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Elbrus Speed climb, 5642 ģ will be held on September, 14, 2006

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August, 22 2006 Valentin Baljukin (Perm region, Ural) will arrive to Elbrus - many years ago he "ran" to Elbrus West top from Verkhny Baksan (30 km from Azau, mountain bottom). Simeon Dvornichenko and Sergey Seliverstov from Bishkek (Kyrgyz Repuplic) will get excellent acclimatization - they have already climb Lenin peak, and now going to Khan Tengri. Guys from specialized group of mountain rescuers of Ministry of Emergency Measures CENTROSPAS from Zhukovsky City (led by Kurban Kurbanov) will participate in competitions too - just after the training course on Caucasus. Christian Stamgl (Austria) wrote today: "I tried to start training few weeks ago. Unfortunately I got again some problems with my frostbitten toe. Looking forward to climb next year in the himalayas or anywhere else in the world again I decided not to take part in the Elbrus speed climb in order to recover completley from my frostbite. I am sorry to give you such an answer. I am very curious about the winner time this year in September. Please keep me informed! best regards from Austria. Chris"

August, 17 2006 The strongest sportsmen continue their preparation for competitions in Elbrus Speed Climb which will take place on September, 14th. Those who are well-experienced  high mountains speed climbers, plan to run on the route Ązau - the Western top. Nickolay Totmjanin, the strongest high-altitude climber in Saint  Petersburg, trains in Leningrad region. Denis Urubko, the leading climber of Kazakhstan, having returned after rest on Sakhalin Island, is getting the good shape the in Tujuk Su. Maraphon  runner Sergey Surmonin is training in mountains of Uzbekistan. Lady climber from Almaty, the winner of many Kazakhstan runnings among women, Svetlana Sharipova has just climb Lenin peak with the CSKA team led by Sergey Samoilov. Andrey Puchinin continues project SKYRUNNER -  during the last month he has made high-speed ascentions already on three 7000-ers of  the former USSR - Lenin peak, peak Korzhenevskoy  and Communism peak. Now he has gone to South Inylchek glacier  - for Pobeda and Khan Tengri speed climbs.

Today Boris Korshunov  (he'll be 71 August, 31), has confirmed the participation in Elbrus competition. Certainly, it'll be hardly for him to compete with young, but he's very experienced person. As you can see, the list of members is magnificent. Sportsmen worry - struggle will be definitely serious, everyone hopes to win.

The route Bochki - West top (it is a separate class of competitions on September, 14th) is accessible for many sportsmen with sufficient climbing experience and the good athlet shape. Mikhail Pershin (St.-Petersburg), Simeon Dvornichenko (Bishkek) and others want to try this route. Organizers consider, what exactly this class will become popular next years.

Competition Organizers

TOP SPORT TRAVEL Company

Mountaineering Information Server WWW.RUSSIANCLIMB.COM

Goals and Tasks

  • Revival of the tradition of Elbrus annual speed climbing competition.
  • Development and popularization of sports climbing.
  • Attracting attention of the world community to the rich opportunities of outdoor recreation in Elbrus Region.

Time and Venue

Elbrus, the summit peak of Russia and Europe , is located in 12 km from the Main Caucasian Crest. The regular shape of the volcanic cone and slopes covered with glaciers at the elevation higher than 3000 m form a sort of a mountain stadium. The speed climbing path follows the classical route: Azau clearing - Bochki - Pastukhov's Rocks - Col - Western Elbrus . According to the multi-year statistics, the weather in Elbrus Region in the middle of September is good and steady, and probably there will be no extensive ice zones.

1.Registration and Briefing: 10.09.2006 at 18.00 at Itkol Hotel 

2. The qualification climbing to Pastukhov's Rocks 4800 m from Bochki huts will be held as follows:

  • Date:  September 12, 2006
  • Start: 11:00
  • Starting Place: Garabashi, Bochki huts, 3708 m 
  • Participants: everyone over 18 years old is admitted.

3. The speed climbing to Western Elbrus 5642 m will be held on September 14, 2006 in two categories: Extreme and Classics.

