Team “Irkutsk Polytech” Claims Victory at “Two Lakes Cup” After Decisive Matches on Lake Baikal Ice

The decisive matches of the "Two Lakes Cup" International Bandy Tournament took place on February 28 on the ice of Lake Baikal. Victory went to the hockey players of Irkutsk Polytech, who secured the main trophy. The team representing the Republic of Buryatia claimed second place, while the team from Mongolia rounded out the top three.

The final stage of the tournament was held in the picturesque location of Maksimikha village, offering a stunning view of the Barguzin Range. The matches were preceded by an opening ceremony, during which the anthems of the two nations and the Republic of Buryatia were played, with addresses from honored guests and a performance by the ensemble “Zabava”.

INRTU Rector of and President of the All-Russian Student Bandy League, Mikhail Korniakov, wished the players successful matches:

“I would like to express my gratitude to the Republic of Buryatia for its warm welcome and hospitality, as well as for the opportunity to hold the games on the shores of Lake Baikal. This amazing place inspires and creates a special atmosphere for sport competition. We hope that the upcoming matches will be eventful, dynamic, and vibrant. I wish all the teams a good game, spirited competition, and a positive attitude!”

The first to take the ice on Baikal were the "Irkutsk Polytech" team and the Buryatia national team. The match ended with a score of 10-6 in favour of the side from Irkutsk.

Next, INRTU faced off against the Mongolian national team. Both sides displayed high skill and resilience, keeping pace with each other through two intense halves. In the end, the match concluded in a 9-9 draw.

Forward for the INRTU team, Daniil Shumkov, shared his impressions:

“The game against the Mongolian hockey players challenging but engaging. They have improved significantly over the past years and taken big step forward. I have been coming to this tournament for three years now and can see how the level of the Mongolian team has grown. This time, the coaches prepared seriously for the tournament and brought players who also compete in ice hockey.
The Mongolian players are cohesive and confident, played a physical game, and demonstrated excellent fighting spirit and determination. They were truly formidable and worthy opponents”.

The next match determined which team would claim second and third place in the International tournament. At the start, the Mongolian team showed strong play. However, the Buryat hockey players had no intention of conceding the silver medal, intensifying their efforts both in defense and attack. The match ended with an 11:3 victory for the Mongolian team.

Mongolian player Bayarto Khosbayar noted:

“I am a hockey player from Erdenet and taken part in this tournament for three consecutive years. I have played bandy since I was nine years old. Every year the organization of the Cup gets better and more professional. Our team placed third, but we are not upset about that. On the contrary, we are happy to have taken part in this sport competition”.

The tournament became a notable event for the residents of Maksimikha village and tourists, who watched the matches with great interest.

It is worth recalling that the “Two Lakes Cup” is held for the fourth year as part of the All-Russian Student Bandy League. This year tournament is dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the Soviet-Mongolian crew's flight into space. The first cosmonaut of Mongolia, Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa, who in 1981 flew aboard the Soyuz-39 spacecraft with Vladimir Dzhanibekov, heads the tournament’s organizing committee.

The Two Lakes Cup is one of the highlights in the Russian Ministry of Sport's event calendar. Ivan Kozyrev, the Minister of Sport and Youth Policy of the Republic of Buryatia, the Russian Student Sports Union and the Mongolian Student Sports Union supports the tournament.

The first stage of the Cup took place on February 25 in the city of Erdenet, Mongolia. There, the “Irkutsk Polytech” team defeated the national team of the Republic of Buryatia with a score of 8:3 and the national team of Mongolia with a score of 9:4.