Despite the fact that the Rowing Canal in its current form is strikingly different from what it was during its first construction, we nevertheless decided to add this regional facility to the History section.

The rowing canal in Krylatskoye is not only the pride of the region, a sports facility of Russian and global scale, but also has a certain historical value. Its history is so rich that it requires a separate and special mention.

It is worth noting that, contrary to popular belief, the Rowing Canal was built long before the Olympic Games of the 80th year. Its construction was finally completed in 1973 (project authors: architects V. Kuzmin, V. Kolesnik, I. Rozhin, A. Yastrebov). It was built specifically for the 66th European Rowing Championship and, as was customary in those days, the object was commissioned on time without any defects.

This building immediately found love among athletes. And indeed - at that time it was an extremely convenient sports facility in every sense: the length was 2300 meters, the width was 125 meters, in the finish area there were visual stands for 3400 seats, protected by a visor. But the main "chip" is the presence of the so-called "return" route. Its purpose is to allow athletes to return to the starting point through a separate channel, which is 74 meters wide, without interfering with the races on the main track. In other words, several "swims" can be carried out at the same time, without waiting for the athletes to clear the track for the next stage of the race. Very often athletes use this return channel for warm-ups, which is also very convenient.

The rowing canal, in addition to purely sporting nuances, was and was sufficiently equipped with technical point vision, of course, adjusted for those times.

Thus, by the beginning of the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980, the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye, although at that time the Krylatskoye district did not exist as such, had already been tested and proved itself only on the good side. He, quite naturally, was included in the list of Olympic sports facilities.

The officials liked the area where the Rowing Canal is located so much that it was decided to build several more sports facilities nearby. In particular, the "Indoor cycle track" appeared - its construction was completed on December 28, 1979, and, of course, an open cycle track, which stretched almost the entire area of ​​the Krylatsky Hills.

In 1979 and 1980, the USSR Post issued several commemorative postcards depicting the Olympic Rowing Canal. The photo below is just such a postcard. By the way, they were in rather high demand among foreigners, so even now you can find these postcards on foreign sites dedicated to collecting Olympic paraphernalia. Their price is not sky-high, as the circulations were impressive. In total, 4 varieties of postcards depicting the Rowing Canal are known.

Rowing Canal in 1979

Unfortunately, after the Olympic Games, the Rowing Canal no longer hosts world-class competitions, which, however, does not prevent it from becoming a venue for competitions of national importance. Moreover, there were simply no analogues to this sports facility in the Soviet Union.

In 1988, a large Moscow regatta was held on the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye, the photo below shows a commemorative token issued specifically for those games. Unfortunately, it was 1988 that became a kind of milestone for the Rowing Canal, after which this facility gradually began to lose its former power. In the 90s, although regattas, swims, etc. were held on it, from a technical and moral point of view, this facility is already outdated.

According to some information, which, unfortunately, could not be documented, in the late 90s or early 2000s, the Rowing Canal was included in the list of venues for holding world-class competitions. To be more precise, he was considered among others, but the decision was not made in his favor. The reason is the lack of necessary technical means for video filming. In other words, it was difficult for TV people to broadcast the competitions.

It became clear that the sports facility, one of the symbols of the 1980 Olympics, needed complete modernization. But, as is usually the case, desire does not always coincide with financial capabilities.

Only in 2011, it was decided to carry out a complete reconstruction. The money was found, and the work began to boil. According to the plans of the authorities, the reconstruction of the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye was to take place in two stages. The first was timed to coincide with the second stage of the World Cup in kayaking and canoeing. The builders successfully coped with this task and on April 1, 2012 the first stage of reconstruction was completed, and on July 2-3 of the same year the long-awaited competitions were held.