Extreme -

Start: 05:00

Starting Place: Azau clearing, 2400 m 

Participants: those who have experience in speed climbing and admitted by judges

Classics -

Start: 07:00

Starting Place: Garabashi, Bochki huts, 3708 m

Participants: everyone over 18 years old, who have passed the qualification climbing and were admitted by judges

The winners will be awarded at the starting place, Bochki huts on September 14 2006 15:00 .

In case of nasty weather on the day of the competition the organizers have provided for two more days, September 15th and 16th. The participants shall take it into consideration when booking return tickets.

Participants

Everyone who is over 18 years old who have paid 1000 rubles application fee rate is admitted to the competition.

The participants shall have the corresponding insurance and medical certificate proving that the participant has no limitations for climbing and sports.

Participation requests please send us by e-mail until September 1 2006 or by regular mail to the following address: Russia , St-Petersburg, 191123, Radischeva St. 40; OOO Top Sport Travel.

Until September, 11 2006 the requests will be accepted at the starting place, Bochki huts.

Competition Procedure

The preparation and the competition procedure are supervised by Top Sport Travel and Mountaineering Information Center www.Russianclimb.com

The competition procedure will be directly supervised by the guides and Big Jury.

Competition Program

  • September 12 - 11.00. Qualification Climbing to Pastukhov's Rocks 4800 m from Bochki 3708 m .
  • September 14- 05.00. Speed Climbing to the peak of Western Elbrus , 5642 m from Azau clearing

The competitions will be held in two stages.

1. Qualification (September, 12).

The participants who have passed the qualification standards will be admitted for the finals. The standard will be calculated from the starting time until reaching the section line, set for Pastukhov's Rocks. The participants are considered finished if they reached the section line independently and climbed down to the starting place not later than at 15.00.

2. Speed Climbing ( September, 14).

The time of the competitors will be defined from the starting to the reaching of the section line set on the top. The competitors are considered finished if they reached the section line independently and climbed down to the starting place not later than at 15.00.

In case of failure to climb down independently or return to the starting place after 15.00, the competitor's result will be canceled. The control section line on the col shall be passed before 12:00 , if the control time has been exceeded the competitor will be removed from the competition and he is recommended to start climbing down.

It is prohibited to use any transport, skis or somebody's help. It is also prohibited to use any performance enhancing drugs. Those who break this rule will be disqualified.

Winner Award

The winners will be defined by the best ascension time. 

Award and Prizes

The winners and the prize holders will be awarded with merit certificates and valuable prizes, established by the organizers and sponsors.

Terms and Provisions

Each participant shall understand that climbing to Elbrus can involve a certain risk.

The competitors will bear responsibility for their safety and health. The receiving party provides the first aid, transportation of the victims and the sick if necessary. The organizers shall check the route and in case of necessity arrange a rail support at the most dangerous paths.

The fact that a competitor goes for start means that his physical abilities and climbing skills are sufficient to cover the upcoming distance.

The competitor shall consider the real weather conditions and the status of the route of the upcoming distance.

The equipment used by the competitor shall correspond to the safety requirements.

The present terms and provisions can be considered as an invitation to participate in the competition.

Elbrus, the highest peak of Russia and Europe, is a well-known peak of the Caucasus. Its white-snow double-headed peak is beautiful not only as a geographical object, but also as a symbol of the high achievements, grand size, crystal pureness and triumph of its conquerors. Elbrus is located in 12 km from the Main Caucasus Ridge. A high-quality road enables you to get to the foot of the mountain from Mineralnyje Vody Airport, Pjatogorsk and the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, Nalchik. The regular shape of the volcanic cone and slopes, which are covered with glaciers over 300m high, form a sort of a mountain stadium. The speed climbing path follows the normal  route: Azau clearing - Bochki - Pastukhov's Rocks - Sedlo - Western Elbrus. During the high days of the Soviet climbing school, the alumnae of which still get the world astonished by their high results in climbing, Elbrus speed climbing competitions were held very frequently and were the elimination competitions for those who wanted to take part in serious expeditions to the Himalayas. In the post-Soviet era Elbrus is visited by a great number of groups of climbers and tourists, both independent and supervised by professional guides, but its opportunities as a mountain for serious sports events are used insufficiently. Meanwhile, in the rest of the world the highlands become more and more popular as a place for speed climbing, but with the routes with smaller altitude change, and thousands of sportsmen take part in the competitions (for example, climbing to Mont Blanc, , Mount Rainer, etc.).

