Support The Moscow Times!

Snow Melting, Far North Teens Ski in Water for PE Class (Video)


YouTube footage showing teens trying to ski for their PE class in the Far North city of Severodvinsk.

Put on your skis and hit the … water puddles?

Teens studying at a trade school in the Far North region of Arkhangelsk might have hoped to learn something about cross-country skiing during their physical education class this week. But instead they found themselves navigating huge pools of water left by melting snow outside their school in the town of Severodvinsk.

A neighbor living in an apartment overlooking Trade School No. 22 captured the odd view of the students trying to fulfill their PE requirements from his window on Wednesday.

The resulting video footage, set to circus music and titled "The Circus Has Left but the Clowns Remain," shows the teens walking gingerly through the water with skis strapped to their feet and ski poles in their hands.

The video's poster, Dmitry Peptsev, said the outdoor temperature was 10 degrees Celsius — well above Severodvinsk's average of zero degrees in April.

Skiing is a required part of the PE curriculum for many Russian schoolchildren. PE is also offered in trade schools, where teens aged 15 to 18 learn specialized skills.

Severodvinsk has a population of 192,353 and is located 35 kilometers west of the city of Arkhangelsk on the delta of the Northern Dvina River.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more