INRTU Sailors Join Yacht Waltz aboard Gorynych and Aurum First
Maksim Skomorovsky, head of INRTU’s Akademik Ballroom Dance Club and an experienced yachtsman, took part in the Scarlet Sails of Irkutsk show as both a participant and choreographer. For the first time, a crew from the Siberian School of Geosciences joined the festival aboard the Aurum First yacht. On August 30, the sailboats cruised along the Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power Station dam to music broadcast from the Angara icebreaker.
As previously reported, Maksim Skomorovsky has been sailing for more than 40 years. As a child, he trained at the Istok Yacht Club. Over the years, he has competed in various sailing races and made offshore voyages. Several years ago, he built the cruising yacht Gorynych.
For the past five years, Maksim Skomorovsky has served as a judge and choreographer for the Yacht Waltz. This year’s festival celebrated Irkutsk’s 365th anniversary and was supported by the city administration, the Sailing Federation and MSM Radio.
According to Maksim Skomorovsky, 43 yachts took part in the waltz along the hydroelectric dam last weekend, with crews from Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Bratsk. Leading the parade formation was Gorynych, a yacht used both by race officials and for leisure sailing.
“The Yacht Waltz is a spectacular event. Every year, we change the choreography. In previous years, the yachts sailed individually, but this time they performed in groups. We formed seven teams, and it was interesting to see how well the captains could hold their formations. I think they did an excellent job.
Another new feature this year was a contemporary take on classical music. Scarlet illumination of the sails added a particularly romantic touch, while performers from the Lumos show group enhanced the atmosphere with a waterside performance in glowing costumes. Incidentally, the group itself was founded at INRTU many years ago,”
Maksim Skomorovsky said.
The Siberian School of Geosciences yacht Aurum First took part in the Yacht Waltz for the first time. Designed for scientific marine expeditions, the sailboat joined the SSG research fleet last spring. It was skippered by Alexander Parshin, INRTU Vice-Rector for Geology, Earth and Environmental Sciences. The crew also included SSG staff members Olga Kachor, Svetlana Khristova, Sergey Yakovlev and Daria Org.
“As captain, I could not afford to get distracted and fully immerse myself in the atmosphere of the show because I was responsible for safety. That is especially important when boats with different displacements have to maneuver in sync along the same route. Even so, I think the event was truly impressive. The scarlet lights reflected beautifully on the water, the sails glowed, and spectators cheered us on from the shore. I hope INRTU becomes a regular participant in the festival and that next year several of our yachts will be taking part in the waltz,”
Alexander Parshin said.
As previously reported, Aurum First became the first vessel in INRTU’s research fleet. In September, the yacht will continue its scientific work on Lake Baikal and the Angara River. This fall, the crew will also compete in the final stages of the Irkutsk Cup for cruising yachts, as well as the At the Source and Sailing Autumn regattas.
