The scenic Novik Bay on Russky Island appears to have been naturally designed for rowing. The water area, securely enclosed by the shores, spans 12 km. The natural waterway is perfectly suited for training and rowing competitions.
The establishment of a rowing sports centre in Novik was a dream of Anatoly Ilyin, a Master of Sports of the USSR, an Honoured Coach of the USSR and Russia in rowing, an Honoured Worker of Physical Culture of the RSFSR, and the leader of Primorye sports in the 70–80s of the last century. Being an exceptional rower himself, he was able to instantly recognise all the merits and advantages of Novik Bay as a perfect venue for rowing sports.
The construction of rowing facilities in Novik Bay began under the initiative of Aleksandr Zubko, Chairman of the Board of the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organisation 'Russky Island Sports Club.'
In 2010, the Russky Island Sports Club was allocated a territory near Cape Melkovodny in Novik Bay for the development of recreational and sports infrastructure. This task was successfully completed: boat storage facilities, piers, spectator stands, living quarters and a referee's office were built, a rowing course was set up, all necessary equipment including rowing machines was purchased, and all conditions for sports training events were established. Additionally, a café and a hotel were constructed. Athletes from Primorye train here throughout the year.
In the summer of 2019, the Russian youth team for academic rowing trained in Novik before heading to Tokyo for the World Rowing Junior Championships. The high-quality training paid off for the athletes: Vladimir Gaevsky, Victor Kovalev, Aleksandr Kovalsky and Egor Grachev secured third place in the doubles fours competition, while Anastasia Lyubich came second in the singles competition. As Anastasia Lyubich stated, 'the training camp in Vladivostok was very beneficial as we arrived already acclimated to both the climate and time difference.'
'The first time I saw Novik, I knew it was the perfect location for an International Sports and Cultural Recreation Centre with a comprehensive recreational area,' shares Andrey Zubko, an entrepreneur, professional athlete and board member of the Russky Island Sports Club. 'Facilities like these have long since become a staple in many contemporary megacities.'
Aleksandr Zubko states that the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames, a competition between the university teams of Cambridge and Oxford, has been a tradition in Great Britain for over a century. Similar races take place in Australia, where they're known as the King's Cup. They are sparking immense interest.
'It would be beneficial to foster this tradition here in Vladivostok too. The Far Eastern Federal University, with a student body of approximately forty thousand, is located nearby. They are our primary strategic ally in advancing all forms of rowing: kayaking, Dragon class boating, and most importantly, traditional rowing. I am confident that the long-distance water competitions among student teams in Novik Bay hold substantial international potential and will serve as another bridge linking Russia with the Asia-Pacific countries,' concludes Andrey Zubko.
The organisation of the Vladivostok International Regatta in September 2022 marks another milestone in the development of an international rowing centre in Primorye. This is the first event of such calibre that the Novik Rowing Club facilities are hosting.