On 18-20 June, Ulan-Ude will welcome the participants of the Zolotaya Bita (Golden Bat) All-Russian Mini-Lapta Tournament. The tournament is for children of two age groups:  11-12  (year of birth 2000-2001) and 13-15 (1997-1999).
For a few days Ulan-Ude will become the center of a prestigious national competition and welcome participants from Omsk, Tomsk, Orenburg, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk. Two teams from Steklozavod and Energetic villages will represent the city. Several days earlier they won the regional competition, leaving behind over 20 teams from all over the city. As the host city, Ulan-Ude is allowed to present four teams instead of two.
Ulan-Ude is hosting the competition for the fifth time and there is a good reason for this. The city has rich lapta traditions and has created good conditions for the development of this sport. All games will take place in the main sports center of Ulan-Ude – the Central Stadium on the Selenga River bank.
 Yury Sapunov, President, Russian Lapta Federation, said: “Today, great stress is put on preserving the moral, spiritual and physical health of the Russian people on the basis of sporting culture and extensive development of physical education and sports. We are pleased to see that young people are choosing a healthy lifestyle.
Those who become fans of this game discover a spirit of competition, strategic thinking, positive emotions and excitement. Lapta develops team building skills and the ability to aim at a common result”.
In addition to the competition, all participants can take part in a rich cultural and entertainment program. The tournament was organized by the Republican Agency for Physical Education and Sports, METROPOL Group of Companies and the Russian Lapta Federation, who invite the residents and guests of Ulan-Ude to see this traditional Russian game named lapta that came to us from the remote past, that even now brings enjoyment to us.
The official opening ceremony and the parade of participants will take place at the Central Stadium of Ulan-Ude on 17 June.