Capricorn Festival Transforms into Russia's Premier Mountain Celebration

Daria Manziy: Irkutsk's Skyrunning Pioneer on the "Capricorn" Festival, Training, and 2025 Highlights

Daria Manziy, head of the Irkutsk Region's Mountaineering and Rock Climbing Federation, spoke to Vseour about the upcoming "Capricorn" festival, training conditions in the region, and the key achievements of 2025.

—The "Capricorn" skyrunning festival kicks off in just two weeks. For those new to the sport, what exactly is skyrunning, and how has it evolved in Russia?

Skyrunning is a non-Olympic discipline under the Olympic sport of mountaineering—literally "running to the sky." It has been actively developing in Russia since 2008, with its first races held on Mount Elbrus. The discipline's official debut came in 2011 with the Russian Championship's "Chyzdykho-Khokh Mountain Race." Globally, skyrunning has been a standalone sport since 2008, governed by the International Skyrunning Federation, which organizes the Skyrunner World Series, continental and world championships, national series, and other competitions.

In Russia, three skyrunning disciplines are officially recognized: Vertical Kilometer, SkyRace, and SkyMarathon. Another discipline, skysnow (snow running), is currently under consideration for approval. The Russian Mountaineering Federation's Skyrunning Commission has been instrumental in promoting the sport, and over the past 13 years, the number of skyrunners in Russia has grown exponentially.

Today, the country hosts a wide range of events—from city championships to international races (like those on Elbrus). There's also a clear system for earning sports rankings under the Unified Sports Classification System (ESCS). Strong performers can progress from mass categories (second or third class) all the way to the permanent title of Master of Sport of Russia. Those who excel in global competitions may even earn the prestigious International Master of Sport—though such athletes remain rare but exceptionally talented.

The Irkutsk Region team is one of Russia's skyrunning powerhouses, consistently winning medals at national cups, championships, and international events.

Irkutsk has long been the cradle—and the mecca—of Russian skyrunning. The nearby Olkha Mountain Resort serves as an ideal training ground. According to recent reports, the number of skyrunners training on its slopes sometimes even surpasses that of skiers (laughs). Clearly, our efforts to popularize the sport are paying off!

—Let's talk about the festival's history. When did it begin, and who was behind it?

The Capricorn Race: From a Small Training Run to a Major Mountain Festival

The idea for the Capricorn race first took shape in 2008, thanks to Mikhail Davydenko. Originally, it served as a kind of "check-up"—a way for athletes to test their physical condition after alpine training camps, while also offering a chance to compete in a fresh, standalone event. This approach mirrored the origins of the Great Alpine Marathon at the Ogonyok base in 1980, which has been organized for decades by the BAM Marathons team. Irkutsk's mountaineering community has long been a driving force behind innovative sporting initiatives. But let's return to Capricorn.

The first race, held as the Open Pribaikalye Uphill Running Championship "Siberian Capricorn," drew just six participants—five men and one woman.

Today, hundreds of athletes take part, and the organizers know this is only the beginning—there's still plenty of room to grow.

Since 2008, the event has been co-hosted by the Irkutsk Regional Federation of Mountaineering and Rock Climbing and the Baikal Trail Running club, in partnership with the administration of Tunkinsky District in the Republic of Buryatia, the Tunkinsky National Park, and with support from government agencies including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Baikal Resort LLC, and others. A children's division has always been part of the race; starting in 2025, it will be officially called Little Capricorn. In 2024, the event expanded into the Capricorn Running Festival, adding a race to Galina Peak. Now a full-fledged festival, it offers families a chance to spend an active weekend in the foothills of the Sayan Mountains—competing against top athletes, enjoying the scenery, and unwinding in nature.

—Why were Love Peak and Galina Peak chosen for the races?

Love Peak is the closest and most accessible summit near Arshan. Over just four kilometers, runners climb 1,200 meters to an elevation of 2,124 meters. On a clear day, the views stretch across the Tunkinsky Valley and the neighboring peaks of the Baruun-Khandagait and Zun-Khandagait gorges. While the summer ascent is straightforward, the race—held in autumn, winter, or spring—presents a tougher challenge: the route is often blanketed in snow, ice, and mud. That's why choosing the right footwear for a speed ascent is critical.

The climb up Galina Peak isn't much easier—expect snow, ice, and mud—but it's less demanding overall. Unlike the more popular Love Peak, part of the Galina route winds through the canyon of the Bukhota River. From its summit, runners see Love Peak from a completely different angle. The festival's motto says it all: "Two days—two peaks!" These are the closest, most accessible, and some of the most breathtaking summits near the village.

The Love Peak race serves as a stage in the Russian Skyrunning Cup. So what's next on the calendar?

The Russian Mountaineering Federation annually compiles a calendar of sporting events, and since Capricorn is held in the skyrunning—vertical kilometer discipline, the next stage in this discipline will take place in Ingushetia. It is called Dzeyrakh VK and is held in one of the republic's most stunning locations. Before Capricorn, the first stage of the Russian Cup in skyrunning—vertical kilometer, Gladenkaya VK, will take place soon—a race up the slopes of Gladenkaya Mountain in Khakassia.

On the Federation's Work and Training Conditions

Let's discuss the Federation's activities in more detail. Besides the festival, what other events and competitions does it organize?

The Federation's website features an up-to-date calendar of sporting events, including first-aid courses, avalanche safety training, Irkutsk Oblast's ski mountaineering championships, rock climbing festivals, training camps, regional ice climbing championships, stages of the Russian Cup, Siberian Federal District championships, and international skyrunning races.

All of this is planned and carried out by Federation members. Athletes across all mountaineering disciplines also train on weekends in natural terrain—mountain slopes and summits—because mountaineering, like sport in general, eventually becomes a way of life, not just a hobby!

What are the conditions for mountaineering and rock climbing in Irkutsk Oblast?

Here, it's important to break it down by discipline, starting with the most challenging issues. For ice climbing, there are suitable areas—such as the Kynarga River Gorge—but you can't travel there every weekend. Near the village of Vvedenshchina, there are rock formations that could be used for ice climbing if flooded artificially, but there are no proactive leaders to organize this. There was an ice climbing wall structure that had to be dismantled and relocated from its previous site, but there's still no permanent place to reinstall it—except, perhaps, on private property.

On the Sayan Snow Leopard Distinction and 2025 Results

Tell us about the Sayan Snow Leopard distinction. Who receives it?

The honorary Sayan Snow Leopard distinction is awarded for successfully summiting 10 peaks in the Eastern Sayan Mountains. These include Mount Arshan (2,546 m), Trekhglavaya (Central) Peak (2,557 m), Mount SOAN (2,952 m), Mount Kupol (2,954 m), Mount Irkutsk (2,803 m), Mount Flibustier (2,938 m), Mount Katka (3,065 m), Mount Chief Topographer Mazurov (3,089 m), Mount Strelnikova (3,284 m), and Mount Munku-Sardyk (3,491 m).

Every participant in this project contributes to the development of tourism and mountaineering in the region, drawing attention to the beauty of our mountains. In 2025, we have already awarded the distinction to two individuals—Andrey Afanasyev and Pavel Yedlenko. We hope that in 2026, the number of climbers who have conquered all these peaks will grow.

What were the Federation's key achievements in 2025?

There were truly many highlights! Our athletes won 39 medals at national and international competitions—ranging from the Siberian Federal District Championship to the European Championship. Two athletes met the standards for Master of Sport in mountaineering in the skyrunning discipline, and we are now awaiting official confirmation of their titles.