At the end of February, the “Globus” Touring Club traditionally organizes and hosts the “Snow Leopard” city competition in mountaineering techniques. The wonderful atmosphere of Holosiivskyi Park, exciting stages, and the opportunity to showcase technical skills attract dozens of athletes and fans.
Our club has been holding the “Snow Leopard” competition for over 10 years (with a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year of the invasion). Teams must demonstrate their ability to work in rope teams on challenging terrain, using specialized equipment (crampons, ice axes) and knowledge of rescue operations. This year, 19 teams competed in two categories—2nd and 3rd—and 19 of the 38 participants were students or graduates of KPI. The courses consisted of an obstacle course and designated stages (knot tying, providing first aid, and rescuing a victim from a crevasse). The winners of the competition met the standards for the 3rd and 2nd categories in sports tourism.
According to participants and organizers, the incredible snowy day on February 22 was full of excitement and genuine competition on the courses. And, of course, the anticipation of the results. The results of the “Snow Leopard 2026” race pleased the KPI students. In the second class, the ‘Globus’ – “We Came to Watch” team, consisting of Valentyn Sarazhynskyi and Vadym Mulish, took 2nd place in the overall standings. In the third class, all the prize-winning spots were taken by teams from our club: 3rd place – Margarita Kishchenko and Oleksandr Vergelyuk (team “No Panic”), 2nd place – Yulia Pikhotska and Ksenia Smolnikova (team “Baluvani 122”), 1st place – Yegor Pustovoyt and Mikhail Yermilov (team “Beer on the Meadow (Baluvani Edition)”).
It’s worth noting that the total amount of this year’s entry fees was 6,750 UAH. Of that, 1,444 UAH went toward necessary organizational expenses. These funds fully covered the purchase of medals, new ropes for the “parallel courses,” as well as marking tape at some truly astronomical prices. We also had to cover the cost of fuel for the generator. To reliably drill holes in the snow with a 220V tool, our tireless judges had to haul the generator on a sled up all the steep slopes.
The remaining amount—5,306 UAH—was transferred to a current fundraiser by Fram Equipment, which is raising funds to purchase casevaks (specialized vehicles for transporting the wounded on the front lines). We are immensely grateful to every participant, as it was their entry fees that made this important donation possible.
We sincerely congratulate the winners on their well-deserved awards! Thank you to the judges and organizers. We sincerely thank the sponsors of our competition, Fram Equipment and Alp.com.ua, for their support and the prizes provided. Thank you to everyone who spent this day with us, and we are already looking forward to seeing you at the next races.