Probably, there is not a single person in our country who would not have heard of Fedor Konyukhov, a world-famous traveler and navigator. His bright and rich life is an example of how a person born in an ordinary family, on his own achieved recognition throughout the world.
Biography
Fedor Filippovich Konyukhov was born on December 12, 1951 in the Ukrainian village of Chkalovo, located on the shores of the Sea of Azov, in a large family. His father, a fisherman, often took his son with him to the sea, and he gladly helped his father pull the nets out of the water and took on the helmsman's watch. In general, his father, who went through the Great Patriotic War, as well as his grandfather, a lieutenant colonel in the tsarist army, had a great influence on little Fyodor Konyukhov with his stories about the war and travels associated with it.
After graduating from school, Fedor Konyukhov did not doubt a bit about what his life would be connected with. future life and entered the Odessa Naval School as a ship mechanic. After graduation, he entered the Leningrad Polar School, his second specialty was the profession of navigator-navigator. During military service in the army, he is first sent to the Baltic Fleet, but after a conflict with colleagues, he is sent to a special detachment in Vietnam to serve as a sailor on a boat supplying ammunition to the Viet Cong. After serving in the army, he receives another education at a vocational school in the city of Bobruisk - a carver-incruster.
Expeditions of Fyodor Konyukhov
The beginning of the research activity of Fedor Konyukhov was 1977. It was then that he organized a trip on a sailing yacht along the Bering route in the Pacific Ocean. This was done in order to repeat the journey of the great explorer and discoverer in the same conditions in which he was - on a small ship, overcoming hardships and hardships. With the same purpose, other expeditions were prepared and carried out - to Kamchatka, Sakhalin Island, Commanders.
After that, Fedor Konyukhov set himself a seemingly impossible goal - to get to North Pole. To do this, he lived in Chukotka for a long time, studying the science of dog sledding, building houses from ice, and generally learning to survive in the extreme conditions of the polar cold. He also participated in several expeditions, including two trips to the North Pole - as part of the Soviet-Canadian group and the group led by V. Chukov. But his own expedition, conceived by him, beckoned him, and in 1990 he nevertheless went to the North Pole alone. Settling down for the night right on the ice, experiencing many hardships, overcoming a huge number of difficulties, and even almost dying during the hummocking of the ice, on the 72nd day of the trip he nevertheless reached the North Pole and became the first person who managed to reach it alone.
After this successful expedition, Fyodor Konyukhov's goal was another pole - the South, and in 1995 he was able to reach it, having spent 59 days on this trip. Along the way, over these almost two months, he conducted a number of scientific studies, as a result of which he wrote several scientific works and was accepted as a member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Fedor Konyukhov did not only travel in the polar regions. He is also known for his mountain climbing, sea and world tours. He is known as the first Russian to complete the Grand Slam - visiting the North and South Poles and climbing Mount Everest.
In honor of the 850th anniversary of the capital of our Motherland - Moscow, he decided to climb the "7 peaks of the world". It took him almost 5 years, but he became the first person in the CIS who did this and visited Elbrus, Everest, the Wilson Massif, Mount Aconcagua, Mount Kilimanjaro, Kosciuszko Peak and Mount McKinley.
In 1981, Fedor Konyukhov made his first overland journey - he crossed Chukotka on a dog sled, and in 1985 he organized and carried out a hiking expedition along the route of the famous taiga explorers Dersu Uzala and V. Arseniev. In 1989, he participated in the Soviet-American bike ride along the Nakhodka-Leningrad route, and in 199 in the off-road race along the Nakhodka-Moscow route. But the most interesting of his overland expeditions was organized in 2002 - a caravan expedition on camels along the route of the Great Silk Road. In 2009, this expedition was continued on the second stage.
But the greatest fame to Fedor Konyukhov was brought by his sea voyages. He crossed 17 times Atlantic Ocean alone, and once on a rowboat, and made this journey in just 46 days, thereby setting a world record. He also made 6 trips around the world, one of them without stopping at all. In total, he made more than forty sea expeditions. He is also a regular participant and winner of many races on sailing and rowing boats.
Interesting facts from the life of Fedor Konyukhov
He made his first journey at only 15 years old, crossing the Sea of Azov in a rowboat.
While serving in the army, he ended up in a guardhouse due to the fact that he knocked over a tank of hot soup on the head of one of the old-timers who mocked recruits. It was then that he was sent to serve in Vietnam.
Fyodor Konyukhov's grandfather Mikhail served in the same garrison with Georgy Sedov, the famous polar explorer. On the eve of the expedition, which ended tragically, Sedov left Fedor's grandfather a pectoral cross with an order to hand it over to the strongest of his children, who could fulfill the explorer's dream - to take it to the North Pole. And it was Fedor Konyukhov who was able to accomplish this.
He is a laureate and honorary member of several scientific communities, an honorary resident of the cities of Nakhodka, Terni (Italy) and Bergin (Kalmykia), and is also listed in the Chronicle of Humanity encyclopedia as an outstanding scientist.
Fedor Konyukhov starred in several commercials for Rollton
Fedor Konyukhov is a very versatile person. In addition to traveling and writing scientific papers, he also writes books, paints pictures, and composes music. And in 2010, he first accepted the rank of subdeacon of the Russian Orthodox Church, and then was ordained a priest.
