUSHING SNOW (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ORGANIZER OF THE SUMMER SKIING CAMP, IGOR CHAINIKOV, SAYING: "We need just one day to organise everything and to bring all the important stuff such as snow cat, trailer, water, fuel and everything else". SUMMER SKIING CAMP TENT ERECTED NEXT TO JEEP PEOPLE ON SNOW NEXT TO VOLCANIC SOIL SKI TOW ENGINE ROLLING BOARDERS UNLATCHING THEMSELVES FROM DRAG LIFT TOPLESS BOARDER COMING DOWN PISTE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SKIERS, YAROSLAV AND ULIA CHERNEVI, SAYING: "Mountain skiing is what our souls crave for. It is the most popular sport here, although we have not only mountain sports". SKIER GOING OVER JUMP
  • Embargoed: 28th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8WXYHVKWGU4ZBVFVTHYPR6WYS
  • Story Text: Kamchatka skiers and snowboarders enjoy the sport all year round. In summer, a bikini and skis are all you need.
    Skis or snowboard and a bikini. This is the typical summer outfit of a Kamchatka skier.
    In Russia's far east, the Kamchatka region is famous for its volcanos, which are always covered with snow. The Kozelsky volcano is 25 kilometres away from the Pacific Ocean and 40 kilometres away from Petropavlovsk and has been transformed into a ski camp, located 400 metres above sea level.
    Temperatures here vary from 15 to 25 Celsius, a summer environment which is the envy of skiers from all over the world.

    "It is just fabulous! That's why foreign tourists come here! It's very unusual: Green grass, snow, all four seasons are united here", said snowboarder, Irina Leonova.
    The ski camp on Kozelsky volcano is organised by professionals who don't want to lose shape in the summer months.

    "The season lasts for the whole summer. New snow fall will come in September, a new snow layer will cover the area, therefore we will be skiing for the whole year," said skier Pavel Vereshaka.
    Skiers who are not members of the sports club have to pay 10 euros per day for skiing, plus three euros for ski rental.

    "We need just one day to organise everything and to bring all the important stuff such as snow cat, trailer, water, fuel and everything else," said Igor Chainikov, who organises the summer ski camp.
    Some ski fans live in tents at the camp, others come for the day or the weekend. The number of skiers can reach up to 800 people including foreign tourists. Skiing lasts till the sun goes down, whatever the weather.

    "Mountain skiing is what our souls crave for. It is the most popular sport here, although have not only mountain sports here", say skiers Yaroslav and Yulia Chernevi.
    When the snow melts, the ski camp will be transferred to a higher, colder and snowy part of the volcano.
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