Russian record voyage

Helena Darvelid describes Fedor Konyukhov's latest transatlantic expedition - this time aboard a big cat

After a small refit in Bristol for the last two months Tony Bullimore and a crew of nine from Russia, the Ukraine, Portugual, Australia and UK led by Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov, have set off on a new series of record attempts.

Konyukhov is sponsored by Scarlet Sails, a luxury apartment property developer in Russia, and has chartered Bullimore's cat in order to establish the fastest time between La Gomera to Barbados and then another record passage from Jamaica back to Lizard. These are simply to establish the fastest time on these routes and it should be noted that these aren't official record courses as stipulated by the World Speed Sailing Record Council.

This 102ft Nigel Irens-designed cat has an incredible history originally built in 1982 for Mike Birch as Formule TAG and after a checkered few years was sold to Peter Blake and Robin Knox-Johnston and renamed ENZA New Zealand. In their hands she became the second ever boat to break the Jules Verne Trophy record. She subsequently became Tracy Edwards' Royal & SunAlliance before being purchased by Bullimore and renamed Legato for The Race.

Among the crew is Australian cat sailor and speed freak Paul Larsen, who sailed on board with Tony Bullimore in The Race. For the last two months been overseeing the small refit of the big cat in Bristol taking time out from his Sailrocket speed sailing program (see www.sailrocket.com).

Fedor Konyukhov is a professional traveller and adventurer in the 19th century sense as well as being an honorary Master of Sport (the highest status for sportsmen in Russia) and a yacht captain. Meeting him his ressemblance is somewhere between a seadog and a prophet with his big bushy beard. He wears a classic French sailing cap and long waxed riding coat, and to top his individual 'style' wears a pair of Dubarry boots. He looks like he just hopped off his camel that he recently rode across the Chinese desert on - which in fact he just has (really).

Fedor’s previous sailing history includes The Round Alone and The Vendee Globe. His record is a little like a budget Russian version of Steve Fossett. Among his most recent exploits inlcuding crossing and setting a new world record in rowing the Atlantic E-W.

Over his career he has taken part in more than 40 unique expeditions. He claims to be the most "universal" among professional travellers of the world - ie he has taken part in the largest number expeditions of different types. He has also been awarded the Order of Friendship of Nations and has received the UNESCO award for "Fair Play."

Fedor’s 28 year old son Oscar (Fedor’s manager) is also on board for this adventure accompanied by a Russian Marine photographer and a Russian World champion sky diver.

Fedor is a true sailing romantic and artist, talks a little about his philosophy:

"I am a traveller. I am searching for an explanation for the sense of life through my journeys. I want to know, why man is born, grows, lives through many difficulties, gets married, has children and then dies. The same is true for his children.

"While being alone on the ocean or near Cape Horn, I have thought a lot about all that. It is a journey that enables you to think about such things. You can reflect on the fact that life cannot be senseless and that it must have some deep sense. Where can the answer be found? Can it be found on the top of Everest or on the way to the North or South poles?

This is a brief answer to the question, why I travel and try to reach the most difficulties and mysterious places on our planet. I am not interested merely in physical efforts that one needs on the way to the Pole, when climbing Everest or sailing around Cape Horn. I get pleasure when I acquire spiritual force.

I make my way first by spirit and then by body. As it is said, "If you are here in body, but not in spirit, there is no sense in this."

I would like to say the following to those aspiring to reach the top of Everest, reach the North Pole on foot or see Cape Horn, when on board a yacht.

You should begin by overcoming yourself and plunge into self-reflection. It is only then that the route awaiting you or climbing to the top will become a symbol, an instrument of connection with the world and of learning about the limits of human capacity. "

Fedor major expeditions include:
1977 - Retracing Vitus Bering's route.
1979 - Sailing along the route: Vladivostok - Sakhalin - Kamchatka - Komandorskiye Islands, climbed the Kluchevski volcano.
1980 - Participated in regatta for Baltika Cup.
1981 - Dog-sledding in Chukotka; sailing on the yacht along the route: Petropavlovsk Kamchtsky - Komandorskiye Islands - Ust-Kamchatsk - Vladivostok.
1982 - Sailing on the yacht along the route: Ugolnaya Bay - Bay of Provideniya - St. Gabriel's Bay - Petropavlovsk Kamchtsky.
1983 - Scientific/sport ski expedition on the Laptev Sea.
1984 - Rafting the Lena River; Baltika Cup.
1985 - Expedition across the Ussuri Taiga, following the route of V.K. Arsenyev and Dersu Usala.
1986 - Ski expedition during the polar night, to the pole of relative inaccessibility with D. Shparo's group.
1987 - Traveling to the Baffin Land (Canada) as a member of Canadian expedition.
1988 - Transarctic ski expedition USSR - North Pole - Canada as a member of an international group.
1989 (spring) - Reached the North Pole as a member of the first Russian autonomous ski expedition "Arctica" to the North Pole.
1989 (summer-autumn) - The first joint Soviet-American Bicycle Rally from Vladivostok - Moscow - Leningrad.
1990 (spring) - The first Russian to reach the North Pole alone.
1990 (autumn) - 1991 (spring) - The first Russian solo circumnavigation on the yacht Karaana (224 days).
1991 - Soviet-Australian Auto rally for testing of "Mitsubishi 4WD" automobiles: Vladivostok - Moscow as a member of the Australian team.
1992-1994 - The second circumnavigation on the yacht Formoza landing at all the continents (508 days).
1995-1996 - The first Russian to reach the South Pole alone. The first Russian to reach the highest Antarctic mountain - Winson Massif (5140 m) alone.
1996 (autumn) - Participation in an international yacht race on Grand Mistral maxi-yachts, in the crew skippered by Sergey Borodinov.
1998-1999 - Participation in Around Alone 1998/99.
2000 (March) - Participation in "Iditarod-2000" Trail Sled Dog Race (Alaska), finished the 68th out of 81 mushers, won the prize "Red Lantern".

Fedor Konyukhov's Program "Seven Peaks of the World":
1992 (February) - Elbrus (Europe), solo.
1992 (May) - Everest (Asia), with Evgeny Vinogradsky.
1996 (January) - Winson Massif (Antarctica), solo.
1996 (March) - Aconcagua (South America), solo.
1997 (February) - Kilimanjaro (Africa), solo.
1997 (April) - Mount Kosciousko (Australia), solo.
1997 (May) - Mt. McKinley (North America), with Vladimir Yanochkin.