A brief biography of Fedor Konyukhov tells about a surprisingly versatile personality, whose interests are so different from each other that it is difficult to understand and realize how they are combined in one person. Fedor Konyukhov is a Russian traveler, navigator, climber, cyclist, writer, journalist, artist and archpriest. He is the first traveler from Russia who visited the 7 highest peaks of the continents, and also visited both poles (North and South).
life path
Konyukhov was born in the Zaporozhye region, Ukraine. The boy was born in the village of Chkalovo on December 12, 1951. His father was a hereditary fisherman - a native of the Arkhangelsk Pomors, his mother - a native of Bessarabia. Since childhood, Fedor Konyukhov wanted to become a traveler and prepared his body and spirit for many trials in the future. He made his first journey at the age of 15, when he crossed the Sea of Azov alone on a fishing boat.
Konyukhov completed military service, graduated from a technical school in the city of Bobruisk and the Odessa Naval School, as well as the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary. At the age of 32 he became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. Since 1998 he has been in charge and manages the laboratory distance learning survival in extreme conditions. He is a member of the Union of Writers of the Russian Federation, has written 9 books in which he talks about his travels and life principles. He has a wife - Irina (Doctor of Law), three children and six grandchildren.
Travel and expeditions
Fedor Konyukhov has carried out many land and sea travels, ascents to peaks and polar expeditions, both in groups and alone. He made 5 trips around the world, 17 times crossed the Atlantic Ocean. In 1981, the traveler crossed Chukotka on dogs, in 1986 he made an expedition through the Ussuri taiga, in 1989 he participated in a joint Soviet-American bike ride from Nakhodka to Leningrad, in 1991 he organized a Russian-Australian rally on off-road vehicles, and in 2002 and 2009 made caravan expeditions on camels, which passed along the route of the Great Silk Road.
His most famous and amazing sea voyages include: sailing around the world on the Karaana yacht alone in non-stop mode from autumn 1990 to summer 1991. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the URALAZ boat in 2002. Participation in the race around Antarctica in 2007-2008. Pacific navigation on a rowboat without assistance and without calls to ports in 2013-2014 for 160 days. Fedor Konyukhov also took part in several polar expeditions.
The ski crossing into the Laptev Sea and the Pole of relative inaccessibility took place in 1983 and 1986, respectively. The traveler made solo ski trips to the North Pole in 1990 and to the South Pole in 1995-1996. In the 2000s, he made several dog sledding trips. Having made more than a hundred large and small trips, Fedor Konyukhov realized that life is travel and new discoveries, and only by moving somewhere and striving for some goal does a person come to understand that his life is not in vain. He is trying to convey this idea to all mankind.
01:47
Fedor Konyukhov - a modern traveler!
Good World Evil (Myth)
Fedor Konyukhov- a modern Russian traveler, artist, writer.
During his life he made more than 40 unique expeditions and ascents, expressing his vision of the world in books and paintings. Fedor Konyukhov is a member of the Union of Artists of Russia and the Union of Writers of Russia. Author of nine books. Gold Medal Winner Russian Academy Arts, Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, author of more than 3,000 paintings. Participant of Russian and international exhibitions.
Sea Captain. Yacht captain. He made four voyages around the world, crossed the Atlantic fifteen times, once in a rowboat. Honored Master of Sports.
Awarded the Order of Friendship of the Peoples of the USSR. UNEP "GLOBAL 500" award for contribution to the protection of environment. Winner of the UNESCO Prize for fair play".
Listed in the encyclopedia "CHRONICLE OF HUMANITY". Active member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Awarded the Order of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church VMC. George the Victorious, I degree, for exemplary and diligent work for the benefit of God's Holy Orthodox Church.
The first and so far the only one in the world to conquer the five poles of our planet:
Northern Geographic (three times)
Southern Geographic
Pole of relative inaccessibility in the North Arctic Ocean
Everest (altitude pole)
Cape Horn (Yachtmen's Pole)
Honorary resident of the city of Nakhodka (Primorsky Territory, Russia), the city of Terni (Italy) and the village of Bergin (Kalmykia, Russia).
The first Russian who managed to complete the Grand Slam program (North Pole, South Pole, Everest).
Since 1998 Head of the Laboratory of Distance Learning in Extreme Conditions (LDOEU) at the Modern Humanitarian Academy.
Married. Wife Irina. Son Oscar, daughter Tatiana, son Nikolai. Grandson Philip, granddaughter Polina, grandson Ethan, grandson Arkady, grandson Blake.
Biography.
Born on December 12, 1951 in the village of Chkalovo, Zaporozhye region of Ukraine. Father - Konyukhov Philip Mikhailovich (born in 1917), Mother - Konyukhova Maria Efremovna (born in 1918). Wife - Konyukhova Irina Anatolyevna (born in 1961), Doctor of Law, Professor. Son - Konyukhov Oscar Fedorovich (born in 1975). Daughter - Tatyana Fedorovna Konyukhova (born in 1978).
The future famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov lived and was brought up in a simple peasant family with five children: three sons and two daughters. From childhood, they got used to hard collective farm work in the field, to work in the garden, and Fedor often went with his father, a fisherman, to the fishing season in the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. With pleasure he kept watch on the steering wheel, helped the fishermen to pull out the nets. As a participant in the Great Patriotic War, who reached Budapest, his father often told his children about the difficult battles against the Nazis, urged them to work honestly and protect their land. Young Fedor sunk into the soul interesting stories grandfather, lieutenant colonel of the tsarist army, about Georgy Sedov, with whom he served in the same garrison. Before his last, which turned out to be a tragic trip to the Arctic, Georgy left an Orthodox cross with a request to hand it to the strongest of his sons or grandsons, who could realize his idea. And, as you know, Fedor fulfilled this testament - he visited the North Pole three times, and once - alone with that cross around his neck.
