13-22 August / 2019
Russian Polar Expedition Holds the World's First North Pole
Mahjong Tournament
Mahjong Tournament
On August 20, 2019, for the first time in history, an official Chinese Classical Mahjong Tournament was held at the North Pole. The event took place during a special voyage to the North Pole of the most powerful nuclear icebreaker in the world, "50 Years of Victory".
On its 60th anniversary, Rosatomflot presented a unique gift for 68 gifted children from all regions of Russia, inviting them to join a polar expedition to the top of the world. Young polar explorers went through a one-year long selection process. They are the holders of Presidential scholarships, winners of the All-Russian Olympiads and many other competitions organized by the School of Rosatom, the Russian School Movement, the Sirius Center and the Atomic Industry Information Center (ICAO).
On its 60th anniversary, Rosatomflot presented a unique gift for 68 gifted children from all regions of Russia, inviting them to join a polar expedition to the top of the world. Young polar explorers went through a one-year long selection process. They are the holders of Presidential scholarships, winners of the All-Russian Olympiads and many other competitions organized by the School of Rosatom, the Russian School Movement, the Sirius Center and the Atomic Industry Information Center (ICAO).
Event Address: North Pole
North Pole
Galina Dulenko, the author of the book Mahjong for Beginners, the organizer of Mahjong championships of Russia and St. Petersburg, the champion of Mahjong Sports Games in St. Petersburg in 2016, said: "I was invited to this amazing trip as a representative of the Hieroglyph Mahjong School under the authority of the Russian Mahjong Federation. Our task was to introduce gifted Russians to the game of Mahjong.
Photoreport
During all days of the cruise more than 40 children, as well as adult expedition members, learned to play Mahjong when they were free from a very busy schedule, only interrupting the game to watch walruses and dolphins outside of the ship.
As a result, having conducted a series of games, it was clear that our level of mastery allowed for an official tournament.
The World's First North Pole
Mahjong Tournament
8 young polar explorers took part in the final Mahjong tournament on the icebreaker, which lasted for 1 hour 40 minutes. Victoria Nikolaeva (Snezhinsk) won the first prize, as she gained four victories in a row. Sergey Arkhipov (Ivanovo) won the second prize, and Ivan Grabarnik (Moscow) was the third.
All participants were gifted certificates and appreciation prizes from the Russian Mahjong Federation. Winners of the first prizes were granted certificates and Galina's books with her autographs, and the winner of the first place received the main prize, a unique Mahjong game set, one of the first ones brought to Russia back in 2003.
A special prize and a certificate "For fidelity to the game" were received by the youngest polar explorer Platon Klivakin (Novosibirsk), who unfortunately was not able to participate in the official tournament, but he devoted all of his free time to master the basics of the game.
All participants were gifted certificates and appreciation prizes from the Russian Mahjong Federation. Winners of the first prizes were granted certificates and Galina's books with her autographs, and the winner of the first place received the main prize, a unique Mahjong game set, one of the first ones brought to Russia back in 2003.
A special prize and a certificate "For fidelity to the game" were received by the youngest polar explorer Platon Klivakin (Novosibirsk), who unfortunately was not able to participate in the official tournament, but he devoted all of his free time to master the basics of the game.
Tournament photo report
List of participants in the 1st North Pole
Mahjong Tournament:
Organizers
Judge and organizer: Galina Dulenko, representative of the Russian Mahjong Federation.
Assistant Judge: Alexander Kirilov, Manager of the Russian Arctic National Park.
Assistant Judge: Alexander Kirilov, Manager of the Russian Arctic National Park.
Another Mahjong game set was sent from the North Pole to the Russian Arctic National Park, which is located in the historic Tikhaya Bay of Hooker Island. We hope that by doing this we are passing a torch for holding Mahjong tournaments in the Russian Arctic, not only among Russians, but also among tourists coming from Asian countries.
Reference Information
- Organization:State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom
https://rosatom.ru/en/Description:Rosatom is the only organization in the world owning a nuclear fleet. 50 Years of Victory is the most powerful nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world.
State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom or ROSATOM is one the global technological leaders. It is a multi-industry holding comprising assets in power engineering, machine engineering and construction, among others. - Organization:The Russian Mahjong Federation
http://www.mahjong.ruDescription:The Russian Mahjong Federation is a non-profit organization that popularizes all types of Mahjong game in Russia, holds official tournaments, and records the ratings of Russian players.
Mahjong is a popular Chinese game that develops combinatorial thinking, mathematical logic, and also trains Oriental tranquility and patience. Requires players to possess such qualities as experience, memory and observation. - Organization:The Russian Arctic National Park
http://www.rus-arc.ruDescription:The Russian Arctic National Park is the largest specially protected natural area in the Arctic, covering more than 8.8 million hectares and consisting of two clusters: the South Cluster (the northern tip of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago with adjacent islands) and the Northern Cluster (Franz Joseph Land archipelago, the northernmost island of which is 900 km away from the North Pole). The tasks of the park administration include conducting scientific, environmental, educational and protection measures on the territory. Currently ecological cruise tourism is being actively developed in the Russian Arctic. - Media links for the event:NTV
https://vk.com/rosatomflot?z=video-6374679_456239129%2Ffb44e02e04f91903e2%2Fpl_wall_-6374679
ROSATOM
https://www.rosatom.ru/journalist/arkhiv-novostey/atomokhod-50-let-pobedy-napravilsya-v-tematicheskiy-reys-na-severnyy-polyus/
"Russia - Culture" TV Channel
https://tvkultura.ru/article/show/article_id/349077
The Russian Arctic National Park
http://rus-arc.ru/ru/News/Details/4412791e-b219-485e-b905-955c639c2d4f