INRTU Employee Alexander Parshin is a Prizewinner of the Baikal Race 2025 Sailing Regatta

Irkutsk National Research Technical University (INRTU) employee Alexander Parshin is a prize-winner of Stage IV of the interregional expedition regatta Baikal Race 2025. Sirius yacht, with the INRTU representative at the helm, set this year's speed record – over 19 km/h.

The Baikal Race 2025 regatta is the longest in the Baikal region. Traditionally, the race involves cruising yachts 30 to 40 feet long. The route passes through scenic spots across Lake Baikal's waters. Each of the regatta's four stages lasts about a week and is a standalone race. The competition is organized by the Irkutsk Regional Sailing Federation.

The final stage took place fr om August 1 to August 7, bringing together 10 crews from the Irkutsk Region, Buryatia, Moscow, Moscow Region, and Rostov Region. The race started in Bazar Bay at the Malomorskaya River Station (MRS). The sailors proceeded to the settlement of Khuzhir on Olkhon Island. They then headed toward Irkutsk, visiting Peschanaya Bay and the village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye. Overall, the participants covered 200 nautical miles during this stage.

As a result of the race, one of the prize-winning crews was that of the yacht Sirius, with Alexander Parshin, the scientific supervisor of INRTU’s Siberian School of Geosciences, at the helm. The vessel’s captain is Alexey Borovik, chairman of the Irkutsk Regional Sailing Federation and a 2009 graduate of INRTU’s School of High Technologies. The yacht Sirius set a speed record (over 19 km/h) with a following storm wind and waves up to three meters high.

The crews of the yachts “Veya” and “Blue Marlin” also finished in the top three.

It should be noted that Alexander Parshin is not an experienced yacht racer. However, he holds the qualification of an ISSA Inshore Skipper (international coastal yacht captain) and has extensive experience on Lake Baikal aboard research vessels of Rosvodresursy (the Russian Federal Water Resources Agency). Earlier, he was engaged in cruise yachting in the warm seas of Southeast Asia and spent a lot of time on Lake Baikal using standard motorboats.

According to Alexander Parshin, finding himself in the Baikal Race 2025 made him realize how fascinating sailing can be in his home region. He believes it is important to involve students of the Siberian School of Geosciences in yachting.

“I really enjoyed it. Honestly, I didn’t think that relatively small yachts could withstand steep Baikal waves of more than two meters high and winds of 20–25 meters per second. Cruise yachting, wh ere one must spend a long time freezing, not sleeping, and maintaining concentration and calm in the toughest conditions, is very promising. It could be beneficial as a student sport to more effectively train future geoscience specialists. Our graduates should also know how to work on vessels. Participation in Baikal regattas allows one to gain such concentrated experience. I think that at the Siberian School of Geosciences we should consider regular participation in sailing competitions,” reflects Alexander Parshin.

As Sirius Captain Alexey Borovik noted, the helmsman is the most important figure in the crew. He makes decisions independently or relies on the vessel’s commander’s opinion in strategic moments. Alexander Parshin is a well-prepared helmsman with the skills to handle the short, dangerous waves of Lake Baikal, which are notoriously unpredictable.

Alexey Borovik calls Lake Baikal the Mecca of Siberian sailing. Here, both adults and children learn to sail. Consequently, the region has the facilities, including for student yachting.

“On Lake Baikal, both summer yachting and ice yachting are actively developing, with iceboaters racing across the ice at crazy speeds. Our athletes compete in tournaments at various levels across Russia. The Federation holds more than 40 competitions annually in the region. ‘Baikal Race’ is the longest and most thrilling adventure. In this regatta, Baikal reveals its beauty to participants from various cities across Russia, testing their endurance.

We are actively exploring options for developing a student league so young yachtsmen can continuously improve their skills and achieve success,” said Alexey Borovik.

Tournaments involving the regional sailing federation will continue until October 2025.

It is worth recalling that the regatta victory is not Alexander Parshin’s only sporting achievement. Earlier, he won prizes in historical fencing tournaments. His achievements include prizes at the “Yenisei Cup” in Krasnoyarsk, the “Recon” festival in Saint Petersburg, and the “Lancourt” tournament in Irkutsk.