For long trips, Fedor prepared himself with early years, at first, maybe not quite consciously. He learned to swim and dive well, to go on a boat on oars and under sail. Bathed in cold water, slept in the hayloft. In football and long-distance running among schoolchildren, he had no equal, and most of all he was attracted by the sea, the sea and romance. Having read Goncharov and Stanyukovich, Jules Verne and other marine painters, at the age of 15 he made his first trip - he crossed the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov in a rowboat.
Realizing that the sea is his vocation, Fedor graduated from the Odessa Nautical and Leningrad Polar Schools, received the specialties of a navigator-navigator and a ship mechanic. In 1977, he organized the sailing of the yacht along the route of Vitus Bering and other sailors in the northern part of Pacific Ocean. The inquisitive pathfinder and patriot wanted to know how compatriots on fragile boats three centuries ago discovered islands and bays, Russian America, founded settlements there. Fedor pursued similar noble goals during campaigns to Kamchatka, Sakhalin, and the Commander Islands. In Chukotka, he went by dog sled, assessing the possibility of reaching the North Pole with their help, but for this purpose he subsequently preferred skis. Everywhere he was interested in the life of people, how they survive in the difficult conditions of the North, he painted a number of interesting paintings there that adorned several personal exhibitions of the artist.
The assault on the North Pole was preceded by a ski crossing during the polar night to the Pole of relative inaccessibility as part of D. Shparo's group; a trip to Baffin Island (Canada) as part of a Canadian expedition; transarctic ski crossing along the route of the USSR - the North Pole - Canada under the leadership of D. Shparo; participation in the first autonomous expedition "Arktika" to the North Pole led by V. Chukov.
Having gained good experience of polar ski trips, Fedor in 1990 went to the pole on an independent voyage. It was not easy for a lone traveler to overcome hummocks and polynyas, besides, he had a heavy backpack behind him, and he was towing a sled with a load. I slept right on the ice, climbing into a tent and a sleeping bag. After 72 days, he reached the North Pole, fulfilling his dream and fulfilling the testament of Georgy Sedov. True, once he almost died during the hummocking of ice.
This did not frighten him, and after five years he again set off alone to cross the ice desert of Antarctica. For orientation in extreme conditions, I used a small-sized space navigator "Navikom", focused on a stationary orbiting satellite. With its help, on the 59th day of the difficult journey, the traveler accurately reached the point of the South Pole and hoisted a flag there for the first time. Russian Federation. This time F. Konyukhov alone replaced the whole expedition. On behalf of the Ministry of Atomic Energy, he measured the natural radiation field of Antarctica on the way to the Pole. On the instructions of doctors, he assessed the physical and psychological state of the body while simultaneously exposing it to high altitude (more than 5 thousand meters), low temperature (up to -60 degrees) and strong wind (up to 30 meters per second). He also conducted observations under the program of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. And he accumulated considerable material for these departments and his books.
Domestic and foreign experts consider Fedor Konyukhov the most versatile professional traveler. He has about forty diverse campaigns, including those in the mountains. Having no special mountaineering training, but possessing great physical endurance and perseverance in achieving the intended goal, he decided in honor of the 850th anniversary of Moscow to climb the mountain peaks of all the continents of the Earth. It took five years of hard work. As a training, I ran to Klyuchevskaya Sopka 4750 meters high and believed in myself. Then there were the Caucasian peak Elbrus (5642 m), the Asian Everest (8848 m), the Australian mountain Kosciuszko (2230 m), the South American Aconcagua (6960 m). Of course, Everest was the most difficult to climb, but the three peaks were interesting, mysterious and difficult in their own way. The long-extinct African volcano Kilimanjaro (5895 m), sung by Ernest Hemingway, especially attracted the attention of the Russian traveler. Rising up from the tropical zone, he gradually experienced a change in climatic and weather conditions. If at the foot there was vegetation scorched in the sun, then from 3-4 kilometers an evergreen tropical forest begins, even higher - alpine meadows, then rocks and, finally, the kingdom of ice and snow. As an artist, he could not stop admiring the beauties of nature, made sketches, took a lot of photographs. But the ice-rocky mountains turned out to be the most difficult and dangerous for the climber: the North American McKinley (6193 m) and the Antarctic - the Vinson Massif (5140 m). Here and deep snow, and insidious cracks in the ice, and breath-holding fierce cold wind. And having safely descended (in some places I had to crawl) from the massif, he almost died from cold and hunger - for more than three days the plane could not fly for him because of a strong blizzard.
The traveler makes most trips alone, but he willingly takes part in collective expeditions. And he himself organized and led two interesting transcontinental runs: the Soviet-American bicycle race along the route Nakhodka - Leningrad (1989) and the Soviet-Australian automobile race - Nakhodka - Brest (1991). On a long journey through the Russian expanses, Fedor showed his foreign travel colleagues many natural attractions: cedar forests, Lake Baikal, mighty Siberian rivers, the Ural Mountains, and new cities. The result of these runs were reports, documentaries, photo albums, released in our country and abroad.
And yet the main line of travel of the yacht captain is the sea and the ocean. And he, the only Russian, single-handedly completed three round-the-world voyages. The first of them - in 1990 - 1991 on the yacht "Karaana". It started from the Australian port of Sydney and returned there after 224 days. Moreover, he chose the most difficult route: between the "roaring" forties and "furious" fifties latitudes, where there is a predominantly fair wind and where the first Russian circumnavigators Ivan Kruzenshtern, Mikhail Lazarev and others sailed. But at the same time, the route is cold, and then a gale with snow or rain, dangerous encounters with whales and icebergs, especially in the Drake Passage, off Cape Horn. But the sailor overcame everything, however, he lost 11 kilograms at the same time.
