25/06/2009 - The ceremonial opening of “Kometa”, the largest table tennis center in the North-West of Russia was held today in St Petersburg in the event devoted to the 200° year anniversary of the Transport Department’s foundation.

The new Sports Center “Kometa”  will become the main city base for professional training for young table tennis players. The area of the centre is more than 2.000 square meters. The main hall has 20 playing and 10 warm-up tables, which will make the Center the largest platform for professional table tennis in the regions of the North-West Federal District.

According to President of Saint-Petersburg Federation of Table Tennis, Chairman of Legislative Assembly of Saint-Petersburg Vadim TULPANOV, 130.000.000 roubles have been provided from the city budget for the building of the Center: “The Center is very well equipped, beginning with floor coating and ending with sports facilities, and complies with all international standards. The center has a comfortable playing hall, training hall, fitness center, where sportsmen can train in sparring with robots and use the Video-coach program. We expect, that the ”Kometa” will become a convenient area for beginners and for members of the team of Saint-Petersburg; and that it will provide the opportunity for the veterans to play. Also it will provide an opportunity of training for sportsmen with limited abilities. I hope that in the near future, large international sports competitions will be held in the area of the Center”.

The ceremonial event was attended by President of Table Tennis Federation of Russia, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Igor LEVITIN, Governor of Saint-Petersburg Valentina MATVIENKO, President of Saint-Petersburg Table Tennis Federation, Chairman of the Saint-Petersburg Legislative Assembly Vadim TULPANOV, Chairman of the City Physical Culture and Sports Committee Vyacheslav TCHAZOV, Head of Frunzensky District of Saint-Petersburg Terenty MESTCHERYAKOV.

Igor LEVITIN, Valentina MATVIENKO and Vadim TULPANOV did symbolic serves at tennis tables of the new Center to mark the start of working of “Kometa” center.

Photo: President of Russian TT Association Igor LEVITIN attended the official opening in St. Petersburg