Timchenko Foundation completes second competition for projects to develop junior sledge hockey in Russia

Four projects that won the competition will receive financial backing from the Timchenko Foundation for 2018 – these are projects to promote children’s sledge hockey in Moscow, Tula Oblast and the Republic of Bashkortostan, as well as the infrastructure project of the Children’s Sledge Hockey League.

Organized by the Timchenko Foundation, the competition is run as part of the Good Ice programme in an attempt to support and improve the infrastructure of junior sledge hockey and provide equipment to teams.

The competition’s Jury Panel named the following 2018 winners

1. The Hockey Federation provincial NGO of Tula Oblast, which entered the project called The Promotion of Junior Sledge Hockey in Tula Oblast.
2. The Bashkir Pirates Sledge Hockey Club Independent Not-for-Profit Organization with their project called The Promotion of Junior Sledge Hockey in the Republic of Bashkortostan in 2018
3. Children’s Sledge Hockey League Independent Not-for-Profit Organization (Moscow). Project: WE ARE DIFFERENT, HOCKEY IS THE SAME
4. Metelitsa International Polar Expedition and Sports Centre International NGO (Moscow). Project: The Hour of Sledge Hockey.

Russia’s first children’s sledge hockey team was formed with the involvement of the Timchenko Foundation in 2013 and remained the only one in Russia and in Europe until 2016. In spite of this, its members competed in many international tournaments and held their own against teams from Canada and the USA — countries where sledge hockey has always been strong. The popularity of sledge hockey in Russia gradually grew, those wishing to take up this sport kept increasing in number, and there were as many as 6 junior sledge hockey teams by 2017. The Timchenko Foundation continues supporting initiatives for the promotion of the sport.