A year later, Konyukhov went on a second circumnavigation along a different, equatorial route: Taiwan - Singapore - Indian Ocean - Red and mediterranean sea- Gibraltar - Atlantic - Hawaiian Islands - Taiwan with calls to all continents. A solo voyage on a large two-masted yacht "Formosa" lasted 508 days and was associated with a dramatic and at the same time heroic event. In the Philippines, the captain became very ill and was taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the pirates stole his yacht to another island. But Fedor is not from a timid dozen. After all, he served on a Baltic landing ship, carried out command assignments in the jungles of Vietnam and Nicaragua. To find the "Formosa" on a distant island, I had to steal a boat from other pirates. And the brave man tied up the drunken robbers found on board the yacht and loaded them onto their rubber boat.
Participating in the international sailing race "Around the World - Alone", he made the third round-the-world trip, driving the yacht "Modern Humanitarian University". At first, 39 applicants from many countries signed up for the competition, but only 16 ships came to the start, the rest were eliminated for various reasons, including those that did not pass the qualifying run of 2 thousand nautical miles. Fedor passed the test, but was hit by three hurricanes. It was especially difficult for him in the fight against Hurricane Daniel in the Bermuda region. For three days the yacht lay on board, and the captain had to make incredible efforts to straighten her.
The race covered the entire World Ocean with a length of 27 thousand nautical miles, i.e. 50 thousand kilometers, and passed along the route: the American port of Charleston - Cape Town (South Africa) - Auckland (New Zealand) - Punta del Este (Uruguay) - Charleston. (It is interesting that Irina's wife and son Oscar flew to all these points by plane for moral support of Fedor. And they helped him in eliminating technical problems on the yacht).
In total, the yachtsmen were on the road for eight months, from September 1998 to May 1999. They experienced the tropical heat and the piercing wind of the Antarctic, dodged steel ships and icebergs and drove forward all the time, not knowing sleep and rest. On some ships there were up to 15 different breakdowns, and Konyukhov's yacht did not escape this. At night, he collided with a sleeping whale, as a result of which the steering wheel was bent. When approaching Cape Horn, a dolphin jumped on board, which rarely happens in the practice of navigation, the skipper barely managed to push the heavy and slippery body of the sea guest into his native element. And off the coast of Brazil, he barely fought off modern filibusters with the help of a flare gun.
Unable to withstand the conditions of the extreme race, seven participants left the race. Fedor Konyukhov finished third. In his name, a government telegram came to America from Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov. “We are pleased,” it said, “that such a legendary traveler lives in Moscow and continues the traditions of our compatriots in the exploration of the planet.”
The campaigns and expeditions of the remarkable traveler give a lot to our science, sports, tourism, and the whole society. They show what a person who is well prepared physically and mentally, who knows how to maintain health and performance, sometimes in difficult situations, can achieve. And no wonder the 57-year-old pathfinder plans to travel until 2020.
Replenishing his knowledge, he studies at the Faculty of Law of the Modern Humanitarian University, where he also manages a laboratory for distance learning in extreme conditions.
Fedor Konyukhov always, even during campaigns, writes and draws a lot. He is a member of the Union of Artists, a member of the Union of Journalists of the Russian Federation and a member of the Union of Writers of the Russian Federation. By 2008, nine of his books had been published, including: "And I saw a new heaven and new land", "Havre - Charleston" and "How Antarctica was discovered"; the almanac "Russian Traveler" was previously published. These are mainly the author's diary entries, but they are perceived as adventure stories.
The name of Fyodor Konyukhov is among the outstanding figures of science and technology in the international encyclopedia "Chronicle of Humanity". Traveler awarded the order Friendship of Peoples, UNESCO diploma for contribution to the cause of ecology. He is an Honored Master of Sports, a yacht captain.
In addition to the main hobby of his life - traveling, Fedor Filippovich writes poetry, music for the organ and works of art.
Chronicle of Fyodor Konyukhov's travels
Overland travel
1981 - Crossing Chukotka on dogs;
1985 - Expedition through the Ussuri taiga in the footsteps of V.K. Arsenyev and Dersu Uzala;
1989 (summer-autumn) - Joint Soviet-American transcontinental bike ride Nakhodka - Moscow - Leningrad; Run leader with Russian side; start June 18, 1989 - finish October 26, 1989.
1991 (summer-autumn) - Organizer of the Russian-Australian off-road rally on the route Nakhodka - Moscow; Filming of the documentary "Through the Red Unknown" by SBS (Australia); start August 05, 1991 finish September 15, 1991.
2002 (spring) - organization of the first camel caravan expedition in the history of Russia "Following the Great Silk Road 2002". The expedition passed through the territory of Kalmykia, Astrakhan, Dagestan, the Stavropol Territory and the Volgograd Region. 1050 km were covered. The caravan consisted of 13 camels; start 04 April 2002 - finish 12 June 2002.
Sea travel
1977 - Research expedition on the yacht DVIMU "Chukotka" (Cetus) along the route of Vitus Bering;
1978 - Research expedition on the yacht DVIMU "Chukotka" along the route of Vitus Bering; archaeological expedition.
1979 - The second stage of the research expedition on the yacht DVIMU "Chukotka" on the route Vladivostok - Sakhalin - Kamchatka - Commander Islands; climbing the Klyuchevskiy volcano; Author of memorial plaques to Vitus Bering and his team installed on the Commander Islands;
1980 - Participation in the international regatta "Baltic Cup-80" as part of the crew of DVIMU (Vladivostok);
1984 - Rafting on the Lena River; Participation in the international regatta for the Baltic Cup-84 as part of the crew of DVIMU (Vladivostok);
1990 (autumn) - 1991 (spring) - The first, in the history of Russia, solo non-stop circumnavigation on the yacht "Karaana" (36 feet / Swanson) on the route Sydney - Cape Horn - Equator - Sydney (Australia) in 224 days; start October 28, 1990 - finish June 08, 1991.
