Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Shahdag Tourism Center has hosted the highly anticipated Heydar Aliyev Cup in snowboarding, bringing together both children and adults to compete for top honors, Azernews reports.

Nearly 40 passionate snowboarders from various age groups registered in advance to test their skills and compete for the championship.

The competition showcased remarkable talent across all categories. In the 6-8 age group, Raul Abbasov (AZE) claimed first place.

Among girls aged 9-12, Rozalia Dubitsova (AZE) took the top spot, while in the boys' division of the same age group, Daniel Belousov (AZE) won first place, Mehti Metin (AZE) placed second, and Celik Doruk (TUR) earned third place.

The 13-17 age category saw Kamal Bashirli (AZE) emerge victorious in the boys' division.

In the adult categories (ages 23-45), Nuran Musayeva (AZE) secured first place among women, followed by Ekaterina Basheva (RUS) in second and Valentina Gerasimova (AZE) in third.

The men's division was won by İqor Kulakov (RUS), with Rəsul Aslanov (AZE) in second and Seymur Gurbanov (AZE) in third.

The 46-56 age group crowned Jeyhun Vazirov (AZE) as the winner, with Ruslan Aghayev taking second place. In the 57+ category, Azad Kalbiyev took the top honor.

At the conclusion of the competition, winners were awarded medals and diplomas presented by Shahdag Tourism Center and the event sponsors. In addition, participants received various prizes as a token of recognition for their achievements.

The primary goal of the event was to promote snowboarding across Azerbaijan, spark wider interest in the sport, and support its development at both amateur and professional levels.

Looking ahead, on February 1, the Heydar Aliyev Cup will continue with skiing competitions for children and adults in various age categories, promising more excitement on the snowy slopes of Shahdag.

Note that Shahdag Tourism Center is Azerbaijan's leading mountain resort, which operates under the State Tourism Agency.

Located just about 29–32 km from Gusar, the resort takes its name from the majestic Shahdag Mountain, which rises to 4,243 m above sea level as part of the Greater Caucasus range.

The center was established under a presidential order to develop winter and summer tourism in Azerbaijan and officially opened in the early 2010s as the country's first ski resort of its kind, set within the scenic Shahdag National Park. It now operates year‑round, offering a wide range of sports and leisure activities for visitors of all ages and skill levels.

Shahdag is a world‑class alpine destination with a high altitude range from 1,435 m to 2,552 m, 37 ski slopes.

This makes it ideal for beginners as well as seasoned ski enthusiasts seeking thrilling downhill experiences amidst breathtaking views of the Caucasus Mountains.

Beyond skiing and snowboarding, the resort offers diverse attractions, including zip lines, snow tubing, quad biking, zip‑line rides, pedestrian lifts, VR zones, and family‑friendly entertainment.

Shahdag's infrastructure supports comfortable stays with multiple hotels, restaurants serving local and international cuisine, spa services, and modern leisure facilities that help make each season memorable.

The center has also been expanding its offerings with new slopes and services designed to host international competitions, further raising Azerbaijan's profile in winter sports.

In recent years, Shahdag has seen significant growth in visitor numbers, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists annually, and has even joined the Eurasian Alliance of Mountain Resorts.

Shahdag now regularly holds international winter sports competitions, among them the Azerbaijan Open International Alpine Skiing Tournament, which was held earlier in January 2026.