21 February, 2004 in All Saints Church in Moscow the Te Deum for the team success was managed.

So, the Expedition of the National combined team will start soon - February, 25 - to Himalaya for the first climb to Mt. Everest via the center of the North Face. That'll be the third big Russian expedition after the previous two - Everest in 82 and Kangchenjunga in 89.

The press conference of team members took place February, 20 in Moscow. All participants of the expedition, sponsors of the project, guests of honour , veterans and
representatives of mass-media were there.

THe best high-altitude climbers will take part in the expedition. THe heart of the team are climbers who were in Lhotse Middle (8414 m) expedition in 2001. 9 climbers reached the top of the last unclimbed 8000-er that year. It was the great event. This climb was the nominee in Piolet D'Or 2001

All events of that expedition showed in "Russian 8000-er" film by VIctor Kozlov and Pawel Kadushin. Climbers filmed all process up to the top - it was very difficult at such altitude. This film became the finalist in BANFF Festival in 2002.

All climbers were awarded by state awards for the LHotse Middle climb - Ordens and Medals.

The project began been preparing since June 2001.

This's the members list:

• Victor Kozlov (Moscow)- the head and the organizer of the expedition, the head of the film group.
• Nickolay Cherny (Moscow)- the senior coach
• Serguey Shakuro (Novokuznetsk)- cameraman
• Igor Borisenko (Moscow)- cameraman
• Vladimir Kuptsov (Moscow)- photocorrespondent
• Serguey Bytchkovsky (Yekaterinburg)- doctor
• Eugeny VInogradsky (Yekaterinburg)- climber
• Yuri ERmachek (Yekaterinburg)- climber
• NIckolay Zhilin (Yekaterinburg)- climber
• Victor Bobok (Moscow)- climber
• Victor Volodin (Moscow)- climber
• Yuri Koshelenko (Rostov-Don)- climber
• Andrew Mariev (Togliatti)- climber
• Pawel Shabaline (Kirov)- climber
• Iljas Tukhvatullin (Podolsk)- climber
• Gleb Sokolov (Novosibirsk)- climber
• Piotr Kuznetsov (Кrasnojarsk)- climber
• Vladimir Arkhipov (Кrasnojarsk)- climber
• Alexey Bukinitch (Sochi)- climber
• Alexander Pjatnicyn (Rostov-Don)- coach

There will be 6 videocameras in the expedition. THe Incoma company will provide the TV bridge from the end of March. The Marsat company provides terminals and traffic for the team information. Iridium company also provides two terminals and traffic . THe company NTV+ provides the TV programs from the Base CAmp on TV.

The clothes, sleeping bags, bagpacks are made by RedFox company. (Saint Peterburg)

Nickolay Cherny (the senior coach) about member's experience:

Eugeny Vinogradsky climbed Everest 5 times, 4 times he stood at the top, one time till 8300.
Pawel Shabaline and Iljas Tukhvatullin are well experiences technical climbers, did 10 routes to Ak Su.

Piotr Kuznetsov, Vladimir Arkhipov and Gleb Sokolov together with Krasnojarsk team realized the highest grade climb - the new route to Peak Pobeda via Peak Armenia.
Yuri Ermachek climbed Khan Tengri last August (Kuzmin route).
Eugeny Vinogradsky climbed Cho Oyu this Autumn.

Yuri Koshelenko with Valery Babanov climbed Nuptse East. They were awarded the Piolet D'or 2003 for that climb.
Alexey Bukinitch - the yongest member of the team. He's 22 years old, he's the protegee of Yuri Koshelenko. Alexey is well technical experienced climber, and has summited 7000-ers.

So, this team is well prepared to the such purpose. I wish them be carefully and healthy.

Yuri Koshelenko :

During the second recoinnaissance in the Spring 2003 I understood how serious this rou te is. This is ice route. The Wall length - about 2,5 km. Very difficult rocks in the lower partв of the route. The most difficult - between 7900 and 8700. There are rocks which stopped all other attempts. If we'll climb it, we'll reach the top, because the rest part of the route isn't technical... only altitude... The first group of our expedition will try to climb without supplementary oxygen.

