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North Pole breaking news: Konyukhov and Simonov reached land

Posted: May 22, 2013 08:23 pm EDT

(By Correne Coetzer) Fyodor/Fedor Konyukhov and Victor Simonov, who left the Geographic North Pole (90°N) on April 6 with their dog team heading South across the Arctic Ocean ice, have reached the Canadian coast in the area of Cape Columbia at 18:00 May 22, reported Victor Boyarsky from their home team in Russia to ExplorersWeb.

 

"Everything is fine and they will be camping on Ward Hunt Island until we will pick them up and delivery to them to the North coast of Greenland. Expecting to do so on May 25-26," says Boyarsky. The two Russians plan to continue their dogsled journey by crossing Greenland from North to South.

 

Konyukhov and Simonov originally planned to make landfall on Greenland, but the ice conditions closer to land were too poor. They redirected to Canada under the guidance of Canadian Ice Service; providing weather and ice data. The last few days were tense as Fedor and Victor were challenged by big leads, breaking ice, bad weather and poor visibility. Yesterday at one stage the two men were separated by the ice that broke between them.

 

Fyodor, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, has conducted a ceremony at the Barneo Ice Camp before they left the NP. The team received a resupply along the way.

 

As with last year's North Pole expeditions there were no teams skiing from land to the Geographic North Pole but a duo making their way from the Pole to land. In 2012 Timo Palo and Audun Tholfsen skied and kayaked to the Svalbard Archipelago from where they continued to the town, Longyearbyen.

 

Fedor Konyukhov has already done 3 full route North Pole ski expeditions:

- in 1988 together with Dmitry Shparo and team from Cape Arktichesky in the first North Pole crossing without motor, dog, or wind support, 1725 km
- in 1989 as part of Vladimir Chukov's team from Smith Island, 940 km
- and in 1990 950km from Cape Lokot; he had no ski team mates but was assisted with resupplies (therefore no solo status). 

In 1995-96 Fedor skied solo, no resupplies, from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole, 1130km.

In 2012, at age 60 Fyodor climbed Everest for the second time. He also completed the Seven Summits.

He is an accomplished sailor as he proofed with his 102-day record around the Antarctic Racetrack.




 

 

Expedition links:

 

North Pole to Greenland blog (Follow their daily dispatched in the live stream on ExplorersWeb and on the Pythom App.)

 

Fyodor/Fedor Konyukhov's website

 

Fyodor/Fedor Konyukhov on Facebook

 

Related / Previous

 

Video: Russian dogsled departing from the Geographic North Pole

 

Russian amphibious cars crossed the Arctic Ocean

 

AdventureStats

 

 

#Polar

Fedor Konyukhov and Victor Simonov at the North Pole the day they started their expedition
courtesy Fedor Konyukhov, SOURCE
Their route: Geographic North Pole to Canada.
courtesy Fedor Konyukhov and Victor Simonov, SOURCE
Team position on May 22, provided to ExplorersWeb by Canadian Ice Service.
courtesy Canadian Ice Service, SOURCE
The sled: 80 pounds empty and 480 kg loaded
courtesy Fedor Konyukhov and Victor Simonov, SOURCE
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