MOSCOW, May 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted how important the Night Hockey League is in promoting sports in Russia and encouraging a healthy lifestyle among the younger generation, the Kremlin’s website said in a statement on Thursday.
"Russia has now created wide-ranging physical fitness opportunities, mass sport continues to develop dynamically, and increasing numbers of adults and young people are adopting a healthy lifestyle," Putin said.
"The time-tested Night Hockey League that has proved its indispensability is making a weighty contribution to this significant and large-scale work," the Russian president continued.
"I would like to note that the spring-time Sochi finals have become a good tradition that brings together hockey enthusiasts from different age categories. This year, over 170 teams from 81 regions have gathered to vie for top positions," Putin noted.
"I would like to note that the spring-time Sochi finals have become a good tradition that brings together hockey enthusiasts from different age categories," the Russian president continued.
"This year, over 170 teams from 81 regions have gathered to vie for top positions. Qualification tournaments of the 12th Festival involved over 23,000 players, an all-time high for the League. I would like to congratulate you on this outstanding achievement," Putin said.
"I am confident that the National Festival of the Night Hockey League will continue to achieve new creative and sport results, and that it will facilitate the development of national mass sport and the preservation of Sochi’s Olympic legacy," he added.
The Night Ice Hockey League was founded at Putin’s initiative on December 15, 2011. Hockey enthusiasts started gathering at sports stadiums during their spare time, usually late in the evening (hence the league’s name) to play their favorite game just for fun.
Renowned Soviet and Russian hockey stars joined the initiative to help arrange regular competitions involving amateur teams across Russia in a national tournament.
The first Night Ice Hockey League gala match took place in Moscow on May 7, 2012. Putin played then, too, just several hours after his presidential inauguration in the Kremlin.
The 70-year-old Russian president, known for his avid support of sports development in Russia, holds a black belt in judo and still regularly practices the martial art.
In 2012, the International Judo Federation granted Putin an eighth Dan for his work to promote the sport. In his youth Putin was judo champion in his home city of Leningrad, now called St. Petersburg. In 2008, he starred in the judo video "Let's Learn Judo With Vladimir Putin."
In his bid to bring the FIA Formula One automobile competition, also known as Royal Racing, to Russia, Putin put the pedal to the metal in an F1 bolide on a race track outside his hometown in 2010.
In what can be called the "fastest president in the world," he reached a speed of 240 kph (150 mph). His lap around the race track added to a long list of daring stunts, including piloting fighter jets and strategic bombers as well as riding Harley Davidson motorcycles with Russian bikers.