Super-Marathon in Honour of Stalingrad Defenders
“Glory to Stalingrad defenders!” – that was the motto, under which Winter Track and Field Super-Marathon “Battle of Stalingrad. 70” was held on February 03, 2013.
The battle of Stalingrad is the greatest battle of all time. On the occasion of the anniversary of the Victory in this battle President V. V. Putin issued an Order “Of celebration of the 70th anniversary of Nazi forces defeat by Soviet Army forces during the Battle of Stalingrad” of September 21, 2012. This event was widely celebrated all over our country. The arrangements have been scheduled in advance, for the whole year: http://правительство.рф/gov/results/21658/.
Sports-and-Geographical Association “Super-Marathon” devoted a memorial marathon with the length of 70 km to this historical event. Our correspondent, Diana Povarova, took part in this marathon too.
The marathon started at 9 AM in Pobeda park with a ritual of hoisting allegoric Banner of Victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. Participants laid flowers to Eternal flame and observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen. A team of eight people started from Kazan to Verkhniy Uslon regional centre. In Verkhniy Uslon our team was met with bread-and-salt welcome and traditional chak-chak by representatives of the executive committee of Verkhneuslonskiy district.
The marathon participants laid flowers on the monument to the fallen and observed a minute of silence together with Verkhniy Uslon citizens. Then, after a common photo, they proceeded to М7 highway in the direction of Kazan, then stopped for a dinner near by the bridge across the Volga-river, just in the middle of the distance.
It was very pleasant that the Banner of Victory in the Battle of Stalingrad was warmly greeted by automobilists, especially by long-distance truckers. They supported the marathon participants with friendly beeps, stopped and inquired about the meaning of our collective running.
The final stage of the marathon passed along Marshal Chuykov street. It was very symbolic, because this marshal led his 62nd Army to victory in the Battle of Stalingrad. The team finished at 04:45 PM at the Eternal flame in Pobeda park, thus looping the marathon route, and that was symbolic too, as namely “Ring” military operation conducted by the united Soviet Army force grouping terminated the Battle of Stalingrad with victory.
The team ran the whole distance, everyone stayed alive and healthy. All the team members ran a certain part of the route, another part was covered by groups numbering several persons. The total length of the route made a little bit more than its nominal length – 71,7 km (as monitored using GPS-GLONASS), the marathon time was 7 hours and 30 minutes. The participants personally covered the distance of 20 to 47 km on the average. In such a way, the team managed to cope with all the tasks set.
Several Words about the Team
Four representatives of KFU took part in the Marathon:
Ildar VAFIN – An ambassador of the world, long-distance runner of the international level, participant of the Olympic run “Moscow – Athens” and run “Moscow – Berlin”, electrical engineer of the Department of the Chief Power Engineer of KFU;
Sergey RODYGIN – the President of “Super-Marathon” Association, participant of the symposium “Kazan ‑ Brussels. Universiade 2013”, winner of the 1st Baikonur marathon, participant of the run “Gagarin’s versts. Baikonur - Saratov”, director of KFU club of running lovers “U_Run”;
Diana POVAROVA – a participant of the runs “In Memory of Victims of Earthquakes in Japan”, “Children are Future!”, post-graduate student of the Institute of Physics, running and active life-style lover; contributor of KFU Press-centre, personal correspondent of “Super-Marathon” Association;
Rustem TAKALOV – post-graduate student of the Institute of Computer Mathematics and Information Technologies, tourist, running lover.
Super-Marathon runners from Kazan and Tatarstan also became the team members:
Rustem GINIATULLIN – An ambassador of the world, record-holder of the Guinness Book of Records, World-class Master of Sport of Russia in twenty-four-hour running, the 6th prize-winner of the 1000-Mile Running World Championship (14 days, Australia), the most experienced participant of the Super-Marathon (64 years);
Ildus TUKHVATULLIN – Master of Sport in Ski Race, participant of the Super-Marathons “Kazan ‑ Brussels. Universiade 2013”, “Baikonur – Saratov”, coach of higher category;
Yuriy NIKITIN (Chistopol) – Master of Sport in Ski Race, winner of the Russian Championship in twenty-four-hour running among veterans (200 km), participant of the run “Meeting Universiade 2013», silver prize-winner of the international bicycle race “Trans-Russia 2012”, Arkhangelsk – Sochi (4000 km);
Vadim ISSIN – a participant of the traditional sprig marathon in Luzhniki, Moscow, participant of the run “Meeting Universiade 2013”, student of National Research University “Kazan State Technical University named after A. N. Tupolev”.
Words of Gratitude
The Association expresses a sincere gratitude to all the Super-Marathon participants, as well as to the Headmaster of Boarding School – Gymnasium No. 4, Kazan, Mr. Fattiyev Marat Mintagirovich; the Head of the universitywide Department of Physical Training and Sport of KFU, Ms. Kasatova Lyudmila Vasilyevna; administrative staff of the Concert-and-Sport Complex UNIX of KFU for their support rendered in the course of the Super-Marathon organizing. We also cordially thank administration of Verkhneuslonskiy district for a well-organized reception.
S. Rodygin, the President of “Super-Marathon” Association, graduate of the Faculty of Physics of KSU.
Remember that…
The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad was a wonderful success of the Soviet Army in its struggle against Nazi occupants recognized worldwide. This victory was the result of 200 days of an extremely fierce struggle, during which Stalingrad defenders demonstrated unprecedented courage and bravery and served with deep selflessness for the good of our country and peace throughout the world. The victory has become the starting point for fascism destruction.
Overall toll of the Red Army in Stalingrad defensive operation made 643 842 people, total losses made 1426 tanks, 12137 pieces of ordnance and mortars, 2063 airplanes.
Overall toll of Nazi army in the Battle of Stalingrad made over 800 thousand people, total losses made about 2 thousand tanks and assault guns, over 10 thousand pieces of ordnance and mortars, up to 3 thousand combat and transport aircrafts and more than 70 thousand motor cars.
Losses were really tremendous! The price of the victory was a fundamental change in the course of the combat operations in the Great Patriotic war: military-and-political and strategic initiative completely passed to the Soviet Army.
Plans for Future
In January, 2013 the Association is planning to hold a unique super-marathon starting from the polar region to the Olympic Sochi. Interested persons can find all the necessary information using the following contacts:
+7 (917) 852 0 465, rsey@yandex.ru.
