For the first time ever the Universiade Flame travelled not only by land but also by sea. The lantern containing the Flame was placed on board the bark Sedov which later set off on a voyage around the world as part of the Les Tonnerres de Brest International Sea Festival. The beautiful four-masted tall ship went on an epic circumnavigational journey, covered 45,000 nautical miles and repeated the route of greatest sailors of all times.

The Russian leg of the Universiade Torch Relay kicked off in Vladivostok on January 25, 2013. The solemn events were attended by Igor Shuvalov, 1st Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Kazan 2013 Organising Committee; Sergei Shelpakov, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Sport; Oleg Matytsin, Russian Student Sports Union President, 1st Vice-President of FISU; Vladimir Miklushevsky, Governor of the Primorsky Territory; Igor Pushkarev, Mayor of Vladivostok; Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan; Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan; Vladimir Leonov, Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate; famous Russian athletes Aleksey Morozov, Dinara Safina, Kamilla Gafurzyanova, Ekaterina Gamova, TV presenter Irina Shadrina and Kazan 2013 volunteers. 60 Torchbearers ran through the streets of the city, each passing the Torch to one another. The total length of the Universiade Torch Relay route in Vladivostok was 15.5km.

The Russian leg of the 2013 Summer Universiade Torch Relay is scheduled to be held from January to July 2013. Centres of Russia's federal districts, student cities where federal universities are headquartered, as well as cities and towns of the Volga Federal District and Republic of Tatarstan will play host to the Torch Relay welcome events.

On 20 June 2013, the Universiade Torch will begin its journey across all municipal districts of the Republic of Tatarstan. The Torch Relay will culminate in the lighting of the Universiade Cauldron at the Central Stadium on 6 July 2013, on the day of the Games Opening Ceremony. As can be seen from the above, the 27th Summer Universiade Torch Relay promises to be most ambitious project in the history of World University Games.