We can say that it was in the summer of 2012 that the symbol of the Olympics-80, the pride of the Krylatskoye district, received a second life. Technically, it was completely re-equipped: a finish tower was built, slipways for storage were completely reconstructed and expanded. sports courts, additional locker rooms with showers were built, the boiler house was reconstructed, finally, a monorail was erected along the entire length of the island for video filming, the information board was replaced, two connecting channels were dug, the racing channel was expanded while simultaneously strengthening the coastline, etc.

But the changes didn't end there. After the second stage of the World Cup in rowing and canoeing, the second stage of reconstruction began, which, in turn, will last until April 2014. However, even then, as officials say, there is still something to be done. Lots of plans.

The Krylatskoye district, of course, only gained from this modernization - even now it’s nice to just walk near the Rowing Canal (there are excellent, modern park areas, alleys, etc.), not to mention attending sports competitions.

How to get to the Rowing Canal?

Getting to the Rowing Canal is quite simple. From the nearest metro stations, and these are Molodezhnaya and Krylatskoye, there are buses No. 229 and No. 829. The stop is called "Rowing Canal". You can also get there by bus number 691, which goes from the Molodezhnaya metro station, as well as by trolleybus number 19 and bus number 271, already going from the Krylatskoye metro station. True, you need to get off at the Krylatsky Most stop. You can walk on foot, and it is better to do it directly from Krylatsky. Walk in a straight line for about 30 minutes, but the path will run through the picturesque territory of the Krylatsky Hills.

The rowing canal is located in the Tatar floodplain of the Moskva River, where an artificial channel was created for it. Parallel to the main channel, there is a second (return) channel, which provides an opportunity to hold competitions not only in rowing and rowing in kayaks and canoes, but also ring relay races at a distance of up to 10 kilometers.

In the Soviet years, he had no equal among the water sports tracks in Europe. The rowing canal in Krylatskoye, built in Moscow in 1973 for the European Rowing Championships, has become a worthy venue for competitions of the highest level. In 1980, rowing, kayaking and canoeing competitions were held here as part of the Summer Olympic Games.

The length of the channel is 2300 meters. The width of the main channel of the canal is 125 meters, the return channel is 75 meters, and the depth is 3.5 meters. In the main channel, 6 lanes for rowing and 9 lanes for kayak and canoe competitions can be placed. In the finish area there are spectator stands for 3400 seats under a canopy roof.

In August 2014, the canal hosted the Canoeing World Championships, in preparation for which the canal facilities were reconstructed.

Two connecting canals were built with the installation of two bridges, a pavilion for weighing sports courts with the latest equipment, a new information board appeared, the pavement of running tracks around the island was repaired, the old building of boathouses was reconstructed and a new building of boathouses was built (for storing sports courts) with a larger storage area , locker rooms, showers and a block of administrative premises.

The multifunctional sports and recreation complex (FOC) was renovated. Modernized rowing pools, large and small Sport halls, premises for trainers and a medical rehabilitation center, a gas boiler house was reconstructed. Installed special simulators with sensors for measuring stroke amplitude, rowing pace, oar load and much more.

It is here, in Krylatskoye, that a monorail system for video filming, or the so-called "running" camera, has no analogues in the world. The video camera follows the athletes at a speed of 60 km/h and transmits the image in real time to a huge scoreboard opposite the seats, which was also replaced during the first stage of reconstruction. The monorail is 250 meters long and serves the finish line.

A four-story hostel for 100 athletes was built, adapted for people with disabilities. The old rowing start tower was demolished and three new remote towers were built to install control equipment. Houses were built to accommodate distance judges. The equipment for timing and control of starts during the competitions has been debugged. A hangar for storing boats was rebuilt, the adjacent territory was landscaped, 6 tennis courts were restored

The Olympic training and sports center "Krylatskoye" is, first of all, the rowing canal itself, 2340 meters long, 125 meters wide and 3.5 meters deep at the start and 3 meters at the finish. Its creators were the architects of workshop No. 7 of the Mosproekt-2 Department. During construction, for the first time in international practice, two channels were made. In the main channel, athletes compete in speed, nestling in their kayaks and canoes, along the second they go from boathouses to the starting point. In principle, both the main and return channels can be used for relay races and marathons.

