The junior Russian Cup has started in Vladimir

The junior Russian Cup has started in Vladimir.

20 teams from Russia and Belarus are competing in the tournament.

The first set of games in Vladimir will see Group C teams CSKA, Army, Neftekhimik, Severstal and Red Machine Junior take to the ice. Governor of Vladimir Region Alexander Avdeev and Olympic champion Ilya Kablukov participated in the opening ceremony.

Hosting the Russian Cup represents a continuation of the systematic effort to develop hockey in Vladimir Region. At June's Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, the region signed a cooperation agreement with Roman Rotenberg, the First Vice President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and founder of the Red Machine Junior academy. The agreement outlines plans to develop youth and grassroots hockey, implement modern training methods and establish a Red Machine Junior school in the region.

The Red Machine program aims to create a unified player development system and increase access to high-quality hockey training for children across the country. It is built upon Russian ice hockey's best traditions, modern training techniques and a focus on coaching development. A key objective of the program is to establish a clear development pathway for children, spanning from their first steps on the ice to youth and professional hockey.

4,946 people across 19 municipalities in Vladimir Region are currently engaging in ice hockey. The region is home to seven sports schools with hockey programs, training a total of 688 athletes. Since 2024, the Rusichi hockey academy has been in operation with 185 young players enrolled.

Vladimir Region Governor Alexander Avdeev:

"I'm delighted to welcome everyone to Vladimir! Back in June, at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Roman Rotenberg and I agreed to collaborate on developing hockey in Vladimir Region and signed an agreement to that effect. Today, we are already seeing the first results of this work.

"It is important for us to create conditions that encourage as many children as possible to engage in ice hockey, to develop sporting infrastructure and to give young players the opportunity to witness high-level hockey. It is truly gratifying to see so many fans in the stands today. Tournaments like this provide excellent motivation for children, teaching them to strive for progress, work on self-improvement and set the highest goals for themselves. I hope the Russian Cup will serve as a further boost to the development of the sport in Vladimir Region."



Olympic champion Ilya Kablukov:

"It's great to be in Vladimir and participate in the opening ceremony of the Russian Cup! I would like to thank the Government of the Vladimir Region, and Alexander Avdeev personally, for supporting this initiative of staging the competition here.

"My entire life has been connected with ice hockey, and I know for a fact that the foundations for major triumphs are laid in childhood with the first coach, first training session, first team and the opportunity to step onto the ice. That is precisely why we are currently rolling out the Red Machine program across Russia, with the Vladimir Region authorities having recently an agreement concerning its implementation. Our goal is to make high-quality hockey training accessible to children in regions throughout the country, to equip coaches with modern working methods and to create a unified system in which a child can grow and progress. Hosting the Russian Cup in Vladimir marks another important step in this effort. Competitions like this provide young players with strong motivation, attract new fans and help foster interest in the sport."

All information concerning the competition can be found online at junior.fhr.ru. Furthermore, you can enjoy live broadcasts of games on VKontakte.



Photo: Ivan Chernyavsky