The Barents Children's and Youth cycling tour is organized on the initiative of Severomorsk children's and youth cycling club "Pilgrims" and supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Barents Secretariat, Murmansk regional Administration, Administrations of the town of Severomorsk, Sor-Varanger commune Administration, cycling clubs from North-Western Russia, Finland and Norway.
The Barents Children's and Youth cycling tour is to be held the forth time.
In 2000 the Barents region Children's and Youth pilgrim cycling tour was implemented.
In 2001 the route of the tour was the following Severomorsk - Murmansk - Kirkenes - Karasjok - the North Cape - Alta - Tromso - Kilpisjarvi - Tornio - Rovaniemi - Salla - Kandalaksha - Kirovsk - Plateau Rasvumchorr - Murmansk - Severomorsk. This route with slight changes is accepted for the year 2002 and all following years.
Start of the tour: the 13th of July, 2003.
Finish of the tour: the 12th of August, 2003.
A route and time of realization of the Barents Children's and Youth cycling tour are chosen so that
* in Ramfjordsbotn (Norway) 29.07.2003 the participants of the tour will take part in the cycling race, organized by Hamperokken Sykkeklubb;
* at Kilpisjarvi on August, 1-2.08.2003 the Barents tour will join cycling marathon "Kilpisjarvi - Tornio" (500 km for two days) being held the 19th time. 120 participants from different countries take part in this event.
* In Rovaniemi (Finland) 5.08.2003 the Ounaksen Pyora-Pojat cycling club organizes the cycling race for the members of the club and the participants of the tour.
The route of this tour is circular and passes the Northern territories of Russia, Norway, Sweden and Finland. This is planed as a popular annual sport and cultural event. The route and place of start and finish may vary every year. Attached is the route for year 2003.
- development of the international youth contacts;
- stimulating of children's and young adults' interests in cycling, getting fit, foreign languages studying;
- enriching of children's and young adults' knowledge on Barents region nature, history, ecology, science and industry;
- popularizing physical culture and healthy way of life.
Unique nature, great varieties in altitude, countries differences seen everywhere will make the cycling tour bright and attractive trip for its participants.
The cycling tour isn't meant as a race. It differs from the race first of all due to its accessibility. The possibility of taking part in the tour will strongly stimulate many Barents region children and youngsters to going in for sports.
1. Preparatory stage October, 2002-July, 2003
The candidate-participants prepare for the tour in the "Pilgrims" cycling club.
This includes:
- regular trainings in gym and cycling along the roads;
- lessons on history and culture of the territories along the route of the cycling tour organized with help of the local library and the Murmansk regional museum of local history and culture.;
- lessons on the English language.
We are going to monitor the participants' knowledge on Barents region nature, history, ecology, science and industry in order to see how it has changed over the preparatory stage of the project and the cycling tour itself.
Two shorter cycling tours will be organized in order to prepare and to test candidates.
These are the cycling tour to the Valley of Glory on the Victory Day, 9th of May (112 km) and the Kola Road cycling tour (1200 km for 13 days) in June.
At the same time the following organizing actions are developed:
- fixing list of Russian and foreign cyclists taking part in the tour;
- making the schedule (route and culture programme) of the tour more exact (hours, minutes);
- search of funding (regional and local administrations, funds, sponsors);
- organizing of the culture programme (excursions, meetings with local youth);
- booking of the overnighting;
- providing of the traffic security (especially on the Norwegian part of the route);
- applying for visas, paying of insurance;
- renting of the escorting cars.
Representative of the "Pilgrims" cycling club will travel to Moscow to buy spare parts for bicycles. Repairer will fix all bicycles before the cycling season begins.
Organizers spread information about the project, make agreements with sponsors about advertising, order T-shirts and souvenirs with logo of the tour, etc.
Organizers buy food for the tour.
Ceremonies of start and finish of the tour must be organized.
Organizers of the tour provide the transportation to Murmansk and back to their homes for the participants from other towns. Organizers are responsible for accommodation in Murmansk as well.
2. Essential stage July-August, 2003
All participants arrive to the starting point two days before start. They visit the most interesting sights in Murmansk and have test cycling ride before start. This helps them to acquaint with each other and to adapt to relief.
At 14th of July after starting ceremony the column of cyclists leaves for the journey.
Order of formation is as follows:
1. Traffic police car.
2. The cyclists column.
3. Technical assistance car.
4. Escorting lorry carrying the personal things of participants, touring equipment and food.
5. Escorting car with doctor, video operator and photographer.
Traffic police car is needed only when entering and leaving the towns and cities.
The cyclists move in compact column by pairs. If the width of the road doesn't allow to cycle in pairs, then cyclists move one by one. The average speed is 25-32 km/h. Bicycles must be light, preferably race bicycles, and provided with necessary gears.
