Raushan Sadvakassova, 61, hometown - Akmola region, village Taitobe, administrator

About post

At the opening of the ice palace "Alau" they were looking for cloakroom attendants to work at the Asian Games 2011. The salary was small, and many did not agree. But I got this job, and for the eighth year I have been inseparable from the ice palace. Later I began to work as an administrator, and I am also responsible for the keys. After retirement, too, remained in her post.

"Alau" is a sports complex for anyone. Here you can go ice skating, play hockey, have fitness, sauna and sports halls.

About arena preparation

My job is to distribute changing rooms to athletes. I keep an eye on cleanliness and tell managers about the breakdowns. I also work with carpenters, plumbers and electricians who repair the damage. I test the discipline along the corridors during training and competition. When free, I help the administrator answer incoming calls. We advise clients about mass skating and records for classes.

I work together with the sport department. Sports grounds are scheduled, we determine which courts are free, where there are free changing rooms. When the flow of people is large, it is more difficult. Our job is to make a sportsmen comfortable. We must have time to meet and accompany the team.  We also follow the sectors for the audience, open the door at a certain time.

Our job is to make sportsmen comfortable.

About working conditions

I quickly got used to work here. I like to communicate with adults and children. I want us to have more sportsmen and people who spend evenings on mass skating.

We try to work well to maintain the status of the best and most visited sports complex. When competitions are held in Alau, we can stay longer than the usual schedule. I can stay up late if you need help. When new ones come, I train them.

I like the conditions at Alau: for us there are separate changing rooms, places for lunch and dinner, classrooms and a separate table. The guide helped me in getting an apartment from the akimat. They always get into position, for example, when I had to look after a child, they gave me work in shifts.

I do not think that I have a large load. This is my work, and I do it.

Vadim Shairullin, 59 years old, hometown - Astana, deputy director of LedMaster LLP, iceman

About post

I have been working since 2010, as part of the Ice Palace "Alau" I started from the position of head of the ice preparation department. Later the ice palace became a commercial enterprise, and services began to be given to specialized companies.

There is no such educational institution in the world, where they train iceman. I have never been interested in ice, although I was engaged in speed skating. And when I was invited to work, I searched for information on the Internet. I liked this thing. I went on internships in Russia and Norway, each iceman has his own secrets of work.

The project of the arena was created by Butter and Energy, because speed skating is well developed among the Dutch. In "Alau" a unique concrete slab, which was created by the new system. Our plate is solid and floating.

About ice preparation

Our unit is responsible for the refrigeration units that cool the concrete slab where the ice mass is created. There is a water treatment department that purifies the water for pouring ice, and the arena conditioning department so that the air in the arena is always clean and fresh.

I am preparing the ice. In "Alau" we work on ice-loading harvesters of the Canadian company. To be an iceman, you need to know physics, chemistry and understand the structure of ice. We maintain a certain temperature and humidity in the arena of 9200 square meters of ice. If you do not follow this every day, then the ice will be covered with frost.

From the point of view of ice control and climate control, there are no analogues of “Alau”  in the world . There are nine continental records on our ice.

About working conditions

We have six drivers of ice-loading harvesters, in a shift of two in each one. I can also get in the car and make ice. The machines need to monitor the condition of knives and special towels, engage in the maintenance and configuration of combines.

We have 15 minutes to prepare the ice between skating and training. Our ice at the stadium is always brilliant, because we maintain the state, thickness, level the ice.

I like the atmosphere and the team I work with. I love my job. I have time to train and run for a team of veterans in the arena.

Ice Palace "Alau" is among the ten fastest rinks in the world. I am pleased and glad that such a skating rink is in our town. Olympic champions come to us and say thanks for the ice - this is the highest thanks for the work.

Ice Palace "Alau" among the ten fastest rinks in the world

This is a skating rink that is able to host competitions of the highest level. We have not had international launches for two years. And I would like us to hold not only the World Cup, but also the world championship in individual distances. The biggest dream is to have the Olympic Games here.

Vladimir Teteryuk, 41, hometown - Astana, master sharpening

About post

The professions of the master of sharpening do not teach anywhere, so usually we are self-taught. Experience is passed from master to master.

I work in “Alau” for the seventh season. He settled down here as a master for sharpening knives of ice-harvesting machines. Then I wanted to try myself in sharpening skates. Interested in the work of the master and learned a new business. I learned quickly because I had experience. My main profession is turner, work with metal inspires me.

About the state of skates

Skates should be sharp, even if you first came to the rink. Any skates need to sharpen. Many have the misconception that you don’t need to sharpen the blade for beginners. On the contrary, you need a strong sharpening, so that you control the ice, and not he you. From how the blade behaves, you'll keep your balance on the ice.

In "Alau" there are several skiing areas - a speed skating track and two hockey courts. Beginners should start from the court. On the basis of the sports complex, large international competitions and training camps are also held. On other days, championship ice is available to fans of mass skating. The task of the center is to popularize winter sports and make them accessible.

From how the blade will behave, you'll keep your balance on the ice

About working conditions

I am constantly at work. As soon as the session begins, everyone goes to sharpen the skates. The volume is large, we can linger until late in the evening. During the season we are fully committed to work.

For me, the equipment that is in "Alau" is the best option. I will do the job better with such a machine than with an automatic one. I do everything manually, because the program may fail. There are many nuances in the work, it all depends on the state of the blade. And the price also depends on how much the blade is damaged. I work in a special form because small particles fly when working.

Knives ice picker sharpen harder, and the work is more dangerous. In the summer there is no such load, so during this time we are preparing in physical and moral terms. It is difficult to work when you constantly communicate with clients. People come to me with questions. You need to have time to work and answer all at once.

Ruslan Dzhumagulov, 24 years old, senior coach.

About position

I have been working at Alau for six years. I settled in as a student when I needed a part-time job. Before that, I was playing hockey, and here I saw opportunity for work and skate, to wit do the things I like. After I became a senior coach. My work brings me pleasure.

It's important for an instructor to be sociable. Not everyone who can ride can quickly teach another person, especially a child. it's necessary to love working with children, everyone needs their own approach.

About Mass Skating

We have individual lessons for visitors on Mass Skating sessions. In addition, there is a hockey school located in Alau - Hockey Room, where we prepare children on group lessons.

On mass skating, difficulties arise with adults, in particular with women. The older the person, the more scary to learn to skate. Then I need to instill confidence in a person so that he believes in himself.

It is more difficult to teach adults. Adults scare to learn to skate. Then I need to instill confidence in a person so that he believes in himself.

About working conditions

We have five or six people on staff, but in the most peak months — from December to January — there is a large flow of people. During the session comes from 1,000 people, so the staff expands to 9 instructors.

I like the atmosphere and the team, all young and active. It is easy for me to work. We often communicate and meet new visitors. I am attracted to an active lifestyle, active recreation and extreme sports.

I like to teach people something new when they are looking for new sensations.

In the New Year marathon of mass skating, when we work every day, we spend 10-12 hours skating. In the summer, I usually rest, and in the “Alau”, a Summer sport center opens with table tennis, a roller track and trampolines.

In the future, it would be great to become an administrator during mass skating. It is interesting for me to develop in the sports industry.