Анатолий
Анатольевич
Eфремов

Fyodor Konyukhov

Fyodor Konyukhov is a Russian traveller, a yacht captain, a balloon pilot, an artist and a writer. He has completed over 40 unique expeditions. He is the first and only person in the world, so far, to have reached the five extreme points on the earth: the North Pole (three times), the South Pole, the Pole of Inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, the top of Mount Everest (twice), and sailing around the world via Cape Horn (four times).

Fyodor Konyukhov was born in 1951 into an ordinary family. There were 5 children in the family: three boys and two girls. From his childhood, Fyodor was dreaming about travels to different parts of the world. Fyodor’s father, a fisherman, often took his sons to the Azov Sea for the fishing season. Since that time, the sea has always attracted Fyodor. When he was just 15 he went on his first expedition. Fyodor crossed the Azov Sea in a fisherman’s boat. Later he studied and graduated from the Odessa Naval College and the Leningrad Polar College, becoming a professional navigator and marine engineer.

It is difficult to mention all of Konyukhov’s achievements in a brief text. Here are some of them. In 1977, Fyodor Konyukhov organized a research sailing expedition on yachts in the Northern part of the Pacific Ocean. He followed the routes of Vitus Bering and other Russian explorers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Fyodor was curious to know how those people, sailing in small light boats, managed to discover new islands, gulfs and bays. The expedition lasted for 4 months. Then there were numerous other sailing expeditions.

Fyodor Konyukhov also travelled by bike, dog sled and horse and on foot, skis and camel back. He crossed the ocean on boats and yachts, and flew in a hot air balloon. Though Konyukhov gladly participated in collective travel, he undertook most of his expeditions alone.

In 1990, Fyodor Konyukhov set out on a unique solo trip to the North Pole. In spite of all the difficulties, in 72 days he reached the North Pole. Five years later he set out to conquer the Antarctic, again alone. For navigation in the extreme conditions he used a special system. It helped him to reach the South Pole on the 59th day of his trip. For research reasons, he kept a diary. There, he observed his own physical and psychological condition under the effect of height, low temperature and strong winds. He also did some research for the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institutions.

In 2016, at the age of 65, Fyodor Konyukhov set a new record – for a solo nonstop round the world flight in a hot air balloon. He never stepped on the ground during the whole flight. It was the fastest flight – in 11 days the traveller covered 35 168 kilometres.

Fyodor Konyukhov’s expeditions are very important for Russian science and sport. They show what a person, who is well prepared physically and morally, can accomplish. Besides travelling, Fyodor Konyukhov writes poetry and fiction, paints pictures and composes music. His first three books were published in 1999. Though they are mainly travel journals, they are read like exciting adventure novels.