Global Laser-Run City Tour 2018: Nizhny Novgorod (RUS) warms up for FIFA World Cup

Four weeks before the start of football’s 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the city of Nizhny Novgorod warmed up with its first instalment of the Global Laser-Run City Tour.

A total of 300 competitors were drawn to the city, coming from Moscow, St Petersburg, Samara, Arzamas, Kstovo and Mulino as well as the local area.

People competed across 10 age categories (under-11 to over-60), with a huge range of athletes testing their Laser-Run skills at Podeba Park in the city centre.

Nizhny Novgorod is renowned for spectacular sporting and cultural events and this Laser-Run showpiece was a real festival of sport, art and music, with a pop group, brass band and cheerleading group providing entertainment for spectators.

The event was organised by the Modern Pentathlon Federation of Russia in conjunction with the Ministry of Sport of Nizhny Novgorod, Department of Sport and Tourism of the City, and the Sport School of Modern Pentathlon and Equestrian.

Dmitry Svatkovsky, Vice-Governor of the region, Sydney 2000 Olympic champion and President of the European Confederation of Modern Pentathlon, gave an opening speech in which he greeted all the spectators and participants and stressed the importance of the Global Laser-Run City Tour.

“This is a unique urban sport, it is easy and pleasant to organize in cities and towns, which is very efficient for the development of mass sport and entertainment of citizens of all ages,” he said.

“I know that the organizers of this tournament are very professional and I am sure that they demonstrate the highest level of these competitions to the MP community.”

Laser-Run was launched in 2015 with the first World Championships taking place in Perpignan (FRA).

The Global Laser-Run City Tour took place in parks, stadiums and iconic urban venues in 60 cities around the world in 2017, with more than 15,000 participants. There are about 100 events scheduled in 2018.