Imandra (Russian: Имандра, Finnish: Imantero) is a lake in the south-western part of the Kola Peninsula in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, slightly beyond the Arctic circle. It is located 127 m above sea level; its area is about 876 km², maximum depth is 67 m. The shape of the shore line is complicated. There are a number of islands and the largest one, Erm Island measures 26 km². There are three principal parts of the lake connected by narrow straits: Greater Imandra (Ð‘Ð¾Ð»ÑŒÑˆÐ°Ñ Ð˜Ð¼Ð°Ð½Ð´Ñ€Ð°) or Khibinskaya Imandra in the north (area 328 km², length about 55 km, width 3-5 km), Ekostrovskaya Imandra in the centre (area 351 km²), and Babinskaya Imandra in the west (area 133 km²). The lake drains into the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea by the Niva River. The lake is known for the transparency of its water and its abundance of fish.
The town of Monchegorsk, located on the Monche-Guba inlet in the north-western part of the lake, is known as a centre of winter sports. During the summer, many residents enjoy boating on the lake, while in winter the frozen lake is popular with cross-country skiers.
April 21 was held in Monchegorsk extreme 100-km race across the ice sailing. The track was like the town across the ice to the bridge Imandra Apatity on the track and back, a total of 100 kilometers. Competitions were held for the fifth time, and the second time – under the auspices of the Federation of winter and extreme sports. Athletes took to the start on the kites – special sails to glide across the ice and sailing monoski – winter analogue windsurfing. Participants – a total of 37 people signed up – came from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yaroslavl Railroad, Polar, Kirov, apathy, and, of course, most of Monchegorsk. Among them – the three women, Valentine Valentseva from Yaroslavl, Marina Levkova from Moscow Valentine Abaeva of Monchegorsk.
The race, scheduled for Saturday, April 20, was postponed for a day due to lack of wind. He only took on Sunday at 9:15. The wind was so weak that “surfers” out on the track, pushing their feet and “kiters” has not been able to spread their “wings.” Some of them went to the Big Imandra foot, while the rest stood at the start of up to 2 hours, but the wind did not wait.
Before the semifinal on a 50-kilometer drive managed only 16 Statements by participants in the four monoski and 12 – kites. The fastest “surfers” – Alexander and Evgeny Prianikov of Polar – the cost of this part of 4 hours. On the first kite was Boris Filimonov of St. Petersburg, on this he took 4 hours 10 minutes.
Back kiters could not, so they summed results for the semifinal. The second came Vyacheslav Shemyakin in St. Petersburg (4 hours 42 minutes), the third – Alexander Zaitsev from Moscow (5 hours and 30 minutes), then – Vladimir Zakharov from Novosibirsk (6 hours 47 minutes) and Valentin Smirnov from Monchegorsk (7 hours 12 minutes ).
Three “surfers” were able to return to the finish line. Alexander was the first gingerbread (11 hours 41 minutes), his brother Eugene 2 minutes monitoring time exceeded 12 hours. In their “duel” intervened Farid Arslanov from Murmansk (11 hours 55 minutes). They all had to go back, pushing down. According to their accounts, so hard to traverse the distance is not necessary. May say very late for such competitions. Better, of course, to hold them in the beginning of April, when more stable weather and snow on the Imandra.
Apatity is located near the eastern shore of the lake, and Polyarnye Zori are on the Niva River a few kilometers below its outflow from the lake.
Winter on Lake Imandra is a Grade!