Fyodor Konyukhov facts for kids
Fyodor Konyukhov is a famous Russian explorer, adventurer, and artist. He was born on December 12, 1951, in a village called Chkalovo in Ukraine. He is known for his incredible journeys around the world, including sailing, rowing, and even flying in a hot-air balloon. He is also an Eastern Orthodox priest.
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About Fyodor Konyukhov
Early Life and Education
Fyodor Konyukhov was born in the village of Chkalovo in Ukraine. His father was a fisherman on the Sea of Azov. His grandfather had served with Georgy Sedov, a famous Arctic explorer.
Konyukhov studied at nautical schools in Odesa and Leningrad. He learned how to navigate ships in polar regions. He also worked as a professional navigator and marine engineer. He served in the Soviet Navy for three years. After his time in the military, he studied art in Bobruisk. This helped him become a successful painter and sculptor.
Becoming a Priest
In December 2010, Fyodor Konyukhov became a deacon in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He is now an ordained priest. He even took an icon of St. Nicholas to the top of Mount Everest.
Art and Creativity
Fyodor Konyukhov is a talented artist. In 1983, he joined the Union of Artists of the USSR. He was the youngest member at that time. He is also a member of the Moscow Union of Artists.
He has created more than 3,000 paintings. His art has been shown in many exhibitions around the world. He has won the Gold Medal of the Russian Arts Academy. He is also an Honorary Academician of the Russian Arts Academy.
In 2015, he became a Global Ambassador for Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors. This role supports wildlife conservation.
Amazing Journeys and Records
Fyodor Konyukhov is the only person to have reached many extreme points on Earth. He has been to the North Pole three times. He has also visited the South Pole and the Pole of Inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean. He has climbed Mount Everest twice. He has sailed around the world four times, going past Cape Horn.
He is also the first Russian to climb the three highest peaks in the world. These are Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga.
Sailing Adventures
In November 2000, Konyukhov took part in a solo, non-stop yacht race. It was called the "Vendée Globe" and went around the world. He had to stop in Sydney, Australia, because of a technical problem. This meant he could not finish the race. He is still the only Russian sailor to have competed in this famous race.
In May 2008, Konyukhov sailed solo around Antarctica. He was the second person ever to do this. His journey started on January 26, 2008. It took him 102 days to complete. He sailed between the 45th and 60th parallels south.
Rowing Across Oceans
Konyukhov has set world records in rowing. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat called URALAZ. This journey took him only 46 days. He also set a record for the longest distance rowed in 24 hours in the same boat, covering 110 miles.
Ballooning Around the World
On July 23, 2016, Konyukhov became the second person to fly around the world in a hot-air helium balloon. The first person was Steve Fossett in 2002. Konyukhov completed his flight in just over 11 days. This was faster than Fossett's 13 days.
Konyukhov had planned this journey since 1992. The balloon he used was named the Morton. It was specially built in England. It was 60 meters (197 feet) tall. The small cabin, called a gondola, was made of carbon fiber. It held his bed, food, water, and equipment.
His journey started in Northam, Australia, on July 12, 2016. He flew east across Australia and the Pacific Ocean. He then crossed South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. He landed back in Australia, completing his trip around the world. His planned route was 33,000 kilometers (20,500 miles). But he went further south, reaching 34,000 kilometers (21,127 miles).
He set a new record for the fastest round-the-world balloon flight. It took him 272 hours and 11 minutes. In November 2019, he announced plans to travel into the stratosphere by balloon.
Other Expeditions
- Dog Sled Racing: In March 2000, Konyukhov completed the IDITAROD dog race. This race is 1,150 miles long, from Anchorage to Nome. He finished in 68th place in 15 days. He won the Red Lantern award for finishing last.
- Greenland Ice Cap: In May 2007, he crossed the Greenland Ice Cap with Hans Aronsen. They traveled about 800 kilometers (497 miles) in 15 days.
- Arctic Ocean: In April–May 2013, he went on a dog sled expedition from the North Pole to Canada. With his partner Viktor Simonov, he crossed the Arctic Ocean in 46 days. They reached Ward Hunt Island in Canada.
- Ethiopia: In 2011, Konyukhov explored Ethiopia. He covered more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) on his route.
Explorers Grand Slam
Fyodor Konyukhov is the first Russian mountaineer to complete the Seven Summits challenge. This means he climbed the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. He is also the first Russian traveler and third person in the world to complete the Explorers Grand Slam. This means he visited both the North Pole and the South Pole, in addition to climbing the Seven Summits.
Here are the peaks he climbed:
- February 26, 1992 — Mount Elbrus (Europe/Russia)
- May 14, 1992 — Mount Everest (Asia)
- July 26, 1995 — Mont Blanc (Europe)
- January 19, 1996 — Vinson Massif (Antarctica)
- March 9, 1996 — Aconcagua (South America)
- February 18, 1997 — Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa)
- April 17, 1997 — Mount Kosciuszko (Australia)
- May 26, 1997 — Denali (North America)
- September 18, 1999 — Puncak Jaya (Oceania)
On May 19, 2012, Fyodor Konyukhov climbed Mount Everest again. He reached the summit with the Russian team "7 Summits." This climb celebrated 20 years since the first Russian ascent of Mount Everest in May 1992.
Awards
Order of Friendship of Peoples
See also
In Spanish: Fiódor Kóniujov para niños