1993 - 1994 - Round-the-world expedition on a two-masted ketch "Formosa" (56 feet) along the route: Taiwan - Hong Kong - Singapore - Ve Island (Indonesia) - Victoria Island (Seychelles) - Yemen (port of Aden) - Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) - Suez Canal - Alexandria (Egypt) - Gibraltar - Casablanca (Morocco) - Santa Lucia (Caribbean Islands) - Panama Canal - Honolulu (Hawaii Islands) - Mariana Islands - Taiwan. Start March 25, 1993 Taiwan Island, Kilun Bay - Finish August 26, 1994 Taiwan Island.
1997 - participation in the European regattas Sardinia Cup (Italy), Gotland Race (Sweden), Cowes week (England) as part of the crew of the Grand Mistral maxi-yacht (80 feet);
1998 - 1999 - Participation in the American single round-the-world race "Around Alone 1998/99" on the yacht Open 60 "Modern University for the Humanities", the third solo circumnavigation;
2000 - 2001 - the first, in the history of Russia, participation in the French single, non-stop round-the-world sailing race "Vendee Globe" on the yacht "Modern Humanitarian University";
2002 - solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on a URALAZ rowing boat with a world record of 46 days 4 hours (in the "autonomous" category). Itinerary: Canary Islands (La Gomera island) - about. Barbados 3,000 miles; start October 16, 2002 - finish December 01, 2002.
2003 (March) - a joint Russian-British transatlantic record passage with a crew, on a 100-foot maxi-catamaran "Scarlet Sails Trading Network" on the route Canary Islands (La Gomera island) - Barbados island. A world record for multihull ships was set on this route - 9 days;
2003 (April) - joint Russian-British transatlantic record crossing with the crew of a 100-foot maxi-catamaran "Scarlet Sails Trading Network" on the route Jamaica (Montega Bay) - England (Lands End). The length of the route is 5.100 miles. A world record for multihulls was set on this route -16 days;
2004 (February) - single transatlantic record crossing from east to west on an 85-foot maxi-yacht "Scarlet Sails Trading Network" on the route Canary Islands (La Gomera Island) - Barbados (Port St. Charles). A world record was set for crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a maxi yacht under the control of one person - 14 days and 7 hours;
2004-2005 - solo circumnavigation on an 85-foot maxi-yacht "Scarlet Sails Trading Network" on the route Falmouth (England) - Hobart (Tasmania) - Falmouth (England). The first solo circumnavigation of the world on a maxi-class yacht across Cape Horn in the history of world sailing. Fourth successful solo circumnavigation;
2005 (December) - 2006 (January). Project "Around the Atlantic Ocean". Fedor Konyukhov with the Russian crew made the transition on the yacht Trading network "Scarlet Sails", on the route England - Canary Islands - about. Barbados - about. Antigua - England. The total number of miles traveled is over 10,000 nautical miles.
2007 - 2008 Participation in the Australian race around Antarctica - "Antarctica Cup" on the route Albany (Western Australia) - Cape Horn - Cape Good Hope- Cape Luin - Albany (Western Australia), in the category - single yachtsman, non-stop. Maxi-yacht "Trading network Scarlet Sails" - 102 days.
Climbing
As part of the Seven Summits of the World program, Fedor Konyukhov climbed:
Polar expeditions
1983 - ski scientific and sports expedition in the Laptev Sea. The first polar expedition as part of Dmitry Shparo's group;
1986 - skiing in the polar night to the Pole of relative inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean as part of the expedition of the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda";
1987 - skiing expedition to Baffin Island (Canada) as part of a Soviet-Canadian expedition (preparation for a trip to the North Pole);
1988 - transarctic ski crossing of the USSR - North Pole - Canada as part of an international group with the support of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. Konyukhov sold his paintings to the vice-president of the McDonalds restaurant chain to pay for his participation in the trans-Arctic crossing;
1989 (spring) - member of the first Russian, autonomous expedition "Arktika" to the North Pole;
1990 (spring) - the first solo trip on skis to the North Pole in the history of Russia. Started from Cape Elbow of Sredny Island. Reached the Pole in 72 days;
1995 - 1996 - the first solo trip to the South Pole in the history of Russia, followed by an ascent to the highest point of Antarctica - the Vinson massif (5140 m). Started from Herkles Bay. Reached the Pole in 64 days, autonomously;
2000 (March) - participation in the world's longest dog sled race IDITAROD along the route Anchorage - Nome (1800 km). In this race, Konyukhov won the Red Lantern of the National Bank of Alaska.
2007 (May) Fedor Konyukhov on a dog sled set an absolute record for crossing Greenland, covering about 800 kilometers in 15 days and 22 hours. The previous record was 19 days. 1983 - Ski scientific and sports expedition in the Laptev Sea. The first polar expedition as part of Dmitry Shparo's group;
1986 - Ski crossing in the polar night to the Pole of relative inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean as part of the expedition of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. The group reached the Pole - January 27, 1986.
1987 - Ski expedition to Baffin Island (Canada) as part of the Soviet-Canadian expedition (preparation for a trip to the North Pole);
1988 - Transarctic ski crossing of the USSR - North Pole - Canada as part of an international group with the support of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.
Start: Severnaya Zemlya, Sredny Island, Cape Arctic March 03, 1988 - the group reached the Pole on April 24, 1988 - finished in Canada, Ourthunt Island on June 01, 1988.
