Semyon Yakubov: KAMAZ-Master team made its contribution to Universiade 2013 02.07.2010

Semyon Semyonovich Yakubov, participant of Paris-Dakar 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2007, Paris-Bejing 1992, Master-Rally 1997, Kazachy Krug 2006; winner of Optic 2000 (Tunis) 1997, Paris-Dakar 1999, Master-Rally 1996, Desert Challenge (UAE) 1999, 2001, 2002, Paris-Dakar-Cairo 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, Baha-Italy 2000, Optic 2000 Tunis 2000, Tikhy Don 2003, Kalmykia rally 2005, World Cup 1996, 2000, Russian Champion. Holder of Order of Merit for the Fatherland IV Degree (June 7, 2010) – for outstanding sports achievements in Dakar-Argentina-Chile 2010.

The kazan2013.com correspondent contacted the famous Tatarstan racer Semyon Yakubov as soon as he and his team learned about the Presidential Decree on bestowing them with state awards. The KAMAZ-master team manager Semyon Yakubov will be decorated with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland IV Degree. He and his partners will receive the state awards from the President in the next few days.

- Semyon Semyonovich, what feelings did you have when you’ve learned about conferment of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland to you? How will it affect your team’s activity?

- We regard such a high award first of all as a token of high esteem to auto sports on a national scale. Surely it’s pleasing when our hard work is marked off and honored at such a high level. Besides the state award proves that we are on demand as specialists and the KAMAZ-Master team’s hard work was repeatedly honored at the republican and federal levels.

- Do the high state awards and the KAMAZ-Master team’s winning streak in international rallies have a positive impact on Tatarstan’s image?

- Since the team’s foundation KAMAZ-Master was greatly supported by the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan and was in the confidence of Mintimer Shaimiev. Thanks to that we achieved our first success. We never lost belief that our hard work is needed and our victories stand out in the world scale. It’s quite possible that the contribution we made in Tatarstan sports development helped Kazan in some way to win the right to host the World Student Games.

KAMAZ-Master team at Dakar 2010

- You have hundreds of victories, dozens of winner’s stands and top level recognition under belt. What goals do you set now?

- At this point we work in different directions. Firstly we organize and stage the Silk Way rally raid. We’ve negotiated the approval with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. It should be noted that this year the rally will be held for the second time and it will draw best Dakar teams and racers. Besides our another big goal is to bring up a new KAMAZ-Master team that’s why we’ll send to Argentina four racing crews not three as always.

Photo: kamazmaster.ru