This story uses illustrations from the portal of old photos https://pastvu.com/. Using the links under the retrophotos, you can go to the site, see the place on the map, read the comments of local historians.

Starting bridges. 1985: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/27742

The farthest starting positions were in the vicinity of the then village of Tatarovo, and the athletes finished near the village of Krylatskoye. A grandstand for 3,400 spectators, a sports building with a swimming pool, a hotel for athletes, gyms and a rowing museum. For storage of boats there is a boathouse with nineteen boxes.

Rowing channel. 1973-1975: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/49728

Tribune. 1973-1975: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/81837

When earthworks began in the 1960s to lay the canal, locals began to prepare for moving to other areas. The first wave of demolitions took place in 1972, and during the preparations for the Olympics (1978-1979), the village of Krylatskoye disappeared completely. The consent of the residents to move was not particularly asked, someone ended up in Setun, and someone in Chertanovo.

Krylatskoye village, 1964: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/95366 Now this place is a business center on Krylatskaya street.

Krylatsky hills with modern buildings

Garden Association "Rechnik" was established in 1956 on the banks of the Moscow River in the Krylatskoye district opposite the picturesque Serebryany Bor. In the early 1960s, permission was obtained for the construction of outbuildings and houses for temporary residence. Subsequently, country houses became the subject of a conflict: gardeners did not issue permits for capital development. Since 1998, this territory has been included in the protected area of ​​the Moskvoretsky Park, in 2006 the rivermen were warned that their land was not registered as property, followed by checks on the legality of the construction of capital buildings. In January 2010, the demolition of the village began, which caused a public outcry: the owners protested against the liquidation of the village.

Over four decades, over 16,000 sports competitions and holidays. The most significant - Olympic Games 1980, Goodwill Games, annual Great Moscow Regatta.

During the Olympics-80 in Krylatskoye, not only rowers competed, but also cyclists, for whom an indoor cycle track was built, and a cycle path was laid along the hills. Between the canal and the cycle track, archery fields were equipped, now this space is planted with young trees. For the duration of the Olympic Games, several sections of temporary stands were assembled at the finish line of the rowing canal, and the stationary one was renovated and tinted. In 1978 boathouses and a hotel for athletes appeared, a large electronic scoreboard was installed on the island.

Olympic finish of the canoe race. 1980: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/52564

Olympics. 1980: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/98172

rowing

Rowing and canoeing

Only a pillar with pictograms - hand-drawn symbols of sports - reminds of the Olympic Games. Such structures were then installed near all sports facilities. Over time, new ones were added to the original pictograms - bowling and badminton.

Not so long ago, wooden benches for spectators remained in the stands, old referee towers along the riverbed, and a scoreboard from the Olympics on the island.

Photos from 2007

In this form, the Rowing Canal existed until 2011, before the start of its large-scale reconstruction. They say that Dmitry Medvedev, who was fond of rowing and, already being the President of Russia, had a hand in the transformation of Krylatsky, attended international competitions on the rowing canal as a guest of honor.

On August 6-10, 2014 in Krylatskoye the World Championship in kayaking and canoeing was held. The grandstands were modernized for this event, a new finish tower was built, and a modern electronic scoreboard was installed on the island.

In addition to the actual rowing starts in different years, the USSR championships in water-skiing, the World Championships and the Russian championships in water skiing were held here. fishing, competitions in ship modeling, jet skiing and wakeboarding, mass starts of swimmers (there is such a discipline - swimming in open water). In winter, the surroundings of the canal are used for ski competitions, the skating rink is flooded, the "Winter Spartakiads" are held in the halls table tennis, checkers and chess. The infrastructure of the rowing canal can be used for motor racing.

For Russia, Dragon boat races are an exotic spectacle

Festival extreme sports- Adrenaline Games

Rally drivers occupied the Krylatskiye hills many years ago, when they were really extreme races in difficult conditions. Now racers start at the stands of the rowing canal and set off along the turns of the asphalt cycling track, laid for the Olympic starts.

