Republican rowing canal in Samarkand region

In the southeast of Uzbekistan, in the picturesque valley of the Zarafshan River, surrounded by the Pamir-Alai Mountains, lies the magnificent and amazing city of Samarkand. A 20-minute drive from the central part of the city, and we find ourselves on the rowing canal, which today claims to be the best in Asia and one of the best in the world.

There is a hotel, a dining room, and a conference room here. The canal has all the necessary living conditions - locker rooms, showers, toilets. There are well-equipped saunas and gyms, which are equipped with modern specialized exercise machines and other equipment necessary for full-fledged training. There are 6 slipways for storing boats on the canal.

The rowing channel itself has two channels. The main channel is 2,215 meters long and 130 meters wide, the bypass channel is also 2,215 meters long. Its width is 58 meters. The channel is equipped with high-precision electronic equipment from the world's best manufacturers. This is an electronic timing system, an automatic starting system taking into account relay races, a sports LED display 9.98 meters by 15.62 meters, designed to announce the results of races, video broadcasts, advertising, various information on the regatta in real time, and other necessary equipment. Along the perimeter of the canal, stands have been erected for spectators, designed for 2,200 seats, of which 200 are “vip” seats.

The city and, accordingly, the rowing canal are located at an altitude of 702 meters above sea level. The climate here is mild and cool compared to other regions of Uzbekistan. And a large number of natural sources of water, which served as the basis for the emergence of the city, creates comfortable living conditions on hot summer days

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The Republican Rowing Canal, located in Samarkand, is rightfully recognized as the best sports facility of its kind in the Central Asian region. It was built in the 80s, however, in the first decade of its existence it ceased to be used for its intended purpose and turned into a place for summer leisure for swimmers.

The regeneration of the rowing canal as one of the largest sports facilities in Uzbekistan began with the country's independence. From the very first years of the republic’s independent development, sport was elevated to the rank of a priority area of ​​domestic policy, which gave a powerful impetus to the modernization of existing infrastructure and the creation of new sports facilities.

More than 50 million US dollars were invested in the reconstruction of the rowing canal in Samarkand. Today, the most modern technological solutions are used here, such as high-precision electronic equipment from the world's leading manufacturers for recording relay races, a giant LED display 10 meters high and 15.6 meters wide, which displays the results of the races in real time, and video broadcasts from cameras installed along the perimeter channel, as well as moving parallel and perpendicular to the trajectory of movement of competing athletes.

The display is positioned in such a way that it is visible from all 2,200 seats for guests and fans, 200 of which are seats for special guests.

The length of the canal is 2215 meters, the width of the main channel is 130 meters. This is the only one in Central Asia and one of 6 similar sports complexes in the world, which has a bypass channel 58 meters wide, stretching along the entire main channel. There is also a special watershed for turning kayaks around without stopping the competition.

And although the rowing canal is primarily for athletes, the country’s authorities have taken care to create the most convenient conditions for guests of sports tournaments. The infrastructure of the complex consists of a modern 4-star hotel, an excellent dining room, a conference room, several saunas and gyms, equipped with modern equipment that can satisfy the needs of the most sophisticated rowing enthusiast. For the needs of athletes, the Ministry of Culture and Sports purchased 400 kayaks and canoes.

Uzbekistan’s aspirations to raise the republic’s sports bar to the Asian Olympus were appreciated. At the Asian Championships, held in 2012 in Tehran, representatives of 20 participating countries unanimously voted to hold the next championship on the basis of the republican rowing canal in the legendary Samarkand. There, representatives of the Federation of Uzbekistan in kayaking and canoeing were solemnly presented with the flag of the Asian Canoe Confederation ACC, and the Secretary General of the Federation, Tatyana Mamatkulova, was elected vice-president of the international organization.

