Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Phosagro – Phosagro – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Kirovsk (Murmansk Region). On December 1, 2025, the Tirvas Ski Complex in Kirovsk hosted the first stage of the PhosAgro Russian Cup cross-country skiing competition for the first time in its history. This year, the Tirvas Ski Complex celebrates its 10th anniversary. A press breakfast was held to commemorate this anniversary, as well as the stadium's debut in the first stage of the PhosAgro Russian Cup. The leadership of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation, the Gornyak Sports and Recreation Complex, which manages the Tirvas infrastructure, members and coaches of the national cross-country skiing team, sports veterans, and journalists from the Murmansk Region media summarized the stadium's development over the past two five-year periods.
As Anton Trushenko, Director of the Gornyak Sports and Recreation Center, told the meeting participants, the ski resort's infrastructure and capabilities have expanded significantly during this time. The total length of Tirvasa's trails has increased from five to 13.5 kilometers, 5.8 of which are artificially lit. The resort's capacity has increased tenfold, from 200 to 2,000 people. A press center and commentary booth have been added to the administrative building, while the grandstands have been expanded from 150 to 500 seats, along with ample parking. Two snow cannons, three snowcats, and seven snowmobiles maintain the quality of the trails. Competition results are recorded by an electronic timing system, and a modern digital scoreboard displays them to spectators. All this allows Tirvasa to host competitions of the highest level.
"The Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation is very fortunate in this case, because we not only found a reliable partner and sponsor in PhosAgro, but also good friends who understand and are willing to accommodate us. I am confident that this anniversary is a small beginning of a very great future not only for this stadium and these ski slopes, but also for the city of Kirovsk as a whole, which is developing very dynamically. This city and Tirvas are becoming famous on the world skiing map. I would like to sincerely thank PhosAgro and everyone involved, who also enjoy our visits," said Elena Vyalbe, President of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation, congratulating Tirvas on its 10th anniversary.
In his video congratulations, Oleg Matytsin, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, also noted Tirvas's achievements.
"Over this decade, we've seen an impressive development path. Our oldest training facility has become a modern, international-level center that meets the highest standards. Tirvas can be proud of its achievements: it has hosted the final stage of the Russian Cup three times, and the unique Bolshoy Vudyavr race has become a world-class challenge, surpassing the difficulty of famous European trails," noted the head of the relevant committee of the lower house of the Russian parliament.
For the first time in the new sports season, the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation (FLGR) entrusted the Tirvas Ski Complex with hosting the first stage of the PhosAgro Russian Cross-Country Skiing Cup. However, the stadium has every potential to become a full-fledged training base for the national team.
"We're moving in that direction. The conditions here are excellent for the spring. We need to take advantage of these opportunities. We're already exploring various options for holding not just training camps, but also competitive tournaments, even within the framework of a championship, and various race formats, even if they're unconventional. We see that absolutely everything is here," emphasized Yuri Borodavko, head coach of the Russian national cross-country skiing team.
Since 2015, PhosAgro has been participating in the construction and development of the Tirvas ski complex. Its flagship mining and processing plant, the Kirov branch of Apatit JSC, operates in the Khibiny Mountains.
"The Apatit Mining and Processing Plant and PhosAgro are demonstrating strong production results and are growing dynamically. At the same time, we always take a responsible approach to social investments. We invest where we see the greatest return—supporting education and sports, including children's, amateur, and elite sports," emphasized Valery Fyodorov, Deputy CEO of PhosAgro and Vice President of the Russian Ski Federation.
A total of 394 top skiers competed in the first stage of the PhosAgro Russian Cross-Country Skiing Cup. Not only Russian athletes took to the tracks, but also representatives from the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Belarus. The "red group" of the strongest skiers this season included true stars of the sport: Alexander Bolshunov, Alexander Terentyev, Yulia Stupak, Tatyana Sorina, Saveliy Korostelev, Alina Pekletsova, Darya Nepryaeva, and many others.
Honorary guests of the first stage of the PhosAgro Russian Cross-Country Skiing Cup included Elena Vyalbe, President of the Russian Cross-Country Skiing Federation, three-time Olympic champion, and 14-time world champion; Nikolai Zimyatov, four-time Olympic champion, Olympic silver medalist, and three-time world champion; Mikhail Devyatyarov, Olympic champion, silver medalist, and world championship medalist; Alexander Zavyalov, three-time Olympic medalist, World Cup winner, and world champion; Tamara Tikhonova, two-time Olympic champion and two-time world champion; and Alexei Petukhov, Olympic bronze medalist and world champion.
The three competition days of the first stage of the National Cup included classic and freestyle races of 10 km for women and 15 km for men, as well as freestyle sprint competitions.
Based on the results of the first stage, the overall standings for the 2025-2026 PhosAgro Russian Cross-Country Skiing Cup are led by Sergey Ardashev, representing Tatarstan, in the men's category, and Evgenia Krupitskaya, representing St. Petersburg, in the women's category. Tatarstan leads the team standings.
PhosAgro, the official sponsor of the national cross-country skiing team, traditionally provides organizational and financial support for the PhosAgro Russian Cup.
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