The villagers solemnly met the group of swimmers on the river bank. The athletes emerged from the water in a neat formation, carrying flags. The meeting was opened by the Sarliassa dance ensemble.
The combined team of participants in the relay race “Towards Severnaya Zemlya” brought together Russian record holders, winners of international championships, and heroes of military operations. The international expedition included a participant from Spain – World Cup medallist Victoria Ortes de Guinea. The national anthems of the Russian Federation and Spain were played during the ceremony of performing national anthems. The swim took place within the framework of the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia proclaimed by the President and is dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the Arctic village of Khatanga.
The participants of the Arctic Relay worthily carried the flag of the Khatanga rural settlement through the harsh Khatanga waters and solemnly presented it to the head of the Khatanga rural settlement, Andrey Gashev. In memory of this event, the athletes were presented with letters of appreciation from the Head of the rural settlement, A. Gashev, and “Deer Track” amulets.
Thanks for help and assistance in carrying out the sports and patriotic event were extended to JSC Khatanga Sea Commercial Port, Khatanga Secondary School No. 1, Khatanga Boarding Secondary School, the emergency rescue service of Khatanga rural settlement, UGOCS, Individual Entrepreneur Reger A.A., Anabar Tour LLC, KrasAvia JSC, Kondratova L.I., Agamerzaev G.O., ZVEZDA LLC, Blokhin A.N.
Films about the cold water swimming group's stay off the coast of Antarctica, in the harsh waters of the Bering Strait, and in the Black Sea Victory Relay were shown at the House of Culture. The audience warmly welcomed singer Vladimir Mazur, a participant in military operations in Afghanistan and author of over a hundred songs.
They honoured the memory of Vyacheslav Voshchevoz, who died in the Special Military Operation – the son of Arctic Swim participant Valery Voshchevoz.
On Sunday, a cultural programme was prepared for the guests: excursions around Khatanga and its surroundings, to the Mammoth Museum, and to the Museum of Nature and Ethnography of the FGBU “Taimyr Reserves”.
At the Holy Epiphany Church, two icons were left as a gift to Khatanga, with the blessing of Archbishop Lukian of Blagoveshchensk and Tynda – a Far Eastern relic, the icon of the Mother of God, and “The Appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Amur in 1900”. With these relics, the relay participants walked in a religious procession from Kheta to Khatanga.
Summing up, the group leader Alexander Brylin noted that the group had fully accomplished its tasks. They swam the set distance, held meetings with residents in each settlement (Kheta, Novaya, Kresty), performed a concert programme, and held a charity event for children of the Arctic. They received a very warm and generous welcome, for which northerners are famous. Taimyr confirmed its hospitality and readiness to receive representatives of different peoples.
