Tatarstan hosts world parachute championship.

KAZAN, the Republic of Tatarstan, August 1 (Itar-Tass) - The world
championship in parachute sport will kick off in the city of Menzelinsk on
Sunday. Four hundred forty five athletes from 23 countries will take part
in it.
Tatarstan is hosting the world parachute championship for the first
time.
The press service of the regional Ministry for the Affairs of Youth,
Sport and Tourism said Tatarstan had won the right to host the
championships from the U.S. State of Arizona.
"Fifty three parachute jumpers will represent Russia at this
championship. There are no representatives of Tatarstan among them.
Competitions will be held in three events: group acrobatics, cupola
acrobatics and artistic disciplines," the Ministry's press service went on
to say.
L-140 and An-28 planes will be used for the jumps. Thirty-seven judges
from 14 countries will judge the performance of the parachute jumpers.
About 100 volunteers who have good command of foreign languages will
work at the championship.
The athletes and organizers will stay in hotels in Naberezhnye Chelny
and Menzelinsk as well as in tent camps.
Menzelinsk is one of the oldest cities in Tatarstan. It is located 290
kilometers away from Kazan, close to the borders with Bashkortostan and
Udmurtiya.