St. Petersburg in Race to Hold 2012 Olympic Sailing Regatta - 27 September, 2002

According to the St. Petersburg Governor's press office, the last sitting of the city government examined the issue of holding the 2012 Olympic sailing regatta in St. Petersburg.

The Russian Olympic Committee has called on Russian cities to put forward their candidacy for holding the regatta. Moscow has already expressed several times its intention to fight for the right to hold the sailing regatta, although without resolving the question of where it would be held. St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad are among the more realistic candidates.

The Central Yacht Club on Petrovsky Spit, which is Russia's largest, needs to be upgraded before the start of the official selection campaign. A modern sailing centre may also be built in Zelenogorsk.

As well as the sailing regatta, there are plans to hold the Olympic basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball and football events in St. Petersburg. City Governor Vladimir Yakovlev has formed a working group to put forward St. Petersburg's candidacy as host of the sailing regatta and a variety of other sports. The working group is headed by deputy governor Konstantin Kondakov. On Yakovlev's orders the preparation of design estimates for Olympic venues has already begun. Their construction will be financed by the International Olympic Committee and the federal government.