The renowned Russian adventurer, 62-year-old Fyodor Konyukhov, recently accomplished an extraordinary feat: he set off from Puerto Montt, Chile on December 22, 2013, in a solo kayak, and arrived at Mooloolaba Port, Australia on the afternoon of May 31, covering 17,000 kilometers in 160 days, setting a world record for the shortest time to solo row across the Pacific. It is reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally sent a congratulatory message to Konyukhov.
Fyodor Konyukhov
Solo kayaking across the Pacific
According to reports, Konyukhov set off at 9:15 a.m. on December 22, 2013, from Puerto Montt, Chile, solo piloting a carbon fiber kayak named “Turgoyak,” built in a British shipyard, preparing to cross the Pacific to Australia. The kayak has a displacement of only 200 kilograms. Konyukhov carried freeze-dried food and 200 liters of bottled fresh water, spending New Year’s Day of 2014 on the boat.
It is reported that Konyukhov sailed 50 nautical miles per day, with an average speed of 350 nautical miles per week. His only means of communication with the command center in Moscow was a satellite phone. Konyukhov’s son, Oscar, who also organized the expedition, said: “In fact, my father had to work frequently, but would take a one-and-a-half-hour break after every two hours of work. In the ocean, you have to keep working non-stop—if you sleep or stop, the waves will push the boat back. So the main task is to keep rowing continuously.”
17,000 kilometers in 160 days
The journey was fraught with danger; Konyukhov once faced 6-meter-high waves, with tons of water crashing over the cabin, causing the kayak to sink halfway. He admitted that the Atlantic Ocean, which he had crossed many times, was much calmer than the Pacific, and he felt like he was “on an American roller coaster.” After enduring countless hardships, at 1:13 p.m. Australian Eastern Time on May 31, Konyukhov finally completed the epic solo Pacific crossing without any assistance, arriving safely at Mooloolaba Port near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, without stopping at any ports along the way.
The London-based International Association of Rowing on Water announced that Konyukhov took a total of 160 days to cross the Pacific, covering 17,000 kilometers, setting an unprecedented new world record. The association stated that the previous best record for a solo Pacific crossing was 273 days, set in 2001 by British navigator Jim Shekhdar, then 52 years old.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called to congratulate Konyukhov on his success and wished him further achievements. Russian Ambassador to Australia Mikhail Molotov, who hosted a welcome ceremony for Konyukhov at Mooloolaba Port, read out the president’s congratulatory message.
It is reported that Konyukhov’s adventure schedule extends to 2015, during which he plans to sail along Columbus’s route. He also intends to establish an International Travelers’ School in Moscow Oblast to pass on his experience to the next generation and train future explorers of the Earth.