INTRODUCTION: It is known that in addition to intense exercise load, the body of sailors is exposed to different extreme factors of environment, such as hot weather, cold water, strong wind, and solar load (Allen, De Jong, 2006). Both physical activity and exposure to environmental stressors modify various components of the immune function (Walsh, Oliver, 2016), but few studies have examined the long-term adaptation of immune system to combined effects of adverse environment and exercise. The cytokines may be the markers of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) risk (Gleeson et al., 2013) as well as an important predictor of overtraining in athletes (Smith, 2000) and can reflect the negative impact of physical and environmental stress on the body (Starkie et al., 2005). Therefore, the purpose was to examine the salivary cytokines in rest and cytokine responses to high intense exercise in yacht racing athletes. METHODS: Eleven highly-skilled athletes (five males and six females) and eight untrained volunteers (five males and three females) aged from 20 to 24 years were involved in the study. Sports experience of athletes ranged from 8 to 12 years. All participants signed a voluntary informed consent. None of the participants was suffered from acute or chronic diseases or reported about the intake of medication. Saliva samples were obtained before and after high intensity exercises (bicycle ergometer, 350 W, 30 sec). The concentrations of IL-8 and IL-10 were determined using ELISA. Values are medians and interquartile intervals (Me; Q1-Q3), compared by non-parametric models. Statistical significance was accepted at P<0.05. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the salivary concentration of IL-8 or IL-10 before and after high intensity exercises in yacht racing athletes when compared with untrained individuals (IL-8: 1355; 1116-1959 vs. 1251; 805.5-1893.5 pg/ml in rest and 1030; 470-1944 vs. 1610.5; 1063.5-1811 pg/ml after exercises, P>0.05; IL-10: 37.4; 14.6-49 vs. 72.85; 14.8-140 pg/ml in rest and 47.5; 25.4-84.6 vs. 47.2; 34.15-72.25 pg/ml after exercises, P>0.05, respectively). Also there were no significant sex-related differences in salivary concentration of IL-8 or IL-10 in athletes and untrained individuals (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results indicate that combined effects of adverse environment and exercise in yacht racing athletes do not lead to a change in salivary concentration of the pro-inflammatory chemokine IL-8 and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Probably, it is due to the long-term adaptation of the immune system to combined physical and environmental stressors.