Azerbaijan rowing on the road to rebuilding

By Melissa Bray

The once famous National Olympic Training Centre in Mingechaur, Azerbaijan, on the Kur River, has made its first steps to return to its former glory. Recently Matt Draper, FISA’s Development and Events consultant, conducted a site inspection and assessment of the site for the new Mingechaur Training Centre – once made famous during the Soviet era.

Although the centre (and other sports facilities in Azerbaijan) was left to ruin following the collapse of the Soviet Union, work will soon begin on a multi-million dollar reconstruction.

Mingechaur was originally chosen as a Soviet training centre as the Kur River is one of the few rivers in the former Soviet Union that does not freeze in winter. Originally called the Kur Olympic Studying and Sport Centre, the construction began in 1963 and was fully finished in 1969. The region was also favoured for its lengthy 20km stretch with virtually no other boat traffic. There is still minimal boat traffic today as the Kur River is used by little more than a few fishing boats.

Azerbaijan’s Rowing Federation president, Elchin Zeynalov describes the Soviet era; "Athletes from all Soviet Union countries would train there from September until May. Also athletes from Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. We guess that after completing of the construction such countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Norway will use the facilities."

Zeynalov is the driving force behind the resurgence and he recently got the backing of the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, who is also the president of Azerbaijan National Olympic Committe. President Aliyev sees the training centre as a focus point for the recovery of both sport and the local Mingechaur community which used to thrive economically on the activity of the training centre.

At present the centre is being used for rowing and canoe kayak but in the future it is hoped to make it useful for other sports like cycling, marathon running and triathlon.

The plan is to have the centre completed by the end of 2008 and Azerbaijan, hopes to attract neighbouring nations to use the centre for training camps specialising in endurance and cross training.

The new facility will include a modern boathouse, 130 bed hotel, 50m swimming pool and weight training facilities with a regatta course to be sited on the last 2000m of the river near the town centre.

The Azerbaijan Rowing Federation has also been redeveloping rowing in the capital city, Baku. At one end of the horse-shoe shaped harbour on the Caspian Sea the federation is renovating an old warehouse. Draper commented that there are still a number of boats left over from the Soviet era. “They are now 20 to 30 years old but they are in good condition,” said Draper.

The main focus for the federation is the rebuilding of the sport and currently, Draper says, there is a strong group of juniors developing.

“People there remember rowing with true affection,” says Draper. “The President of Azerbaijan has even mentioned rowing in one of his addresses to the people, so it has the gold stamp of approval.”

Draper says the Mingechaur training centre is also fondly remembered. “Recently Russian President Vladimir Putin talked to some of the Russian rowing coaches and he asked them why rowing was not doing so well in Russia. Their reply was because they didn’t have access to the Mingechaur training centre.”

Major steps have already been taken with more than 200 people currently training at Mingechaur from rowing and canoeing – most of them are under 18. Recently Azerbaijan hosted the Open Republic Championships with participation of athletes from Georgia and Russia at Mingechaur.

Information thanks to Matt Draper.

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