In the breaks between international sports tournaments, which will now be regularly held in Samarkand, a rowing channel that meets international standards will be used by the Rowing and Canoe Federation of Uzbekistan together with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the National Olympic Committee, for the preparation of the Olympic reserve, organization republican competitions, as well as international training camps in kayaking, canoeing and rowing.

Second life of the rowing channel

Twenty minutes drive from the center of Samarkand - and now I’m already on the famous Rowing Canal, which has only two analogues in the world - in Munich (Germany) and Krylatsky in Moscow.

Training camps are currently underway here under the leadership of senior coach of the national team Dmitry Vladimirovich Shugurov and coach Yuri Shakhsuvaryan before the XVII Summer Asian Games, which start on September 19 in Incheon (Republic of Korea).

The rowing canal, located in Samarkand, is rightfully recognized as the best sports facility of its kind in the Central Asian region. It was built in the early 80s, however, in the first decade of its existence, it was no longer used for its intended purpose and was turned into a place for summer leisure for swimmers.

The revival of the rowing canal as one of the largest sports facilities in Uzbekistan began after the country gained independence. From the very first years of the republic’s independent development, sports were elevated to the rank of a priority area of ​​domestic policy, which gave a powerful impetus to the modernization of existing infrastructure and the creation of new sports facilities.

In addition, in 2011, by resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a children's and youth sports school of Olympic reserve in rowing sports was opened here.

More than 50 million US dollars were invested in the reconstruction of the rowing canal, with a total area of ​​79.2 hectares.

The reconstruction, which began in 2009, was carried out in three stages, says Deputy Director for Economic Affairs Dagar Shukurov. “Today, the most modern technologies are used here, such as high-precision electronic equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers for recording relay races, a giant LED display 10 meters high and 15.6 meters wide, which displays the results of swims in real time, and video broadcasts from cameras installed along the perimeter channel every 500 meters.

Although the rowing channel was primarily reconstructed for the training of athletes and students, the Ministry of Culture and Sports took care of creating the most convenient conditions for guests of sports tournaments. The infrastructure of the complex consists of a modern four-star hotel with 93 beds, an excellent dining room, a conference room, basketball and volleyball courts, a sauna and a gym equipped with modern equipment. Uzbekistan’s aspirations to raise the republic’s sports bar to the Asian Olympus were appreciated.

Indeed, at the Asian Championships, held in 2012 in Tehran, representatives of 20 participating countries unanimously voted to hold the next championship on the basis of the republican rowing canal in the legendary Samarkand. There, the flag of the Asian Canoe Confederation ACC was solemnly handed over to representatives of the Federation of Uzbekistan in kayaking and canoeing.

Thus, for the first time in many years, Samarkand again hosted the international kayaking and canoeing tournament “Samarkand Stars”. Eight teams, including the Uzbekistan national team, came here to take part in the prestigious sports forum, held from October 19 to 21, 2013.

The results impressed the entire global sports community. At the competition, 48 sets of awards were played for all Olympic and non-Olympic distances between adult athletes and juniors separately. The undisputed leader of the tournament then became the Uzbekistan team. Its representatives climbed to the highest step of the podium 26 times, were second 17 times and third 14 times.

“I took part in last year’s tournament and won gold in several rowing categories,” says national team member Zafar Usmonov.

Truly maximum comfortable conditions have been created for us here. Every day, when I wake up, I rush to workout with enthusiasm. I would like to express my gratitude to the coach and school management for providing ample opportunities for sports. I’m also going to the Games in Korea, and I promise to bring medals of the highest standard.

Before the start, the honored coach of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Vladimir Belgorodsky, who came especially for this from distant Russia, decided to support our guys before the start.

Right here he conducted a rowing master class and gave the last instructions to our rowers before the sports competition.

“Seeing the guys training enthusiastically, I am filled with pride in my profession,” says Vladimir Olegovich. Athletes of Uzbekistan train on a channel that meets international standards. I am confident that thanks to such opportunities, they can claim the highest awards in the continental championship.