Skiing! Give the guy a ski track, hurry up!

It's no secret that Moscow in the evening and nighttime leisure will give odds to any European city. It is not for us to tell you what kind of entertainment is not offered at night to residents and guests of the capital. But even in Moscow you can find something special.

There is an opinion that the majority of Russians cannot stand cross-country skiing. It’s all the fault of the hated lessons of the winter gym, legs entangled in wooden skis, a snow-soaked ass in tight-fitting hebash tights, constantly jumping out of the binding of boots of the 42nd size (put on only on a triple toe), an unbearable struggle with naughty sticks. Yes, all students have gone through this. But science does not stand still, and now skating or skating is a real pleasure. Especially at night.

In January-February, in the west of Moscow, in the Romashkovo forest, the Night Cup night ski race has been held for eight years in a row. Anyone can attend this amazing event in terms of atmosphere and sensations - the race is held on Wednesday evenings, and all you need is skis and a headlamp. In truth, you can do without a flashlight - your eyes quickly get used to the snowy darkness.

The author of the photographs is the beautiful Maria Plotnikova.

(Total 22 photos)

The participants of the race are pulling up to the starting point - the well-known among the "daisies" Sausage meadow.

The start of the race takes place from 18:00 to 20:30, at any time according to the readiness of the participants, and the finish line is open until 21:30 (of course, the organizers are waiting at the finish line until the last, they will not leave anyone in the night forest).

In general, the organizers of the race are real heroes. Night Cup is a completely non-commercial project supported by several enthusiasts, regulars of the Romashkovo sports club.

During the race, an online broadcast is conducted: any participant can see their result immediately after the finish.

The race track is perfectly prepared and equipped with clear reflective markings, and the skiers themselves choose which lap to run - 2, 5, 10 or 17 km.

After the finish, all participants are waiting for hot tea with lemon and cakes in unlimited quantities.

At the end of all stages of the race (in 2016 - January 13, 20, 27, February 3 and 10), the results are summed up, and the winners are awarded memorable prizes.

Usually 60-80 people take part in the race, including women and children, and in the old days the figure reached 170 participants.

Well, for those who are not chasing results, a direct road to space is open. Hold on, friends!