I d'like to ask you to write us, because your letters will support us, it's very important. - we'll be so far from you...

Piotr Kuznetsov (he climbed Mt. Everest twice - one time via the classic route, and next time - the first climb of the new route):

The altitude won't be the main difficult, but the rocks in the upper part. All decisions about the route and tactics will be assumed during the climb. Russian team managed the attempt of the first climb of the new Everest route 8 years ago. There are 15 routes on this Mount. We hope to climb one more - number 16. It'll be the most difficult...

Eugeny Vinogradsky (the legend of Soviet and Russian Mountaineering):

The main difficult - rocks at the altitude. When I saw this Wall for the first time, I began to want to clmb it at once... The huge, grandiose, beautiful Wall at the highest Mount. Our team is very strong. We promise to do our best to climb the new Russian route to Everest.

Ijas Tukhvatullin :

The most of members are well experienced in technical climbs. Last summer I and Pawel Shabaline climbed the North Face of Khan Tengri. That wall had conditions close to the Everest North Wall. Sure, that experience will be useful for us, and we 'll solve the problem of the upper part of the Wall.

Edward Myslovsky (the former President of Russian Mountaineering Federation, the member of Everest Expedition in 1982):

This team is realy national team of Russia. THis's our third big HImalaya expedition - after two soviet expeditions in 1982 and 1989. I'm very proud of Victor Kozlov - his efforts in organizing the expedition are great! Sure, our climbers will reach their goal! We'll look after the expedition events. Yes, the North Wall is very serious. Very difficult rocks. It'll be the problem.

Yesterday in Nepal Ambassy some Russian climbers were awarded the medals in honour of the first Everest climb . THere are 66 RUssians who have climbed Mt. Everest. We are very pleased to Nepal - this state permits us to climb to Himalaya summits.

Suman Pandey (the President of Nepal Tour companies Association):

I'm happy to foward words with wishes of luck to Russian combined team from Nepal Ambassador in Russia, and also to all Russian climbers! We're proud og their achievements in Himalaya.

Andrew Volkov (The President of Russian Mountaineering Federation):

This team is high experienced. I think we couldn't find the team better than this one....

Vladimir Kavunenko (Honoured Master of Sports, Honoured Rescuer of Russia):

I think these guys will climb this route - the center of the North Face. Victor Kozlov's efforts are great! And I'm very pleased to all sponsors who support this project.

Alexander Glushkovsky (The head of RedFox company (Outdoor equipment):

This team is no less strong than soviet combined teams in 1982 and 1989 , and may be, stronger... God bless you!

Nataly Kuzmina (climber from 1949):

I think about the first Russian Himalaya team, which was ready to do the first climb to Everest from Tibet in 1959. They are really ready, but the political situation didn't permit to realize that. I'd like to wish our climbers to be safe and sound and to returne back after th expedition.

Olga Kozlova (the wife of the head of expedition):

Dears! We wish you fine weather! And we're waiting you return home and will meet you in Sheremetevo in June!

17 February, 2004

A combined team of Russian climbers supported by Russian Mountaineering Federation is going to make the first ascent of Mt. Everest's North Face via the center.

The Expedition tflyes from Moscow on February, 25. The team consists of 20 persons, 13 climbers among them. Somebody of them were the members of the team successfully summited the last world inclimbed "8-thousand" - Lhotse Middle (8414 m) in 2001.

The leader and the organizer of the expedition is Victor Kozlov, the senior coach is Nikolay Cherny .

The list of members of the expedition will be announced at the press conference on February, 20, which will take place in World Trade Centre, Moscow.

All members will go to the press conference from the different cities of Russia, and sponsors of the project, guests of honour and representatives of mass-media will be also there.

The special attention was given to the preliminary preparation of this expedition. In May, 2002 the small group had made the reconnaissance - they came to the bottom of the North Face, having planned a line of the future route to the summit of Everest. In the spring of 2003 the second reconnaissance party had climbed via the center of the North Face up to 6800 meters.

The expedition dates: February, 25 - June, 9

The unique ascent is possible!