KazakhNomads team to compete in ISU Short Track World Tour in Canada
A new season of the Short Track World Cup has kicked off in Montreal (Canada). Starting this year, as per a decision of the International Skating Union (ISU), the competition will be held in an updated format and under the new name "World Tour", Kazinform News Agency reports citing the press service of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The participating countries' teams will compete under individual team names, each of them will have its own symbol - a totem. The adjustments were made to heighten spectators' interest in the upcoming competitions. The national team of Kazakhstan is called as 'KazakhNomads'.
The World Cup regulations also underwent some changes. Henceforth, the world's top ranking athletes are allowed to miss the initial qualifying rounds. Only those aged 17 or older will be allowed to compete in the World Tour event.
At the first stage of the World Cup in Canada, the national team of Kazakhstan will include:
Abzal Azhgaliyev, Denis Nikisha, Adil Galiakhmetov, Yerkebulan Shamukhanov, Aibek Nasen, Gleb Ivchenko and Mersaid Zhaxybayev - men's team.
Yana Khan, Madina Zhanbusinova, Olga Tikhonova, Malika Yermek, Alina Azhgaliyeva and Zeynep Kumarkhan - women's team.
Teams from Canada (Canadian Ice Maples), China (Chinese Loongs), USA (USA Eagles), South Korea (Korean White Tigers), Japan (Japanese Ninjas), Belgium (Belgian Ice Bears), Italy (Italian Gladiators) and the Netherlands (Dutch Lions) will compete in the World Tour event too.
The first round of the ISU Short Track World Tour is set to run between October 25-27 in Montreal. The second stage is scheduled for November 1 -3 in Salt Lake City, U.S.
