The Champion's Credo of Vyacheslav Durnov, or How Water Skiing is Connected to Space
– Vyacheslav Viktorovich, before your organizational abilities became apparent, your athletic talents manifested themselves from childhood. Who noticed them and brought you into big-time sports?
– First, it was swimming. My father took me to the pool. I trained from the first grade and achieved the third adult rank. Everything seemed to be going well, but the sport didn't quite suit my temperament. I loved the water, but swimming from wall to wall was a bit boring. I would have continued if a friend hadn't invited me to go with him to the base where the water skiers trained. I liked it and started coming as an observer. I was noticed, and they began to ask if I wanted to try it myself. Then they invited my parents and enrolled me in the club.
– Do you remember your first coach?
– We all had one coach – Nikolai Genov. At that time, he created a club where older kids, middle-aged ones, and youngsters trained. It was an association of water skiing enthusiasts. Nikolai Leonidovich also introduced his children, Arkady and Vladimir, to the sport. They later continued their father's work.
– Nikolai Genov is a legendary figure who trained a galaxy of champions. What lessons from your mentor do you remember for a lifetime?
– We did everything together. Back then, we didn't have fancy boats or professional skis. We had homemade ones. We repaired and painted the boats. We were taught to work hard from childhood. Nikolay Leonidovich knew how to organize everyone, to set them up, as they say now, to motivate them. He had slogans: "It's easier for those who don't get involved," "Wow, everyone together!" "Only forward!" They became my life's creed too. Our club was named after Yuri Gagarin. Because the first cosmonaut was the first chairman of the Water Ski Federation in the USSR. He himself was involved in this sport. That's why the "boss" (that's what we called the coach) always had big cosmic goals, and he persistently pursued them. Being a simple crane operator, he convinced the then director of "Polimir" that water skiing was a worthwhile pursuit, and he helped in building a base on the lake.
– You have a brilliant sports career. The press called you a sports star.
– Everything happened quite quickly for me. I started water skiing at 11, and by 15, I was already in the Soviet Union's junior national team. This was largely thanks to Arkady Genov's coaching prowess. Vladimir Genov was the official coach, and Arkady, as a senior athlete, took me under his wing. We formed a good tandem. Thanks to sports, I traveled all over Europe and reached South Africa. I competed in Italy, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and South Africa. As part of the team, I won gold at world championships in Germany and Slovakia.
– So, how many gold medals do you have?
– Eight from world and European championships.
– But you chose a terrestrial profession, not a water-related one. You graduated from the Novopolotsk Polytechnic Institute…
– Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. And I worked at "Polimir" first as a mechanic, then as a technical supervision engineer. When I competed, I took my due leave and unpaid leave. After winning the World Championship in Germany, I was faced with a choice: either switch to professional sports or pursue an engineering career. Sports won out. I participated in competitions and coached. I had students in the Czech Republic (I was seconded by the Ministry of Sports to this country to train athletes myself), including the absolute European champion.
– Life has repeatedly put you before a choice. In particular, to continue sports and coaching work or to switch to administrative work. Why did you choose the latter?
– There is such a word – "must." I was invited to the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee and told that I had to head the Department of Physical Culture, Sports, and Tourism. By that time, I already had experience in organizational and managerial work. At the Olympic Reserve Youth Sports School, where I was the director, we organized large tournaments that attracted athletes from different countries.
– And when was the last time you were on water skis?
– A year ago. I ended my professional sports career at 38, but I participated in veteran competitions.
– You are from Ostrovshchina, Polotsk district. Do you visit your hometown often?
– Yes, I was born in the village of Ostrovshchina. My parents worked as teachers at the local school. But when I turned one year old, we moved to Novopolotsk. And my native village is Farinovo. My grandmothers and grandfathers are all from there. The family houses are still standing there. One of them was built by my maternal grandfather before the war. My father had six brothers. So, there are many relatives. We get together.
– Was it difficult to move from your native Novopolotsk?
– First, I moved to Minsk. I was the First Deputy Minister of Sports for more than five years. I ended up in the capital and then in Vitebsk for the same reason – "it was necessary." Civil servants, like military personnel, go where they are assigned. I myself was interested in working in the Vitebsk team. Especially since the chairman of the regional executive committee, Alexander Subbotin, is also an athlete, he still practices wrestling and boxing.
– The social sphere, which you oversee, includes many areas. But you know sports from the inside. As a representative of the authorities and a person from the sports community, what can you say about its development in the Vitebsk region?
– The coaching staff in the Vitebsk region was and is very strong. Yes, we have fallen a bit behind in terms of material base. We lack landmark facilities like those in other cities: a Palace of Water Sports, an indoor arena, an athletics stadium. But there are talented coaches and wonderful athletes who show high results. The base is also gradually catching up. A large sports complex with a 50-meter swimming pool, an indoor arena, and tennis courts is being designed in Bilevo. The ski-roller track at the Vitebsk College of Olympic Reserve is being modernized. I think this will give a good boost to development.
– Can you say that your competitive spirit is still present? Does it help you as a regional-level leader?
– Sport is about daily, systematic work. Perseverance, determination, teamwork. An athlete must be able to concentrate on a specific task at a given moment, as well as switch gears and clear their head in time. My current position also requires all of this.
– What do you switch to? How do you prefer to relax?
– I like to go somewhere with my family. For example, to go skiing or visit beautiful places in Belarus. I walk in the forest with my dog. She's a mongrel of noble blood. On the weekend, we visited our son, who lives in the Grodno region.
– Are your son and wife involved in sports?
– My son reached the candidate master of sport level. He realized himself as a mechanic and boat driver. He has a national judging category in water skiing. He works in IT and enjoys alpine and cross-country skiing, and cycling. And my wife has been involved in folk dancing since childhood. We met at a wedding, which I wasn't even planning to attend. It was a matter of chance! But now I am sure that fate would have brought us together anyway.
– Do you do morning exercises?
– I do daily exercises for spinal flexibility and muscle elasticity. This is the key to good health.
– Which clothing style do you prefer: business or sporty?
– I'm already used to a business suit. For me, it's work attire. But I prefer a sporty style.
– What qualities do you value most in a person? What do you find unacceptable?
– I don't like intrigue behind someone's back. I respect honesty, openness, and diligence.