The Saint Petersburg leg of the Relay, which saw 40 torch bearers cover the flame across 4,000 metres, was witnessed by the Acting Governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Beglov, chairman of Saint Petersburg Legislative Assembly Vyacheslav Makarov and Krasnoyarsk’s Minister of Culture Arkady Zinov, among others.

"The Universiade Flame travelled from Grozny to us, and then it'll be carried to Arkhangelsk," Beglov said.

Beglov also wished athletes from Saint Petersburg the best of luck during the Universiade next year.

"Athletes from Saint Petersburg won four gold, four silver and four bronze medals during the past two Universiades," he said.

"I would like to wish our students winning as many medals as possible during the Winter Universiade 2019 in Krasnoyarsk."

Among the Torch bearers in Saint Petersburg were world champion figure skaters Alexey Tikhonov and Maria Petrova, six-time Olympic cross-country skiing gold medallist Lyubov Yegorova and Olympic figure skating silver medallist Ilia Averbukh.

Averbukh afterwards claimed he was "proud" to have taken part.

"I'd like to thank all the Saint Petersburg citizens who supported us and warmed up with their emotions during the entire Universiade flame," he said. 

The Saint Petersburg leg ended with an event at the Lesgraft National State University, where the city cauldron was lit.

At the end of the ceremony the flame was handed to Zinov to be transported to the next leg of the relay, in Arkhangelsk on November 3.

The Universiade itself is due to begin on March 2 next year and run till March 12.