Open Cup of SCO countries – 2026 on rowing and canoeing started in Zaslavl

The Open Cup of SCO countries - 2026 in kayaking and canoeing started on the rowing canal in Zaslavl on September 11. 175 youth and junior athletes from seven countries will compete for the medals: Belarus, Russia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Minsk-Novosti correspondent reports.

First Deputy Minister of Sports Alexander Dorokhovich noted that the Open Cup of SCO countries in kayaking and canoeing in Belarus is held for the first time. According to him, the tournament is designed to strengthen sports cooperation between the countries and in the future to attract more teams not only in rowing, but also in other sports.

- We hope that this is the first, but not the last, event of this level. We have good infrastructure, cool sports facilities, and we are ready to hold competitions of any format, Dorokhovich said.

He also stressed that the current tournament will be an important stage in the preparation of young athletes and will allow coaches to assess the nearest reserve of the national team.

- Such competitions give athletes an opportunity to prove themselves, gain experience and show how well the training worked. And the coaches — to make the right decisions on further selection in teams, — said the first Deputy Minister of sports.

Senior coach of the Belarusian women’s team, Olympic champion Andrei Bogdanovich stressed that the current competitions end the season.

- All the main starts have already passed – the European and World Championships. This is the end of the season between the countries. But still need to show a good result, – said the expert.

Speaking about the recent World Cup in Poznan (Poland), A. Bogdanovich drew attention to the fact that the silver medal was an important result for the women's canoe, where there were no awards at the world championships for a long time. The Belarusians could have done better.

- The girls knew they could fight for medals. But in some races, we were worried, waited too long for this start, and in the end we could not show the best result. In the new season, we have no goal to take second or third place – only gold, only victory.

From January 2027, Belarusian rowers will be able to perform at international competitions with national symbols – the flag, coat of arms and anthem of Belarus.

Meanwhile, athletes compete in Zaslavl. To ensure that the races were held according to the rules, a large judging team is watching. The chief judge of the competition, Nikita Verbitsky, said that dozens of judges of the national category were involved in the tournament. Specialists monitor compliance with the rules at the start and distance, as well as control the technical parameters of the boats.

- Violations are different: false start, moving the track, piling on the opponent, creating a wave. We also check the weight of the boats after the finish – underweight is also considered a violation. And to win, you need first of all perseverance, the ability to overcome yourself and the right tactics of passing the distance, said N. Verbitsky.

The competition program included Olympic distances - 1000, 500 and 200 m. According to the chief referee, the most spectacular are the 200m races - this is the most dynamic distance.

He also noted that holding such a tournament gives Belarusian judges valuable experience.

Responsibility, of course, adds, but first of all it is experience. So that when the scale of the competition grows, we were ready for this, the judge stressed.

Despite the wind and the cloudy sky, the athletes were preparing for the start. For rowers, this weather is quite familiar - it is often called rowing.

- It's not raining, thank God. The wind is favorable, then counter, but I think our athletes will cope with it, the judge said.

Indeed, the first results were not long in coming. The winner in the 200 m race was the Belarusian athlete Inna Nedelkina. After the finish, she admitted that she was satisfied with the result, noting the high level of competition.

- I am very glad that athletes from other countries came to us. After a busy season, you are psychologically much calmer for the race, but the jitters and emotions are still present. You already understand your strength, you know who you will fight, and you see the result in the medals you receive. I am very glad that soon it will be possible to perform under our flag, I. Nedelkina shared her emotions.

The competition will continue until September 13. The closing ceremony will begin on Sunday, at 12:20. For spectators, the entrance to the rowing canal is free. Fans are allowed access to the facility no earlier than an hour before the start of the competition.

Photo by Denis Kulagi