Belarus' Beloved Winter Sport: Ice Hockey Craze

Belarus has a strong sporting culture, with a focus on both professional and amateur sports. The country has hosted many international competitions, including the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the 2019 European Games, and the 2023 Games of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Belarus has also sent athletes to the Olympics since the 1952 Helsinki Games, taking home an impressive 200 medals. While it's hard to pinpoint a single favourite sport among Belarusians, ice hockey is certainly a beloved national pastime, with a strong following and a talented national team. So, when the temperatures drop in Belarus, what wintry sport is the nation's most popular?

Ice hockey

The Belarusian Extraleague was officially formed in 2006 and has gone through several format changes since its inception. For the 2018-2019 season, the league was divided into two tiers: Extraleague A, consisting of 8 teams, and Extraleague B, consisting of 9 teams. However, for the 2021-2022 season, the league reverted to a single championship with 12 teams participating. The Extraleague championships for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons were won by HC Neman Grodno, and the league is currently ranked as the 7th best in Europe by the IIHF.

The Belarusian men's national ice hockey team has achieved notable success in international competitions. Their best result at the Winter Olympics came in 2002, when they reached the quarter-finals and finished in fourth place. The team also achieved their best-ever result in the IIHF World Championship in 2006, placing 6th. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the IIHF banned all Belarusian national and club teams from its events indefinitely. Despite this, the team participated in the 2023 Channel One Cup, alongside Russia and Kazakhstan.

Skiing

The Silichi ski resort, located about 32 kilometres from Minsk, is one of the most popular places for skiing in Belarus. The resort offers four tracks ranging from 620 to 900 metres in length, with an elevation difference of up to 100 metres. It caters to all levels, with tracks for children and beginners, as well as more challenging options for experienced skiers. The resort also has an extreme park with springboards, a half-pipe, and a snow park for those seeking more thrill. Silichi provides training and equipment rental services, making it a great place to try skiing or snowboarding for the first time. The resort also features a hotel, restaurants, and cafes, ensuring a comfortable stay for visitors.

Another notable ski resort in Belarus is Logoisk, located just 30 kilometres from Minsk. Logoisk offers five lighted tracks with a total length of 3,679 metres and an elevation difference of 82 metres. The resort has a four-seat cable tramway and a T-bar lift to get skiers up the slopes. Logoisk also provides a training slope, perfect for beginners, as well as a variety of other amenities, including a hotel and guest cottages, a bathhouse, sauna, pergolas, fitness centre, billiards, tennis courts, and sports facilities for activities like tennis and volleyball.

The Solnechnaya Dolina (Sunny Valley) Training Center is conveniently located within Minsk city limits. In the winter, visitors can enjoy mountain skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. The centre offers a main track and a training slope, as well as a snow park for those seeking more excitement. The varied landscape of hills and lowland near the Pripyat River adds to the appeal of this ski centre.

For those looking to ski outside of Minsk, the Mozyr Sports Complex in the Gomel region offers a range of activities, including ski slopes, a skating rink, and the unique "Toboggan Alpine-Coaster" attraction. The Raubichi National Winter Olympic Training Centre, located 20 kilometres from Minsk, is also worth mentioning. It is considered one of the best biathlon and freestyle skiing centres in the world and offers good alpine skiing facilities.

Belarus takes pride in its modern skiing facilities, which are located amid picturesque landscapes. The country's skiing centres provide well-equipped tracks for professionals and beginners alike, along with excellent infrastructure, comfortable accommodations, and rental options. With its mild winters and affordable prices, Belarus is an excellent choice for skiers looking for great value.

Ice skating

One notable indoor ice rink is located within the shopping centre "Castle" on Pobediteley Avenue, while a large ice rink can also be found in the "Ice Palace" on Pritytsky Street. The Sports School for figure skating on Karolinsky travel also features a rink catering to both families and professionals.

Figure skating is a well-established sport in Belarus, with the country hosting the annual Belarusian Figure Skating Championships. Medals are awarded in various disciplines, including men's and women's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.

In addition to recreational ice skating, Belarus has produced several notable athletes in the sport. For instance, during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Belarusian athletes clinched five gold medals, three of which were won by biathlete Darya Domracheva.

Biathlon

Belarusians are known for their love of sports, with over 2.5 million people, or 27% of the country's population, regularly engaging in athletic activities. While it is hard to pinpoint a single favourite sport, biathlon is certainly one of the most popular in the country.

The National Winter Olympic Training Center Raubichi, located in the country, is considered one of the best biathlon centres in the world. The centre was built to host the 1974 Biathlon World Championships and has since undergone a major makeover, now boasting superb infrastructure for both athletes and spectators. Raubichi has hosted numerous international competitions, including the Summer Biathlon World Championships in 2019.

In modern biathlon, athletes carry a carry a .22-caliber rifle on their backs as they ski and stop at designated shooting ranges to fire at targets. The rifles weigh approximately 3.5 kilograms and are equipped with a shooting sling and both rear and fore sights to aid in accuracy. The shooting ranges are flat and level, with metal targets set up at a distance of 50 meters from the firing line. Athletes shoot from either a standing or prone position, with the targets being 4.5 inches wide when standing and 1.8 inches wide when prone.

The sport requires a unique blend of physical endurance and precision, making it a challenging and exciting event to follow.

Snowboarding

There are several ski resorts in Belarus that offer snowboarding, catering to both beginners and more experienced boarders. The Silichi ski resort, located about 32 kilometres from Minsk, is one of the most popular. It offers four tracks ranging from 620 to 900 metres in length, with an elevation difference of up to 100 metres. The resort also has tracks for children and beginners, as well as an extreme park with springboards, a half-pipe, and a snow park. Silichi is open all year round and offers a range of other activities, including tennis, basketball, and volleyball.

Another popular option for snowboarding is the Logoisk ski complex, which is also open all year round. Logoisk offers five lighted tracks with a total length of 3,679 metres and an elevation difference of 82 metres. The complex also has a four-seat cable tramway, a training slope, a snow-tubing track, and a tubing amusement ride. Like Silichi, Logoisk offers a range of other activities, such as tennis, billiards, and paintball.

For those who want to stay within the city limits of Minsk, the Solnechnaya Dolina (Sunny Valley) mountain ski centre is a good option. In the winter, it offers a main track and a training slope for snowboarding, as well as a snow park for extreme rides.

Belarus prides itself on its modern alpine skiing and snowboarding facilities, which offer excellent infrastructure and tracks for all levels. The country is also known for its relatively low prices for snowboarding and skiing activities, making it a cost-effective choice for winter sports enthusiasts.

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