An expert’s view of the past and present of motorcycling in Serpukhov

Mechanic, engineer and designer all rolled into one

— Vladimir Nikolaevich, what, in your opinion, should be a motorcycle racer?

– I consider all athletes in general to be advanced people, and those who go in for technical sports are the most intellectually developed. What is motorsport, for example? The rider, in addition to the general physical form and good motorcycle skills, must not only thoroughly know the technique on which he performs, but also be a participant in the process of its improvement.

That’s what technical sports are for, that a motorcycle racer is in one person a mechanic, an engineer, and a designer.

– When did motorsport begin to develop in Serpukhov?

— Motorsport in the Moscow region originated in the 30s of the last century. And Serpukhov, together with Podolsk, were points of growth. The first major competition in linear high-speed racing took place in Serpukhov in 1936: the USSR Championship. A photograph has been preserved in which the participants of the competition lined up against the backdrop of the City Council building along Sovetskaya Street.

From the village of Novye Kuzmenki to the village of Volosovo, along the entire route of the competition, residents of the surrounding settlements were standing, making sure that the moose did not go out onto the road. According to eyewitnesses, factory workers in the village of Proletarsky fed donuts to all participants and spectators.

The chief referee of the competition was the legendary Valery Pavlovich Chkalov. During this period, he was in Serpukhov and studied at the Flight School based in Vladychnaya Sloboda on the problems of aviation bombing.

An important milestone in the development of motorsport was the arrival at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War from Izhevsk of specialists in motorcycle production, headed by the famous designer, creator of the IZH-7 motorcycle, Vsevolod Vyacheslavovich Rogozhin, to organize the repair of damaged equipment, captured German motorcycles. VKB (Leading Design Bureau) was created.

1947 is considered the moment of creation of the motorcycle club in Serpukhov. DOSAAF then headed the technical sports.

– Which of the Serpukhov athletes is known at the level of the USSR?

– Stanislav Kudinov in the 60s became the head of the USSR national team. And he began his sports career as a teenager, when he came to work at VKB as a fitter. He won the championship of the armored forces on a motorcycle of his own assembly. He became the champion of the USSR when he was only 18 years old.

One of the first titled athletes – Serpukhov was Alexander Fedorovich Karpov, a participant in the USSR Championships, a member of the USSR national team, who traveled to competitions abroad. Evgeny Tokaev became the champion of the USSR. Yuri Matveev, a member of the USSR motocross team, grew up in Serpukhov. Victor Sharashkin, speaking on a motorcycle with a sidecar. The Kiryukhin brothers are a new generation of racers, participants in the championships. Alexander Orlov, an employee of the Central Design Bureau, an outstanding racer. Many more names could be named.

When the VKB was transformed into the Central Design Experimental Bureau, the developers were faced with the task of creating new models of domestic motorcycles. Experimental samples were made and tested not only on the tracks in the USSR, but also abroad.

When the design bureau was transformed into VNII Motoprom – the All-Union Scientific Research Institute, our city became one of the country’s leading centers for the development and production of motorcycles. A department was created that dealt with sports models, and our riders competed in international competitions.

“The whole color of motorsport came to us”

Is motorcycle racing on ice a special kind of sport for Serpukhov?

– At the stadium “Trud” in our city in the early 70s of the last century, the Championships of the Soviet Union in motorcycle racing on ice were organized. The whole color of motorsport came to us. Competitions of this level implied the appropriate composition of the judiciary.
Unfortunately, in 1975, at the USSR Championship, during one of the races, the rider could not hold the motorcycle, and he was carried to the podium. People died. This tragedy led to the fact that Serpukhov was no longer considered as a contender for such championships. Serpukhovich Vladimir Zemlyanov, an employee of the Metalist plant, became one of the founders of ice racing in the country.

– And what competitions were held at the Lokomotiv stadium?

– Lokomotiv began to be operated as a stadium for technical sports. It was generally adapted for track racing on motorcycles. There was a corresponding track on the field, a protective net. Competitions were held at a high level.

I have very vivid memories of Lokomotiv. I was lucky to go out in one race with the European champion Valery Klementyev. More to say, I won this race. Even though I was just getting started. True, I had many “assistants”. The first is the rain, which significantly spoiled the track. And another very important thing – our girls, my friends, were rooting for me on the podium! How could I fail!

Klementyev performed on one of my motorcycles, which he himself chose before the competition.
From teenagers to veterans

– Traditions are glorious, but how do they continue today?

– I think that now there is a rise in interest in this sport. If we talk about the age of athletes, then the range is wide: from teenagers to veterans. For example, today we have six crews, perfectly prepared for sidecar competitions. I would also add that three are on the way. For comparison, in Moscow there are only four crews of such a level of athletes.

I must say that this species in Serpukhov was always represented by strong participants. For example, I can name Gennady Kordyukov and Nikolai Kurguzov, who today are the leading sportsmen. Or Roman Zekov, speaking in a group of young veterans (age 40+). He, even competing with the young, shows good results.
ATVs are also in our “luggage”. Mikhail Tolkachev is one of the best racers in the country, he runs the Start club in Serpukhov. DOSAAF has a motorsport section.

— What does the future of motorsport in our city district depend on?

– You need to understand that a wealthy person, of course, can afford to engage in motorsport today. But also an enthusiast. A motorcycle is an expensive pleasure, even though its maintenance and maintenance is carried out by the athlete himself.

Participation in competitions is also an expensive article. Therefore, our athletes do not go to tournaments that are held at a great distance from Serpukhov.

Our sports community is close-knit, we maintain friendly relations with other municipalities. Maintenance issues are resolved. But, alas, today there is no track worthy of hosting representative competitions in our urban district.
We enlist the help of neighbors. We train in Chekhov, when there are no competitions, and in Protvino.