The press service of the company announced that On skis!, a nationwide festival organized by the Russian energy and metallurgical holding En+. The statement highlighted that the festival would run in 22 cities across Russia this year, bringing together thousands of participants.
The festival program features ski races of various distances, family relay competitions, plus prize drawings and master classes.
On March 2, residents from Angarsk, Divnogorsk, Irkutsk and 15 other cities began the events. The competitions took place at venues including the ski base of the Irkutsk State Agrarian University, the Angarskiy ski and biathlon complex, and the Bratsk Reservoir ice, among others.
Prizes and gifts were awarded to race winners by En+. Attendees and participants were also treated to culinary offerings and entertainment, including an entertainment program with animators, contests, and photo opportunities.
The initiative drew support from city leaders where the events occurred, and some of them joined the slopes themselves.
Konstantin Zaitsev, chairman of the government of the Irkutsk Region, remarked that En+ and RUSAL have, for several years, run the social sports project On skis. Its core aim is to boost cross country skiing in the Irkutsk region. The project supports athletes, invests in coaching improvements, enhances sports infrastructure, and organizes competitions and events. These measures have yielded positive results. President Vladimir Putin recently urged people to get on their skis, and the region is following that guidance. The governor expressed gratitude to En+ and RUSAL for organizing the family festival and backing physical culture and sports development in the Angara region.
On March 10, amateur skiers from Nizhny Novgorod, Taishet, and Ukhta are scheduled to participate in the festival.
Vera Kurochkina, deputy general manager at En+, emphasized that promoting a healthy lifestyle and popularizing skiing, one of the most beloved Siberian sports, remains a key area of the companys social activities.
She also noted that skiing is a family sport enjoyed by people of all ages, with several generations often sharing a love for it.
Kurochkina added that the company builds and upgrades ski infrastructure in Russian cities, organizes sports events and competitions, and supports youth teams as part of its broader community program.
Andrei Kharitonov, director of Irkutskenergosbyt, observed that skiing had briefly fallen out of favor in Russia, but the On skis initiative has helped restore its popularity. He believes the program strengthens family ties and the sense of teamwork within the company groups.
On skis, a project launched in 2016 by Oleg Deripaska, founder of the holding, aims to promote skiing and a healthy lifestyle. Under this program En+ and RUSAL teams build and renovate tracks and ski resorts, back regional cross country ski teams, and supply equipment to schools and sports departments. The project operates with the support of the Russian Ski Federation.