Neighborhood of the village of Tatarovo. Rally. 1962-1970: http://www.oldmos.ru/old/photo/view/90544

Among the long-term plans is the construction of a canupolo stadium on the island. In Russia, this sport began to be practiced in 1998, although its history began much earlier. English engravings from 1880-1885 show people on boats playing ball with oars. In 1926, the rules for a game called "canupolo" were published in Germany. Then they played in an area comparable in size to football field, game time - two halves of 45 minutes, in a team (as in football) eleven players. Later, the rules were improved, their versions of the game arose in France and Australia.

The presentation of canupolo in Krylatskoye could be seen at the June President's Cup, the game turned out to be quite spectacular and I wanted to learn more about this curiosity. Modern canupolo is played by two teams of five kayaking in a fenced area of ​​calm water measuring 35 meters by 23 meters. The team that scores more balls into the goal suspended at a height of two meters wins. The ball is waterproof, weighing 400-450 grams, these are used in water polo. Game time - two halves of 10 minutes. You can throw the ball with your hands or with an oar, you can attack the player who owns the ball, try to turn his kayak over. From the outside, all this looks quite dangerous, so the athlete’s mandatory equipment includes protective helmet with visor and life jacket. The current version of the rules was published by the International Canoe Federation (IFC, ICF) in 1990.

The match starts with a swim of two sprinters who strive to be the first to take possession of the ball. And then a ten-minute action begins with swinging the oars, passing, throws on goal (which you want to call a basket in basketball). Getting into the goal is not at all easy, the defending side raises the oars, blocking the path of the ball flying at the target. IN power struggle kayaks can capsize, but the player sits tightly in the boat, and the boat immediately returns to the surface. By the way, canupolo boats are made using Kevlar, carbon fiber, polyethylene, the bow and stern are rounded and equipped with soft bumpers.

A hundred meters from the return channel of the canal in 2006, a silver "flying saucer" landed. Sports Palace "Dynamo" with stands for 5000 spectators is designed for training and competitions in game types sports. This is the home ground for Dynamo women's and men's basketball teams, the Dynamo futsal team. The arena can be transformed for tournaments in other sports, for example, for boxing fights.

In the Soviet years, he had no equal among the water sports tracks in Europe. The rowing canal in Krylatskoye, built in Moscow in 1973 for the European Rowing Championships, has become a worthy venue for competitions of the highest level. In 1980, rowing, kayaking and canoeing competitions were held here as part of the Summer Olympic Games.

40 years is not a critical age for a sports facility, if this “organism” is maintained and its material and technical base is updated in a timely manner. However, in the 1990s, during the collapse of the USSR, no funds were allocated to finance the channel, the structure slowly degraded. In 2008 - 2011, the rowing distance of the canal was re-equipped, which made it possible to organize European and world championships in kayaking and canoeing among juniors (were purchased modern systems timing and start, arbiter catamarans for a total of 70 million rubles).

However, these measures were not enough to hold the third stage of the 2012 World Cup and the 2014 World Cup. Therefore, on April 12, 2011, the Moscow government decided to further development Olympic training and sports center "Krylatskoe".

Already in August 2014, the Rowing Canal received the first biggest competition after the Olympics-80 - the world championship in rowing and canoeing.

It was decided to carry out the reconstruction of the Rowing Canal in stages. The work of the first stage (from November 2011 to May 2012) was carried out in winter in a short time due to severe cold. Sometimes frosts reached 30 degrees, and the builders had to work with concrete, carry out monolithic work, which was extremely difficult at such a low temperature.

According to CEO Olympic training and sports center "Krylatskoe" Ruslan Bezkorovainy, the builders still managed to complete the tasks and reduce the standard construction time by one and a half times without loss of quality.

