61 years ago, in 1959, at the same time the World Underwater Federation was founded, the first underwater clubs SKAT TSU (founders: Vladimir Titov, Valery Menshikov and Vadim Zhdanov (president)) and AFALINA TPU (founders – Boris Kirov, Kim Savydenko and Grigoriy Pekarskiy, first president – Evgeniy Vertman), affiliated with Tomsk naval club DOSAAF, were founded. It was them who developed underwater activity in a Siberian city far from seas and oceans, which laid the foundation to the best underwater sport school of the world in Tomsk. Its achievements are now well-known to the whole international finswimming community of professionals and amateurs, united within CMAS.

Vladimir Titov, Vadim Zhdanov and Valery Menshikov at 40th anniversary of club SKAT, 1999

In 1960 in Tomsk the Tomsk Regional Underwater Federation was founded. Its first president, Vladimir Titov, headed the Federation for 40 years. Since February 2005 Tomsk Region Underwater Sport Federation has been headed by Natalia Grechikhina, finswimming European champion and ex-world record holder. In 2005 Natalia Grechikhina became a member of CMAS Finswimming Commission. In 2009-2017 Russia has been represented in this commission by another Tomsk finswimmer, 5-times world champion Andrei Burakov. Since 2017 the most decorated Tomsk finswimmer Evgeniy Skorzhenko is a member of the international commission.

First RSFSR Championship, Saratov, 1969
Tomsk Region team members: Vadim Zhdanov, Aleksandr Shumkov and Vladimir Titov

In 1967 at swimming pool Trud first youth sports section for training finswimmeing was organized, where Sergey Shlenkin became the first director of this sports club. 7 years later, in 1974 the first youth underwater sport school (current name – Shevelev’s USCT)) was founded in Tomsk. It is now successfully headed by its own multiple world champion and records holder Evgeniy Skorzhenko.

Swimming pool Tom opening, Tomsk, 1983
On photo: Natalia Grechikhina, Nonna Pushkaryova, Tatiana Melnikova, Raisa Zakamskova, Nina Gryaznova, Aleksandr Shumkov, Valeriy Suchkov, Aleksandr Kochetkov, Ivan Shypovskiy

Today underwater sport is one of the most popular and decorated sports in the region. In 9 sports organizations 43 coaches are teaching finswimming to more than 1800 kids and adults per year. Throughout the existence of underwater sport in Tomsk region, it has had more than 70 junior European and world champions and medalists, including 30 world champions and 12 World Games champions.

Aleksandr Shumkov – first Tomsk finswimmer to win European Championship, 1971

For the first time in Russian modern history the Tomsk region held international finswimming and sport diving competition Snow Fins for 3 consecutive years in 2011, 2012 and 2013. These events became the sports brand of the region. During the three years of Snow Fins representatives from 22 countries and 4 continents took part and competed for the total of 55 thousand US dollars prize fund.

Sonw Fins 2012 participants and special guest – commentator Vladimir Stognienko (in the middle)

The construction and further opening in 2015 of new modern Olympic swimming pool – aquatics center Zvyozdniy allowed Tomsk to successfully organize for the first time on its own territory a number of major finswimming All-Russian and international events: World Cup Golden Final (September 2016), World Junior Championship (August 2017), Russian Junior Championship (May 2018), Russian Championship (May 2019), Russian Cup (February 2020) as well as the first ever official CMAS Super Sprint Cup (September 2016) with 10 thousand US dollars prize fund that world’s best finswimmers were battling for.

CMAS Super Sprint Cup, 2016, Natalia Cherevko and Alexsandra Skurlatova

In 2016 TOMSK REGION finswimming team participated at three rounds of World Cup, including Golden Final, which took place in Tomsk. For the first time in the history of Tomsk region the team won all 5 team classifications of World Cup (general, men, women as well as boys and girls).

Tomsk Region team, 2016

In July 2020 in Tomsk the CMAS World Championships was planned to be held, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic that spread throughout the world, the holding of this significant for Tomsk region and all underwater community sports event is postponed to summer 2021.

Afalina TPU underwater club members, 30.06.1975. Far right – Evgeniy Vertman

Afalina scuba diving club members: Boris Kirov (founder), Tamara Tibilova (created club’s name), Evgeniy Vertman (first president), 1969