1989 (spring) - Member of the first Russian, autonomous expedition "Arktika" to the North Pole. Start March 04, 1989 Severnaya Zemlya, Schmitt Island - finish at the North Pole on May 06, 1989.
1990 (spring) - The first, in the history of Russia, a solo trip on skis to the North Pole. Started from Cape Lokot, Sredny Island. Reached the Pole in 72 days.
Start March 03, 1990 Severnaya Zemlya, Sredny Island, Cape Lokot - reached the North Pole on May 08, 1990.
1995 - 1996 - The first, in the history of Russia, a solo trip to the South Pole, followed by an ascent to the highest point of Antarctica - the Vinson Massif (5140 m). Launched from Herkles Bay on November 08, 1995. - reached the South Pole on January 06, 1996. Reached the Pole in 64 days, autonomously;
2000 (March) - Participation in the world's longest dog sled race IDITAROD, along the route Anchorage - Nome, 1800 km and won the prize of the National Bank of Alaska - "Red Lantern".
2006 (April) - Organization of testing of an experimental polar iceboat (trimaran on skis under sail) "Modern Humanitarian Academy" on the east coast of Greenland.
2007 (May) – Trans-Greenland dog sled expedition from the east coast (Isortok village) through the Ice Dome to the west coast (Illulisat village), along the Arctic Circle. A record was set for crossing the island - 15 days and 22 hours.
On January 26, 2008, the Antarctica Cup Race Track project was launched from the Australian port of Albany - Konyukhov, on the maxi yacht Trading Network Scarlet Sails, decided to make a solo non-stop voyage around Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. The traveler circled Antarctica (he had to overcome 15 and a half thousand miles in the Southern Ocean) in 96 days 19 hours. This time on this track was the first world record for sailing ships.
Name: Fedor Konyukhov
Age: 65 years old
Place of Birth: with. Chkalovo, Ukraine
Growth: 180 cm
The weight: 71 kg
Activity: traveler, explorer
Family status: married
Fedor Konyukhov - biography
"I have been living for three hundred years," the traveler likes to jokingly repeat. After studying the biography of Konyukhov, you understand how right he is.
Fedor Konyukhov was born in 1951 on the Azov coast in the family of a fisherman. As soon as he took his first steps, he went with his father to the sea, learned to read - became interested in the books of Jules Verne. He slept in the hayloft all year round, swam in the sea, ran 54 kilometers every day. Even salt water drank - it is so rich in minerals!
Fedor Konyukhov - education
When Fedor realized that he was ready for the real test, he crossed the Sea of Azov in a rowboat. One, in incomplete 16 years! The father shed tears of pride, and the grandfather gave his grandson the cross of Georgy Sedov, the legendary polar explorer. Years will pass, and Konyukhov will fulfill his dream - he will reach the North Pole alone.
After school, Fedor graduated from the Odessa Naval School with a degree in navigation, then went to Leningrad, where he studied as a ship mechanic. Later he was educated at the Leningrad Seminary - "so as not to get lost in the spiritual world."
To pay a debt to the Motherland Konyukhov ended up in the Baltic Fleet. From there - to the war in distant Vietnam, then - to Nicaragua and El Salvador. In total, he spent two and a half years under bullets. Many of these "adventures" would be enough for a lifetime ...
It is not surprising that the legendary explorer did not have his own home for a long time: after all, his house is the whole Earth. Konyukhov conquered five poles and all the peaks of the world. On a rowing boat he crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean, without a single stop made a round-the-world voyage on a yacht ... The number of Konyukhov's unique expeditions has long exceeded four dozen.
For many years, journalists have been asking the traveler one question: why does he risk his life again and again? He has many answers, one more interesting than the other. “Civilization is a lie,” Fedor Filippovich reflects. “People live in such a hustle and bustle that they don’t even have time to think about their essence! 9 a.m. to 6 p.m."
And yet, you should not think that for Konyukhov travel is just a way to escape from everyday problems. For him, this is an attempt to expand human capabilities. “During the journey, you tame your own fears, the most powerful of which is the horror of death,” Konyukhov says. - If you knew how many corpses are on the top of Everest! Some of the climbers died from the cold, some from lack of oxygen, some fell asleep from fatigue and ... did not wake up. And you're going up against all odds!"
Only on expeditions Konyukhov realized that loneliness is a synonym for spiritual purity. It is as necessary for a person as water or food. The traveler is sure: only alone with himself does a person begin to truly live, realize how much time is allotted to him. Just think: in solitary wanderings Konyukhov wrote 17 books and created more than 3 thousand paintings!
Moreover, in his wanderings, he realized that there is simply no loneliness as such, that everything around is alive - the sky, the ocean, even the rocks. “On the high seas, I talked with dolphins, and they followed my boat for hours,” Konyukhov marvels. - He stopped talking, finished - and they are gone, they went into the abyss.
Dozens of times he was on the verge of death: when he was waiting for rescuers in the hold of an overturned yacht in the ocean, hung over a bottomless abyss in the Himalayas, drifted on ice floes in the Arctic, raved from tropical fever in Somalia ... What helped him survive? According to Konyukhov himself, unconditional faith in God. “All my travels are the way to the Almighty. I thought I would become a priest at 50, but I took the priesthood at 58.” Quite a logical step for a man who had five clergymen in his father's line...
Around the world in 11 days
Having conquered mountains, deserts and oceans, Konyukhov thought about the sky. If American Steve Fossett circled the Earth in a balloon in 13 days, then he can too.
The dream came true in July 2016. The flight was a record in two respects: it was successful on the first attempt (for the American - only on the sixth) and lasted only 11 days.
