Vladislav Tretiak opened an ice hockey rink in Karelia

President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) Vladislav Tretiak participated in the grand opening of an ice hockey rink in the Republic of Karelia.

The facility has indeed reopened after it was modernised.

Tretiak was joined by Artur Parfenchikov, the Head of the Republic. Furthermore, Tretiak presented Parfenchikov with a jersey of the Soviet national team and held an autograph session for those in attendance.



RIHF President Vladislav Tretiak:

"Today, on the anniversary of the founding of Russian ice hockey, I'm delighted to witness the development of our sport across different regions of our country. This includes the improvement of infrastructure. The RIHF is undertaking extensive work to make ice more accessible to everyone, and it has set a strategic goal of increasing the number of state-of-the-art rinks.

"Existing facilities are also being modernised. The rink in Pitkyaranta is now equipped with new boards, a modern scoreboard, lighting and, most importantly, heated dressing rooms. This means you can play 24/7 in virtually any weather. This is fantastic, especially since ice hockey is actively practiced in the city and its surrounding areas, with many amateur teams competing in local tournaments.



"I'm confident that the grand opening, which Artur Parfenchikov and I hosted, will usher in a very exciting and eventful chapter in the rink's life. Moreover, such facilities can be used for football during the summer months. I wish all Karelian sports fans success and victories! Small towns like these often produce stars who shine at the highest level and help the Russian national team achieve major triumphs.



"The implementation of such projects allows Russian hockey to contribute to Vladimir Putin's strategic task of engaging 70% of the country's citizens in a healthy lifestyle, physical education and sport."