Following the farming season, the sports one has come to an end at EkoNiva's enterprises in Voronezh oblast. This year, over ten events have been organised, bringing together about 500 fans of active recreation.

Year by year, EkoNiva's employees are becoming more and more enthusiastic about sports games. Specialists from EkoNivaAgro, EkoNiva-Food, EkoNiva-Chernozemye, NivaStroy and EkoNiva-APK Holding compete in volleyball, table tennis, ski races, ice fishing, billiards, futsal and relay races.

Fishers and skiers were the first to open the sports season last winter. More than 200 amateur athletes and their families contended for the winner’s title.

The fishing took place on three ponds in Liski and Bobrov districts and covered several categories: Veteran Fisher, Youngest Participant, First Fish, Biggest Fish, First Hole and Smallest Fish.

The ski races held on a modern ski track in Buturlinovka district were equally exciting. All the participants were awarded medals, certificates and souvenirs from the company. In spring, the major sports event was the table tennis tournament organised in a fitness and health centre in Bobrov. It gathered over 50 tennis enthusiasts from several subdivisions of the Group.

‘Table tennis is especially popular with our employees. We take part in competitions and train in gyms a couple of times a week to stay in shape. The company rents sports grounds so that everyone can play table tennis in their free time’, says Aleksandr Novosyolov, Senior Sales Rep at EkoNiva-Semena.

The futsal tournament brought together eight teams, and EkoNiva-Chernozemye’s specialists won first place in a tense struggle.

There appeared to be even more volleyball lovers at the holding's enterprises. The competitions involved 90 people representing 10 teams. The interest in the tournament was so keen that the games were held simultaneously on two courts. EkoNivaAgro-North’s team snatched the victory.

The season was closed in November with table tennis, billiards, volleyball and futsal competitions.

Sergey Krivyakin, a mechanic at EkoNivaAgro-East, became the best tennis player among the men. Olga Dmitriyeva, a breeding herd manager at EkoNivaAgro-Right Bank, won the gold medal in the women’s category.

The great sensation of the futsal tournament was EkoNivaAgro-North’s team, which defeated the athletes from EkoNiva-Chernozemye in the final. The winners of the spring season lost to the ‘northerners’ with a big score – 3:0. The bronze medal went to the team of Anna dairy plant.

The volleyball cup also ‘moved house’. In spring, the athletes of EkoNiva Agro-Left Bank were close to beating their opponents from EkoNiva Agro-North, but they only managed to win the return match in autumn. The final game was the jewel in the crown of the tournament.

‘EkoNiva's corporate culture places special emphasis on sports and healthy lifestyle. We believe that such events are perfect for both encouraging teamwork and strengthening family relationships. The main goal of sports competitions is to create a warm and friendly atmosphere’, says Anatoliy Kovalyov, Chairman of the Trade Union Committee at EkoNivaAgro.