“The first stage of reconstruction was completed in a short time. And this was a great feat for the Construction Complex. The builders adequately coped with the task, which made it possible to hold the third stage of the World Cup in kayaking and canoeing in 2012. highest level”, - said R. Bezkorovainy.

In just six months, two connecting canals were built with the installation of two bridges, a new information board appeared, and the covering of the running tracks around the island was repaired. The main stands, commentary booths and the administrative building were also repaired, a pavilion for weighing sports courts with the latest equipment appeared.

The total area of ​​landscaped territory following the results of the first stage of reconstruction amounted to almost 40,000 square meters. Particular attention was paid to the infrastructure, the old building of boathouses was reconstructed and a new building was built (for storing sports courts. - Ed.).

It is here, in Krylatskoye, that a monorail system for video filming, or the so-called "running" camera, has no analogues in the world. The video camera follows the athletes at a speed of 60 km/h and transmits the image in real time to a huge scoreboard opposite the seats, which was also replaced during the first stage of reconstruction. The monorail is 250 meters long and serves the finish line.

“The rowing canal in Krylatskoye is a unique facility. All the necessary conditions have been created here both for athletes and for the work of the judiciary,” said R. Bezkorovainy.

The general contractor started work on the second phase of the reconstruction of the facility in December 2013. Thus, a four-story hostel has been built that can accommodate 100 athletes and accommodate them in 84 living rooms for the duration of competitions and training. The building also has a conference room, buffet and various utility rooms. The hostel is adapted for people with disabilities: the building has ramps and 12 specially equipped rooms for people with limited mobility.

Also, the second phase of the reconstruction included the design and overhaul of a multifunctional sports and recreation complex (FOC). The rowing pools, large and small gyms, rooms for coaches and a medical rehabilitation center have been modernized. For the training of athletes, special simulators are provided with sensors for measuring stroke amplitude, rowing pace, oar load and much more.

Our reference

Before the construction of the Rowing Canal in Krylatskoye, rowing competitions were held on the Moskva River near the Central Park of Culture and Recreation. M. Gorky or Serebryany Bor, as well as on the Khimki reservoir. However, these areas were not suitable for international level competitions due to the strong influence of the wind and the high waves raised by passing ships.

The decision to hold the European Rowing Championship in 1973 by the International Federation (FISA) in Moscow gave rise to the construction of the Rowing Canal. It was decided to build a new sports facility in the west of the capital - in the Tatar floodplain of the Moskva River, in a specially protected area of ​​the Moskvoretsky Natural and Historical Park. The total length of the canal is 2340 m, the width of the main channel is 125 m, the return channel is 75 m.

The Olympic complex included an administrative building with tribunes for 4200 seats, a shed building for storing sports courts, a sports building with halls, changing rooms and a hotel.

The European Rowing Championship, which was held in August - early September 1973, brought together athletes not only from all over Europe, but also from the USA, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, New Zealand. The rowing canal in Krylatskoye was recognized by the international sports community as a unique complex that meets the highest modern requirements.

In 1980, competitions in rowing and rowing in kayaks and canoes were held here as part of the Summer Olympic Games. By the opening of these games, additional temporary stands for 17 thousand people, a boathouse for boats, a sports building with a universal hall, a weightlifting hall, training rowing pools, a daytime rest room for 100 people, and a rehabilitation center were built on the canal. “The rowing canal is excellent. Only because of him should the Olympic Games be held in Moscow, ”the president said then. International Federation rowed by Thomas Keller.

From 1994 to 2009, the Rowing Canal was a state unitary enterprise that did not receive financial support from the city budget and profit from its professional activity. In 2009, the Moscow authorities, taking into account the interests of the city, Moscow and Russian sports, decided to transform the enterprise (now it is state-owned) and included it in the system of institutions of the Moscow Sports Committee.

Since 2011, by decision of the city authorities, work has been carried out on the reconstruction of the Rowing Canal. It was completed on July 31, 2014 - in time for the World Championship in kayaking and canoeing, which took place in August 2014.