World's northernmost sailing regatta kicks off at Severomorsk

The world's northernmost sailing regatta "Arctic Cruise" kicked off on Wednesday at Severomorsk (the Murmansk region in the north of European Russia), said the Murmansk regional sailing sport federation.

The Arctic Cruise is being held for the fourth time. The first time was 13 years ago and it involved members of the Murmansk sea shipping port's yacht club. The subsequent regattas were also contested by teams from the US, Norway, Britain and the Netherlands.

This year, nine teams from Russia's northern regions have arrived to participate. Sportsmen from Norway, however, because of snags in clearing foreign yachts for the outer harbour of the Kola Bay, will not take part in the competition.

Yachts will be divided into groups according to their class. Races between the groups will be run on the route Severomorsk -- islands Kildin, Varlamov, Salny -- Murmansk.