Burevestnik

Burevestnik 

a voluntary sports society whose members are drawn from students and faculty of most of the higher educational institutions in the USSR. It was established in 1957 (between 1936 and 1957 the society known as Burevestnik drew its members from athletes belonging to the state trading and state institution trade unions). In 1970, Burevestnik comprised over 600 student sports clubs with a total membership of over 1.5 million physical culturists, including about 70, 000 professors, teachers, and scientific workers. About 120, 000 persons engaged in track and field sports and over 110, 000 in winter sports; over 300, 000 took part in various athletic games, and 150, 000 were hikers and campers. The membership of Burevestnik includes 50 honored masters of sports, about 6, 000 masters of sport, and over 60, 000 candidates for masters of sports and sportsmen first class. Olympic, world, European, and USSR champions have trained in Burevestnik: L. Latynina, V. Muratov, V. Chukarin, and B. Shakhlin (gymnastics); V. Brumel’, I. Ter-Ovanesian, and V. Borzov (track and field); L. Skoblikova, L. Titova, and T. Rylova (ice skating); L. Kozyreva, V. Kuzin, and G. Napalkov (skiing); V. Prudskova, G. Sveshnikov, V. Stankovich, and Iu. Sharov (fencing); A. Medved’ (free-style wrestling); V. Sokolov (bicycling); V. Smyslov, E. Bykova, and N. Gaprin-dashvili (chess); and others.

In 1970 the higher educational institutions where Burevestnik has chapters had at their disposal 40 stadiums, 1, 250 gymnasiums, 28 swimming pools, and 550 sports health camps. Burevestnik has belonged to the International University Sports Federation since 1959.