Ukraine hosts its first championship of bathhouse skills

KIEV (Itar-Tass) - Ukraine is hosting is first
championship in bathhouse skills.
"Victory is not the most important thing in this contest. Its aim is
to develop and promote the old Slavic traditions of bath house culture,"
the chief judge Alexander Gotsky said.
Thirty professional entrants will participate in the competitions
that will last for three days. The first two days of the championships
will take place without audiences. Only journalists and invited guests
will be present at the final. After two qualifiers only six bathhouse
attendants will compete in the final. The winner will represent Ukraine at
international bathhouse competitions.
First, all the participants were asked what they knew about a
bathhouse, its health-improvement properties, the temperature regime in
the steam room and the healing effects of massage. It turned out that
there's an entire code of 'golden rules' which any bathhouse lover must
observe in order not harm his or her health. The first golden rule
concerns the use of "venik", a leafy bunch of twigs, which is an
inseparable bathhouse attribute. Competitor Yuri Maleta believes that it's
necessary to observe the rules of steam bathing, including the right
application of a bunch of leafy twigs. He, like the other participants,
has prepared several bunches, including bunches of birch twigs for lung
ventilation and oak twigs for people suffering from hypertension.
After a test for theoretical knowledge, the contestants will
demonstrate their practical skills on living people. They are going to
comment their actions and movements.
A representative of the Ukrainian Association of steam bath business,
Natalya Mishchenko, told Itar-Tass that a special transparent bath house
had been brought from Russia so that the judges and the audience could
watch the ritual of steam bathing. The winner will receive the champion's
cup and the finalists will get monetary rewards worth 200-250 U.S. dollars