The legends start to appear timidly in the motorsport society, because if race organisers find out that there are such kind of officials, they will rush to Kirovsky district of the Leningrad  region forgetting about other regions which are also perspective but with another attitude of the direction.

The introduction to this interview is the story about the acquaintance of Boris and Sergey. The true story that could be a Christmas fairy tale for any race organisers in Russia.

Once the chairman of the Trophy-Raid committee, Boris Gadasin, came to Sergey Baranov, the head of Kirovsky district. Boris says: "We want to arrange the competition on the moors of your region. We drive a little and then go away, the moors won't be damaged. Can we?"

-Yes, certainly. But now in my region the children are without supervision, the veterans are bored, the 9th of May is coming.

Having caught the hint Gadasin starts to calculate and think about the amount and where to get it. The race must be held.  It's a familiar situation to any race organiser.

But Baranov continues:

-Well, before getting in the moor, make a forming at the square, bring the sport equipment, let children take pictures, tell the veterans what's going on and lay the flowers to the monument. It's not a trouble  for you and does the region good.

While race organizers are reading this story and mopping the tears, Baranov is telling about the official who really helps motorsport.

S. Baranov: Now the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and the governor of the Leningrad region Valery Serdyukov pay much attention to sport development in general and to technical kinds of sport in particular. Technical sports are without attention. Many airfields and tracks don't function now, that's why the president and the governor set the task to develop these kinds of sport.

There are regions where water polo or horseracing are developed and in our region we would like to concentrate on technical sports and there are backgrounds for this. Two requests for arrangement of sport and technical centers were given to the investment commission of Kirovsky district. One of these centers will be next to the legendary Nevsky Bridge-head where the battles were fought during the World War II. The emphasis will be on carting, motor cross, quad bikes, snowmobiles. Now the organisers are preparing the documents, the projects etc.

The second area is in Priladozhsky district where one of the stages of Northern Forest will be held. Here the main stress is supposed to be on motor kinds of sport - off-road races, drivers' training, extreme driving teaching etc.

We consider these two sport and technical centers as a place for family's rest as well: for example, a family arrives (a husband, a wife and a child). The wife drinks coffee in a café, the child goes carting and the father rides a bike.

There isn't any commercial benefit from such kinds of events, the main thing is the patriotic bringing-up, moral and political points as well. On the other hand it's highly demanded, people have a lot of motorcycling and car equipment but there are no such fields in Russia where it could be possible to try.

You are speaking about the tasks of the president and the governor...But it seems to me that this is not the only reason why you are involved in motorsport. Please tell, you have your own interest, don't you?

S.Baranov: Sure! Three things turned out to come up together: the region's possibilities, administration's interest and the president's task. In 1986 we built a motor cross track and the first non-professional races were held, later the international competitions did. So, Kirovsky district is famous for its sport and technical competitions. And I'm an engineer and I graduated from Polytechnic institute, my qualification is "Internal combustion engines". So everything that uses such kinds of engines arouses interest at me, if it is a mowing-machine or a car. I love it.

Have you been a pilot?

S.Baranov: The institute where I used to be working produced the engines for Zhiguli and I was working as a test-engineer that's why I had to drive here and in Tollyatti.

And if we are speaking about new experience, last year a good race took place - an All-Russian day of quad bikers. There were 80 participants from all over Russia. My son persuaded me in taking part in that race. I did. And after the race it was written in a magazine that the youngest participant had been a 9-year girl and the oldest one - Sergey Baranov. It would be better to call me "an experienced driver..." (laughing)

And now your region will accept the international competition?

S.Baranov: When there are enthusiasts and a wish, then everything goes right. I did nothing special for Northern Forest - the guys came to me and said: "Let's hold a race on your territory!" With great pleasure! I gave an area, helped with the equipment and with people... Now the track for spectators' special stage is under the preparation.

Those races we hold are always highly attended. We didn't advertise our previous competition but people found out and came to watch! And the spectators' special stage is very important for us.

Firstly it will be devoted to the breach of Leningrad blockade. And any political games don't have any significance - just a real patriotic bringing-up of children.

Secondly, this stage is the Governor Cup. Here I have my own aims - to involve the governor into the motor world to have support for the future.

And it is the first event of such kind in Russia for people. I'm a venturesome man and I want to be the first! Not me, but my region! I want to make Kirovsky district an official center of sport and technical kinds of sport. It's very important for me and if everything is right, then it will give some advantages to the region and will develop it.

You get it all so easy but still maybe you have some difficulties?

S.Baranov: The nature of a Russian - to create problems and then overcome them. That's why there are no problems. On the contrary, I try to encourage all the services. For example, according to safety demands it's necessary to have two fire brigades. I made a call to the head of EMERCOM and said: "You have a great opportunity to show off your equipment to the world". And here he comes, ready to provide up to five cars. And we don't need to pay for these fire-engines and EMEROM will be interested in working with Kirovsky district in the future.

I want to give an example why we need it.  When in 1986 I started motorcycling activities I had to work with the youth and there were a lot of problem teenagers. Well, the motorcyclist arrived in Kirovsky districs and it was a great event! One of those "problem" teens came up to me and asked to ride in a sidecar body. I said - no problem. 20 years passed and this guy met me and told me that he still remembered when he had ridden in the sidecar body.