In September 2005 TOP SPORT TRAVEL and Information Server for Climbers WWW.RUSSIANCLIMB.COM decided to revive the tradition, which existed before the 90s, Elbrus speed climbing competitions. The pilot event was successfully held on September, 15 2005. Now these competitions are held annually.

 

TOP SPORT TRAVEL (WWW.SKLON.RU) (St-Petersburg) is a company, which has 10 years of successful experience in organizing extreme journeys, mountain expeditions, ascensions in many mountain areas of the world, including dozens of annual Elbrus ascensions, water, horse, ski and other types of expeditions, mountain skiing tours, special tours for children and families. The company is headed by Nickolay Shustov, Master of sports in mountaineering, a participant of Elbrus speed climbing at the beginning of 90s (his record for the route 'Priut 11 - the Eastern Peak' was 2 h 12 min , the best time was obtained by a mountaineer from Kazakhstan, Anatoly Boukreev, 1 h 47 min)Information

 

Server for Climbers WWW.RUSSIANCLIMB.COM is a special web-site in English and Russian, which is well-known in many countries and publishes everyday news about the main events of the climbing world, expedition reports, biographies of famous mountaineers, stories, historical surveys and an extensive archive of photos of the mountain areas in the whole world. It provides the information support for the majority of the leading climbing projects in the CIS.

 

The competitions are purposely held in September. According to the multi-year statistics, the weather at that time in Elbrus Region is good and steady, and there should be no be no extensive ice section on the route. For the majority of people a simple climbing to Elbrus by a classic route is a dream, which is not so easy to come true, because in order to climb this not easy and sometimes severe peak, besides for a good physical training one should acquire strong mountaineering skills. The competition among the strongest high-altitude athletes, fight for the fastest covering the route from the foot of the mountain - Azau clearing ( 2400 m ) - Western Peak ( 5642 m ) is unique and challenging, because nobody in Europe arranges speed climbing competitions with the altitude drop for more than 3000 m . Such fighting will become a great challenge for the participants, as a usual climbing to the peak from Bochki hut, located at 3700m in average takes 7-8 hours, so the competitors have to cover the route from the foot to the peak practically running.

 

Western Elbrus, 5642 m Speed Climbing will be held on September, 14 2006 in two classes, Extreme and Classics.

 

Extreme Route: foot of Elbrus, Azau clearing, 2400 m  - Western peak (5642 m)

The names of the sportsmen who have registered to take part in Elbrus speed climbing on September, 14 in this class are well known all over the world and the results of their achievements are given in the information resources (Internet sites, sports magazines, television programs), who publish materials about their unique physical opportunities and exceptional virtue.

 

Nickolay Totmjanin (St-Petersburg) is a professional mountain guide and a Honoured Master of mountaineering sports. He is 5-time Snow Leopard. He has 16 ascensions of the highest, the sixth category (Russian Grade), and over 40 ascensions of the fifth category, six very difficult winter climbs, and more than 35 climbs to the peaks higher than 7000 m. - Communism peak (7495 m) - 7 climbs, among them one during 28 hours; Pobeda peak (7439 m) - 5 climbs, Lenin peak (7134 m) - 6 climbs (among them a speed ascension during 12 hours 46 minutes (BC - top - BC); Evgeniya Korzhenevskaya peak (7105m) -  8 climbs, including the speed ones and those held in winter; Khan Tengri (7010 m) - 8 climbs (one in 14 hours). In 2003 as a member of the Jubelee Expedition of St-Petersburg he climbed Everest, and it was the single climb without oxygen during that season. In 2006 he climbed Everest again without oxygen. In 2004 as a member of "Big Walls - Russian Routes" team he climbed  Jannu North FAce, which shook the climbing world. The mountain climbers ascended very sophisticated 700 meters vertical wall, the foundation of which lies at 7000 m. For climbing to Jannu the team was awarded with Piolet D'Or, the most prestigious award in the mountaineering. 

