“This is an important event for Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous okrug, – stated the Governor of Ugra Alexander Filipenko at the solemn opening ceremony of the competitions. – We have started to develop this new for the region kind of sport – water polo. Today in Ugra there is its own Junior Women’s Water Polo team. It showed high results this sport season. The national team of Russia also made us happy with earned medals. I’m sure the Championship will be interesting for spectators and efficient for sportsmen.”
     The Director of the FINA Technical Committee Gianni Lonzi thanked the organizers for good preparations. He said that this is not the last water polo contest in Khanty-Mansiysk, in the near future the Water Polo World Championships will be held here as well.
     After the official part of the ceremony an artistic group of the Culture Centre “Planet” from Nyagan and children from an aerobics club of Ugra Junior Sports School gave a performance in front of the participants of the competitions.