With the "Golden Blades of St Petersburg" Sprint Competition, the classic sport realizes its new strategy to bring rowing to major cities where the racing will be fast, exciting and much closer to the public. The 250m course on the Fontaka river, a branch of the famous river Neva, running through the heart of the 5-million-metropolis, has drawn some of the world's best athletes to Russia. Olympic Gold medallists Luka Spik (SLO) and Ekaterina Karsten (BLR), World- Cup and Championships veterans Mahe Drysdale (NZL), Alan Campbell (GBR), Frida Svensson (SWE) and Mirka Knapkova (CZE) are only a...