It's fitting that ALM Works is involved in competitive sailing. Our company is dedicated to helping improve adaptability and coordination as teams move toward a common goal — and what requires more adaptability and coordination than being on a sailing crew? Quite a good metaphor, when you think about it!

The sailboat Aurora Borealis — sponsored by ALM Works, and with four of our co-workers on the crew — has taken No. 1 divisional spots in two St. Petersburg sailing competitions as well as a strong finish in the final race of the season. We are enormously proud to see our name on its sails.

ALM Works is a general sponsor of the St. Petersburg-based Aurora Sailing Club. The club includes several racing boats, with flagship Aurora Borealis ranking as one of the fastest boats in the city. Here's our rundown of the sailing season:

• St. Petersburg Sailing Week (August 8-15). The competition featured 30 ships zipping through 250 nautical miles across the Gulf of Finland, racing between five different ports. Competitors were split into six different divisions, and our own sponsored boat was ranked first. As one of the first sporting events allowed in Russia under relaxed quarantine restrictions, the event carried special meaning — a welcome bit of normalcy — for participants and spectators.
• St. Petersburg City Sailing Championship (Sept. 5-6 & 12-13). Six races in four days, during fast-changing weather conditions that truly tested everyone's skills! This is the pre-eminent sailing competition in the city, and it resulted in another first place finish for the Aurora Borealis.
• The Gogland Race (Sept. 25-26). The Aurora Borealis sailed first across the finish line — more than two hours ahead of the other boats — but ultimately placed fifth in the competition because of technical regulations in the official sport guidelines. The Gogland Race is a 30-hour nonstop contest in the Gulf of Finland, the longest in both distance and time, and it proved our team's mastery over their craft.

Congratulations to the Aurora Borealis!

For Russian-speaking readers, a short movie on the St. Petersburg sailing week is available on YouTube.