OREANDA-NEWS. April 05, 2012. Volga-Dnepr Airlines has delivered snowmobiles from Saint Petersburg to the Russia town of Salekhard, located directly on the Arctic Polar Circle, for the Yamalkan International Snowmobile Rally.

The IL-76TD-90VD freighter carried 25 snowmobiles weighing a combined 10 tonnes. The cargo flight was operated on behalf of the Government of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District on 22nd March.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines is one of the sponsors of the first international snowmobile marathon rally, which starts on 24th March. Participants will include world-class sportsmen from Russia, USA, Austria, Norway, Finland and Estonia who will compete in both amateur and professional competitions using a 250 kilometers long track in Salekhard that has been built especially for the event. The rally will be broadcast live on major Russian TV channels and over the internet.

Upon completion of the event, Volga-Dnepr will fly the snowmobiles back to Saint Petersburg.

Biathlon World Cup finals of the 2011/2012 season opened in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, on 14th March and will see 205 athletes competing from 25 countries. The event will close the winter series of international biathlon competition stages that started in Ostersund, Sweden on 28th November 2011.