Penza, 9 February 2015. PenzaNews. Alexei Kostin, Minister of Investment Development and Business of the Penza region, expressed his skepticism over the mass race titled “Russia Ski Trail,” calling it “blatant showoff.”

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“I saw that ‘Ski Trail’ right on the ski trail. To blow more smoke in the eyes, they even filled Akhunskaya street with snow to let people go from the city to the forest on skis. In my personal opinion, the crowd mostly consisted of bossed-over school students, and the elderly who were probably too pulled there through veteran bodies. And this crowd, rowdy and pushy, tried to fit itself on a fairly small ski trail. I didn’t even understand what’s the use of this event. Of course, as a state official, I understand a sports official made itself a large good mark for befriending people with sports. But this is just blatant showoff! When the children are marched to the ski trail, this forms nothing but hatred to skiing. Though I must admit that Zarechny does well with skiing: the trail is ideal, and it’s regularly treated using snowmobiles. There is even a small patch with top lights. The city has a working ski station, where you can rent them at negligible prices,” Alexei Kostin wrote in a Facebook discussion thread on “Russia Ski Trail 2015” in Zarechny.

The minister also added “the system aims not to make you spend every weekend on the trail, but to go into red tape papers and make pretty pictures on TV.”

“Like, kinda, happy citizens do healthy stuff under the guise of the wise officials. The intricate routine of making all social stratas involved in mass sports, and work on creating neighborhood sports clubs, is replaced with smoke and mirrors,” he noted.

At the same time, according to the data of the Penza region governor, “Russia Ski Trail 2015” that took place in Zarechny town on Sunday, February 8, indeed confirmed the status as a mass event, involving nearly 2,500 participants.

The competition included 5- and 10-kilometer races, and a VIP chase. The first place in the latter event was won by Denis Klimanov, head of “Impuls” business incubator; Alexei Ryabov, first deputy chairman of the regional government, was second; and Ivan Adaev, head of the city veterinary station, arrived third.