Preparation for the flight lasted more than a year, an international team worked on the project - about 50 people from a dozen countries. The ball was built in Great Britain, it was equipped with instruments in Belgium, the burners were purchased in Italy, and the autopilot system was developed in Holland. Konyukhov's co-pilot, who directed the flight from the ground, was his son Oscar. He devoted his life to sailing.
In his seventies, Konyukhov proved again: the possibilities of man are endless. Most of the way he overcame at an altitude of more than 10 thousand meters. The temperature outside is -50 °, you can breathe only in an oxygen mask, sleep - no more than half an hour and only 3-4 times a day: balloon requires manual control. Konyukhov prepared for forced insomnia according to the old monastic system: for many months he slept standing up with a spoon in his hand. You fall asleep deeper than you should - the spoon falls to the floor and wakes you up. With food in flight, a sad story happened at all. From the cold, all the provisions froze, and Konyukhov threw them overboard like unnecessary ballast.
He only ate one cookie in 11 days...
What seems incomprehensible to many, Konyukhov explains simply: it was the will of God. “I took on a flight a cross with the relics of 46 saints,” the aeronaut said at the first press conference. - How could I break with such a shrine? Here it is!
True, Konyukhov nevertheless returned from the flight saddened. If the globe can be circled in 11 days, how small and fragile it is. “And humanity continues to fight,” the record holder sighed.
There is only one entry in Konyukhov's work book: "professional traveler", and even that one is without dates. Despite the lack of a Moscow residence permit, he receives a pension - about 6,000 rubles. “And I don’t need more! he smiles. - Money is eternal lack of freedom. And why do I need them? After all, I visit Moscow once every couple of years.
In the capital of Russia, near the Paveletsky railway station, Konyukhov has his own creative workshop. In 2004, during her reign, Fyodor Filippovich built a chapel in honor of the dead sailors and travelers. One of the commemorative plaques lists researchers of the 20th century, many of whom Konyukhov knew personally and always commemorates them during church services. At the same time, he does not like talking about the past: what is the point of living in the past if there are so many accomplishments in the future?
The childhood of Fyodor Konyukhov
Fedor Filippovich Konyukhov was born on the shores of the Sea of Azov in the Ukrainian village of Chkalovo, Zaporozhye region, into an ordinary peasant family. The father of the future traveler, Philip Mikhailovich, came from a family of Arkhangelsk Pomor fishermen, and his mother, Maria Efremovna, was a native of Bessarabia.The family was large - three sons and two daughters. From early childhood, Fedor got used to hard rural work in the field, in the garden. The father fished in the Sea of Azov and often took his son with him. Fedor gladly carried the helmsman's watch, helped to pull out the nets. Konyukhov's father fought in the Great Patriotic War, came from Soviet troops to Budapest and often shared with children stories related to military unit his biography.
Many interesting things were told to Konyukhov by his grandfather Mikhail, a lieutenant colonel in the tsarist army. Mikhail Konyukhov served in the same garrison with Senior Lieutenant Georgy Sedov, the famous Russian polar explorer. Shortly before his last expedition to the North Pole, which ended in tragedy, Georgy Sedov left Mikhail Konyukhov a pectoral cross with a request to give it to the strongest and most courageous of children who could reach the Pole. Fyodor Konyukhov had a chance to fulfill Sedov's will - he visited the North Pole three times, once of which he reached extreme point planets alone, with Sedov's cross around his neck.
The craving for travel, especially sea travel, lived in Fedor from early childhood. Standing at the helm of a fishing boat, Fedor peered into the Azov distance and dreamed of visiting the opposite bank of the Azov. At the age of fifteen, he made his first expedition - he crossed the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov in a rowing boat alone. I had been preparing for this for several years - I devoted almost all my free time to rowing, sailing and swimming. He was also actively involved in football and athletics, and slept almost all seasons in the hayloft. And Fedor also loved to read and avidly "swallowed" the books of Jules Verne, Stanyukovich, Goncharov and other marine writers and travelers.
Fedor Konyukhov set a new record
Education and service of Fedor Konyukhov
Already in the senior classes, Konyukhov realized that the sea was his vocation. After graduating from school, there were no questions about where to go - Konyukhov went to the Odessa Naval School (specialty ship mechanic). Fedor did not stop there and entered the Leningrad Polar School, having received a second specialty at the end - a navigator-navigator. Urgent military service Fedor was on the Baltic Fleet in the Kaliningrad region. During the service, as a result of one of the conflict incidents with old-timers, Fedor ends up in a guardhouse, from where the captain of the third rank, who selected the most courageous sailors for special squads, takes him to Vietnam. For two and a half years, Fedor has been serving as a sailor on a boat in a special squad whose task was to supply ammunition to the Viet Cong.After the service, Fedor graduated from vocational school No. 15 of the city of Bobruisk in Belarus, specializing in encrusting.
Arctic expeditions of Fyodor Konyukhov
The beginning of expeditionary research activity falls on 1977. This year, Fedor is organizing a sailing trip along the route of Vitus Bering in the North Pacific Ocean. Being a patriot, the pathfinder sought to reproduce all the conditions in which our compatriots more than three hundred years ago sailed on fragile boats, discovered islands and bays, explored America and founded settlements there. 
Then there were expeditions pursuing similar goals - Kamchatka, Sakhalin Island, Commanders. Fedor spent a long time in Chukotka, mastering the science of dog sledding, building ice huts and surviving in extreme polar conditions. By this time, the goal was set - to reach the North Pole alone. Preparations for the expedition took several years. The unprecedented trip was preceded by a ski trip to the Pole of relative inaccessibility during the polar night, participation in the Canadian expedition to Baffin Island, the transantarctic Soviet-Canadian ski expedition of the USSR - Pole - Canada, the first autonomous expedition to the North Pole "Arktika" as part of the group of V. Chukov. Thus, by the time of the start of his own solo march, Konyukhov had already visited the North Pole twice.
