Novice skater Putin plays ice-hockey

Novice skater Putin plays ice-hockey

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who until very recently was unable to skate, on Friday participated in an informal game of ice-hockey between young players from Russian provincial teams.

The game was held in Moscow's Luzhniki sports complex and involved teams from the cities of Chelyabinsk and Penza. These sides will face off in the final of the Golden Puck Russian junior hockey tournament on Saturday.

Putin promised to learn to skate during a video conference with young Russian sportsmen in February 2010.

"I congratulate you on getting into the final," Putin said before the game. The boys knocked on the ice with their sticks in return.

"It's a dynamic kind of sport...it is exciting and resembles alpine skiing a little," Putin said after the match, in which he managed to score once.

MOSCOW, April 15 (RIA Novosti)

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