Penza, 11 May 2016. PenzaNews. The 3rd Russian Student Teams bicycle marathon “In the Name of Victory” has crossed 170 km through the Penza region.

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This year’s event was the first to become a part of the Volga Federal District bicycle marathon, Artem Kolobov, head of the regional branch of Russian Student Teams, told PenzaNews.

“Throughout the campaign, the students were organizing patriotic lessons and games with school students and telling the school seniors about the student teams movement. Also, the activists were holding patriotic performances in the towns and villages they were visiting. The local residents praised their skill and preparation,” he said.

In addition, the marathon racers themselves found the event to be very interesting, as it allowed them to attend a variety of Victory Day festivities held in each village, he stressed.

Alongside that, during their stay in Serdobsk, the Penza university students took part in a traditional bicycle race, where around 300 people cycled to Sekretarka village for a public rally.

While visiting Pokrovskaya Archada village in the Kamenka area, the students helped to improve the future location of a children’s playground and helped locals plant fruits and vegetables in their gardens.

“We met May 9 in Pokrovskaya Archada village. In the early morning, we performed a part of our patriotic concert before the Victory Day meeting, and met with the veterans. Together with the locals, we took part in the public rally and laid flowers to the Monument of the Grieving Mother, after which we went on road to Yermolovka village in the Penza area,” Artem Kolobov explained.

According to him, the marathon racers received commendations from heads of village administrations and letters of gratitude from every town and village they had visited.

“Moreover, all of them learned an important skill – being able to work as a team. On Victory Day, the group held a ‘patriotic fire camp’ – a discussion about importance of patriotism for the young students,” he stressed.

In addition, the marathon racers were giving away St. George’s ribbons to locals throughout their campaign.