In 1990, having gained sufficient experience in polar research, Fedor set off to his cherished goal on skis. In addition to a heavy backpack, the traveler was towing a sled with provisions and equipment. Fedor slept right on the ice in a tent and a sleeping bag. The path was difficult - constantly had to overcome hummocks and polynyas, but Konyukhov was steadily approaching the pole. 200 km before the cherished goal, Fedor almost repeated the fate of Georgy Sedov - during the hummocking of the ice, the traveler almost died. However, on the 72nd day of the journey, Fedor nevertheless reached the North Pole, becoming the first person in the world to make such a journey alone. It was then that Konyukhov fulfilled Sedov's will.
Antarctic expedition
Konyukhov's next target was the South Pole. In 1995, the brave explorer went on a solo expedition to Antarctica, eventually reaching the extreme southern point of the planet on the 59th day of the trip and hoisting the Russian flag there. During the advance to the Pole, Konyukhov conducted a number of studies: measuring the natural radiation field of Antarctica, the physical state of the body in extreme conditions of high altitude (above 5 thousand meters), lack of oxygen, strong winds and low temperatures.As a result of the expedition, Konyukhov wrote several scientific papers that made an invaluable contribution to the development of polar science. For research activities and scientific works after this expedition, Konyukhov was accepted as an honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Climbing
Not only the polar regions attract the attention of a brave explorer. Having visited the South Pole, Fedor completed the Grand Slam program - visiting the North, South Pole and Mount Everest. Konyukhov became the first Russian to complete the Grand Slam. 
The history of Konyukhov's ascents under the program "Seven Peaks of the World" begins in 1992, when the traveler alone conquered highest point Europe - Mount Elbrus. In the same year, together with Evgeny Vinogradsky, Fedor climbed Everest, the highest point in Asia and the planet. Within its Antarctic expedition January 19, 1996 explorer conquers the highest point of the southern continent - the Wilson massif. In March of the same year, the climber ascends alone to Aconcagua in South America, and in 1997 he completes the program with a solo ascent of the Kilimanjaro volcano in Africa, the Australian Kosciuszko Peak and, together with Vladimir Yanochkin, conquers the most difficult peak - the North American Mount McKinley.
In 2012, Konyukhov once again climbed Everest as part of a Russian team that climbed Chomolungma to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first conquest of Everest by a Soviet climbing team.
Overland expeditions
In 1981, Fedor Konyukhov crossed Chukotka on a dog sled in preparation for conquering the North Pole. Preparing for the polar forced march, Fedor chose between two options for movement - skiing and dog sledding. As a result, he recognized skiing as more promising. In 1985, Fedor organized a hiking expedition along the route of the famous taiga explorers V. Arseniev and Dersu Uzala.In the summer-autumn of 1989, Konyukhov oversaw the joint Soviet-American bike ride across the USSR Nakhodka - Moscow - Leningrad. The second run from Nakhodka to the capital of Russia, this time on SUVs, Russian-Australian, took place in the summer of 1991. In 2002, Fedor Konyukhov organized the first caravan expedition on camels in the history of Russia, following the footsteps of the Great Silk Road in Kalmykia, Dagestan, Astrakhan, Volgograd regions and the Stavropol Territory. In 2009, the expedition was continued - the second stage of the study took place along the route Kalmykia - Mongolia.
Sea expeditions and round-the-world travels
Sea voyages occupy the largest part of Konyukhov's research activities. Fedor made more than forty unique sea expeditions, 17 times crossed the Atlantic Ocean alone, and once - on a rowboat offline in 46 days, setting an absolute world record. Fedor traveled around the world six times. One of these yacht trips went non-stop, non-stop. There were also “serious”, according to the traveler, adventures - during one of the round-the-world trips, Fedor became seriously ill and ended up in a hospital in the Philippines. At this time, the pirates stole his yacht to a neighboring island. To return the ship, Konyukhov himself had to temporarily become a sea robber - he stole a boat from drunken pirates in order to return his yacht. Fedor is a regular participant and prize-winner of extreme sea races on sailing and rowing ships.Creation
In his travels, Fedor does not only research activities. He draws and writes books. In total, more than 3 thousand paintings came out from under his brush. Since 1983 Konyukhov has been a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. At the time of admission to the Union of Artists, he was the youngest member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. Fedor is also a member of the Moscow Union of Artists and Sculptors, is an honorary academician of the Russian Academy of Arts. As a result of his expeditions, Fedor wrote nine books. Konyukhov is a member of the Union of Writers and the Union of Journalists of the Russian Federation.Fedor Konyukhov. Arctic 2013. Prelude
Religious rank
On May 22, 2010, Fedor Konyukhov received the rank of subdeacon of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Metropolitan Vladimir of Kyiv and All Ukraine ordained Konyukhov as a subdeacon. After accepting the rank, Fedor began to devote less time to travel and expeditions, but did not completely stop this activity. In December 2010, Konyukhov, who by that time had graduated from the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, was ordained a priest in Zaporozhye and sent to serve in the Zaporozhye diocese.Fyodor Konyukhov's family
Fedor Konyukhov is married to Irina Anatolyevna Konyukhova, Professor, Doctor of Law. They have three children - common son Nikolai, Fyodor's eldest son Oscar and daughter Tatyana are children from their first marriage. Oscar Konyukhov also travels, goes in for sailing, and is the Executive Director of the Sailing Federation of the Russian Federation.Fedor has six grandchildren - Polina, Philip, Arkady, Ethan, Blake and Kate.