OREANDA-NEWS. Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, declared the fifth anniversary Nord Stream Race officially open today at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

The racers set off from St. Petersburg on June 5, make a short stop-over in Helsinki on June 6, and finish in Warnemuende (Rostock, Germany) on June 9–10. Among the race participants are yacht club teams from Finland, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom, as well as a crew representing the European Union.

The anniversary race is marked by a new rule aimed to bring more young yachtsmen into the competition. Pursuant to the race procedures, each team must now have at least three racers under the age of 25. The Russian crew includes young athletes who participated in the Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge.

During the event, Alexey Miller took a tour around the Bronenosec yacht of the Russian crew represented by the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

“As recently as 2012, we launched this sports project, namely the international Nord Stream Race. Today, we celebrate its fifth anniversary. Since then the race has gained much-deserved credibility and become known as a prominent sporting event. The Nord Stream Race unites world-famous professionals and newcomers in yachting and sailing from many countries.

The route of the Nord Stream Race is set along the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Just like the non-transit gas trunkline of the same name, the race is successfully bringing Europe and Russia closer together. The Nord Stream 2 project will open new horizons for the economic cooperation with our European partners and for the race itself,” said Alexey Miller.

In addition, Alexey Miller awarded 12 laureates of the first stage of the Optimists of the Northern Capital. Gazprom Cup children's sailing race. The awards were handed out in four categories: Boys, Girls, Young Boys, and Young Girls.