The average distance per day is 100-150 km on mountains and 150-200 km on valley.
The participants overnight in hotels and campings, or in gyms in sleeping bags.
When entering settlements the individual cyclists or organized groups of cyclists can join the cycling column and participate in the tour on a shorter part of the route.
At Kilpisjarvi on August, 1.-2.08.2003 the Barents tour will join cycling marathon "Kilpisjarvi - Tornio" (500 km for two days) being held the 19th time. 120 participants from different countries take part in this event. www.lapland.fi/marathon
The cycling competition is going to be organized by Ounaksen Pyora-Pojat cycling club in Rovaniemi. www.ounaksenpyora-pojat.fi
To gain the aims of the tour the participants must represent all countries of the Barents region. The participants shouldn't be less than 13 years old.
The participants ought:
* to have an experience of cycling in group, know methods to prevent collisions and mass falls,
* to keep stable speed without accelerations and jerks when in leading positions.
The participants should be interested both in cultural and sport programmes.
For detailed schedule of the tour, please, see enclosure.
3. The closing stage August - September, 2003
After finish of the tour detailed questionnaire will be given to the participants of the tour.
After closing party and press-conference participants go to their homes.
Report about the tour will be published in local, regional and national news papers, sent to the main cycling magazines in Russia and Nordic countries. This information will be placed on the web-sites. The radio and TV programmes are also will be made.
All evaluation results are analysed and work on organizing of the Barents region Children's and Youth cycling tour 2004 starts.
Background
The Barents region cycling tour idea was born in the "Pilgrims" cycling club in the town of Severomorsk. Anatoly Lipin is a chairman of the club. About 50 children (from 12 to 16 years old) attend the club and exercise there. The club has an experience of implementation of long-distance cycling tours, including international ones.
In 1996 the club "Pilgrims" initiated an international cycling tour Murmansk-Zaandam (The Netherlands), 4600 km for 40 days. The tour was dedicated to the 300 years anniversary of Russian Fleet, 300 years that have passed since the date Peter I visited the Netherlands. 18 Russian and 18 Dutch participants took part in the tour. The Committee for Physical culture, Sport and Tourism of Murmansk regional administration and the Rotary-club of Zaandam organized the tour. The Dutches initiated raising funds for children's hospital of Severomorsk during the tour on the territories of Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. The tour proved its efficiency as far as raising the funds is concerned.
In 2000 the Barents region Children's and Youth cycling tour was organized and implemented. The Barents region Children's and Youth pilgrim cycling tour lasted 33 days, from them 18 days in Murmansk region and Karelia, 12 - in Finland and 3 - in Norway. During that time the participants overcame 3300 km by bicycles, visited Trifonov Pechengsky, Solovetsky, Valaamsky and Valamo monasteries, convent in Lintula, the Orthodox Museum in Kuopio, climbed by bicycles up to the plateau Rasvumchorr (h=1050m), have visited Kizhi, Laplandsky national park, a lot of museums and other places of interest.17 people took part in this pilgrimage (12 boys from 13 to 16 years old, 4 grown up cyclists and a driver of the escorting bus).
This pilgrimage was devoted to the 2000 years anniversary since the birth of Christ. The tour was blessed by the Bishop Murmansky and Monchegorsky Simon and the Archbishop Ioann of Karelia and all Finland.
The Barents region Children's and Youth pilgrim cycling tour was funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Barents Secretariat, Murmansk regional Administration, Administration of the town of Severomorsk, Sor-Varanger commune (Norway) and Kemi (Finland) Administrations and sponsors. This pilgrimage wouldn't be possible without well-coordinated efforts of many people. The Barents Regional Youth Forum, local administrations of the territories along the route helped a lot in organizing and implementation of the project.
In 2001 The Barents Children's and Youth cycling tour lasted 31 days, from them 8 days in Murmansk region, 15 - in Norway and 8 in Finland. 18 boys and 1 girl from 12 to 18 years old, 6 grown up cyclists and 4 assistants took part in this tour.
The experience of the Barents Children's and Youth cycling tour 2001 is very important for the further development of the project. Special attention must be paid to the severe weather conditions in the Northern Norway. This part of the route is the most demanding one and the most interesting and fascinating.
In 2002 the tour has the same route as in year 2001 and 22 participants from Russia took part in it. Everybody enjoyed this tour and we are looking forward to repeat this as an international youth summer camp on the weels in year 2003.
Contact person:
Cycling club "Pilgrims",
Mr.Anatoly Lipin, chairman,
Dushenova 11-4, 184600 Severomorsk Murmansk region, RUSSIA
tel.: +7(815-37) 5-01-48, 4-88-49
fax : +7(81537) 4-24-29
e-mail: lipin@severm.mels.ru
www.pilgrims.murman.ru
Created by Vlad Vasiliev on 2 Nov 2002