 

Denis Urubko (Almaty) is one of the strongest high -altitude mountaineers in Kazakhstan, a World class athlete, who has climbed the peaks of ten of 14 eight thousand meters high mountains of our planet, not using additional oxygen - Everest, Lhotze, Hidden Peak, Gasherbrum II (the speed climb for 7 hours 30 minutes and the descent for 4 hours), Kangchendjunga, Shisha Pangmu, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak (2 climbs, one of which was made via the new route on the South-West Face in duo in Alpine style, this climb was nominated for Piolrt D'Or. as one of the best climbs in 2005), Annapurna, Manaslu (2 climbs, one of which was made by the new route in duo in  Alpine style in spring 2006). He has received the title of Snow Leopard (he fulfilled the program (i.e. climbed to 5 seven thousand meters high mountains) during one season). In 2000 he became the winner of the speed climb Khan Tengri (7010 m), it took him 7 hours 40 minutes to climb to the peak and together with the descent it took him 12 hours 21 minutes. He has become a winner in the speed climbing competitions to the peaks of Amangeldy, Abay and Noursultan for many times.

 

Andrey Puchinin (Almaty) is a constant participant of speed climbing competitions in Kazakhstan. In 2000 he climbed the seven thousand meters high peak of Khan Tengri (7010 m) in 12 hours (together with the descent it took 19 hours 02 minutes), and took 3rd place. In 2003 he took part in Khan Tengri speed climb up to 6800 m and took 2nd place. In July 2006 he became the winner in the speed climbing competition to the peak of Noursultan.

 

Sergey Surmonin (Moscow) is a skier and marathon runner, who participated in 100 km supermarathons. In 2001 he climbed Khan Tengri (7010 m), in 2002 - the peak of Lenin (7134 m), and a year later he participated in a very interesting ascension to the peak of Khan Tengri, where he took 5th place.  In 2005 he climbed the peak of Evgeniya Korzhenevskaya (7105 m) and the peak of the Communism (7495 m), and in 2005 he climbed the peak of Evgeniya Korzhenevskaya at a glance without any preliminary acclimatization. In the mountains of Zailiysky Alatau (Kazakhstan) he became the prize winner in climbing to the peaks of Amangelda, Abay and Nursultan for many times. In July 2006 he took 2nd place in the speed climbing competition to the peak of Noursultan. He also took part in the expedition to Everest in 2006.

 

Svetlana Sharipova (Almaty) is a strong athlet from the Central Sports Club of the Army in Kazakhstan, a constant participant and winner among women in the annual speed climbing competitions to the peaks of Amangelda, Abay and Noursultan. In July 2006 she again became the winner among women in the speed climbing competition to the peak of Noursultan.

 

Christian Stangl (Austria) - In April 2006 he climbed West Elbrus from Azau clearing in 5 hours 18 minutes. The total time from Azau - the peak - Azau took 7 hours 12 minutes. On May 25 2006 he climbed Everest by the normall route from the North (from Tibet) from 6400 m without oxygen in 16 hours 42 minutes.

Classics-

Route: Garabashi, Bochki huts, 3708 m - Western peak (5642 m)Everybody who is over 18 years old, acquires the necessary climbing experience and passed the qualification climbing from Bochki huts to Pastukhov's Rocks, can take part in the competitions. This class with a shorter route has been provided to make the competition available for the majority of the participants.

 

The winners and prize holders will be awarded with merit certificates, valuable prizes, which were established by the organizers and sponsors. We invite athletes to take part in Elbrus Speed climb September, 14

 

Now athletes are preparing to the Elbrus speed climb. Pity, but Christian Stangl not confirmed his participation yet - he needs 10 days more to decide if he will climb. He sufferes from the frostbites which he got during Everest speed climb in May 2006. Chris was obliged to refuse from Lenin peak climb this July, which he planned before. . Perhaps, the Russian Emergency Rescue Mountain team will take part. Now the team begins their training course on Elbrus. Svetlana Sharipova has just climbed Lenin peak. .   Andrew Puchinin continues Skyrunner project - he'll climb p. Korzhenevskaya tomorrow. Denis Urubko is going to train at Kamchatka.

The previous race: ELBRUS RACE (5642 m ), September 2005


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