Directorate of winter Universiade 2017 has appointed the Kazakh boxer, two time world champion and Olympic champion Serik Sapiyev as the mayor of the Athletic village. Foreign delegations and volunteers will be accommodated in the village. The mayor will be responsible for meeting the delegations, participation in the welcoming events and flag-raising ceremonies. However, his main task will be to help athletes and other guests, who are expected to total more than 3,000 people, so that they get everything they need for a comfortable stay.

SERIK SAPIYEV, OLYMPIC CHAMPION:

I was pleasantly surprised to know that I was supposed to become the mayor of the Athletic Village. It certainly imposes a responsibility on me.

Meanwhile, test competitions are held on the sports fields. More than 100 skiers and snowboarders compete for the title of candidate for master of sports within Kazakhstan’s Cup at Shymbulak ski resort. Marathon stages will help identify the best athletes, as well as serve as a test for the work of judges, technical personnel and technical readiness ahead of the Universiade. According to the athletes, the track is fully ready for the competitions.

ALEXEY SYSOYEV, BRONZE MEDALIST OF KAZAKHSTAN’S ALPINE SKIING CUP:

We train for nearly a month in Almaty, on this mountain. We have a small advantage that we have our native slopes.

The popular and trendy sports among the youth - snowboarding brought together 30 athletes from across the country at Kazakhstan’s Cup.

TATYANA BORODINA, COACH, YOUTH TEAM FROM RIDDER TOWN:

Preparation is serious, hard. Frankly, I have never seen such training. Athletes train well.

Favorites of the Universiade in giant slalom discipline Zakhar Kuchin and Yekaterina Karpova, in this marathon confirmed their results. In the snowboarders category among the men Dmitry Yegorenko won the first place, among the women - Yulia Bondareva.