VII International Elbrus Race, Aug, 31, 2012.
"You can’t race any higher In Europe!"
The view from the Mount Cheget, Aug, 27, 2012
The annual competitions for Elbrus speed climb - International Elbrus Race –were held in August 26-September 2, 2012. The Race, whose goal is to climb the top of highest Europe peak, is not only a great sporting event, but also a pleasant event in the area of Mount Elbrus - wonderful holiday in mountain region of Kabardino-Balkaria. These international competitions each fall are a good holiday for both athletes and locals, as well as a source of positive news from the Caucasus. The Race to the top was in August, 31. This year's awarding ceremony was in the Republic day, which was celebrated in the Kabardino-Balkaria on September 1.
Judges and organizers
International Elbrus Race fairly well known both in Russia and abroad. The event get the great support from the Government and the Ministry of Sports of the Kabardino-Balkaria, and also the Mountaineering federations of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Azerbaijan and others. Since 2005, the competition was attended by athletes from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, the United States, Italy, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Georgia, Germany, Sweden and Bulgaria.
"Let’s do the good news from Caucasus!”
This year the competitions were held for the seventh time. The first race was held in 2005. Since 2006, the competitions are held in two classes (routes) - from the foot to the top of Mount Elbrus (Azau) till the West top (2400 m – 5642 m), that route named Extreme. And the route from the Barrels to the West top (3708 m-5642 m) – Classic route.
The speed climb from the bottom to the top of Mount Elbrus is always the great sporting achievement. The International Elbrus Race athletes were the first, who risked to run the Extreme route on the competitions in 2006. The result, achieved by Denis Urubko from Kazakhstan (3 h 55 min 58 sec) then became the sensation. The locals, who lived in Baksan Valley, came to shake hands of that magnificent athlete – Caucasus men respect those who are strong in the mountains. Svetlana Sharipova (Kazakhstan) was first among women on Classic route. Her result (3 h 21 min) is still a record since 2006.
In 2010, the phenomenal results achieved by Polish athlete on the route Azau – Elbrus West top. The women tried this route for the first time. Ukraine lady climber Maria Khitrikova and Polish lady climber Ola Dzik. Ola to the top in 5 HRS 04 min. The result of the young Polish guy Andrzej Bargiel set the world record – 3 HRS 23 min, and is this till now. The organizer and the head of the Polish group well-known Himalayan mountaineer Artur Hajzer went to International Elbrus Race in 2010 with youth mountaineering team to train it before the high-altitude ascents (and Polish winter Himalayan program). His task is to build a strong young team similar to the Polish strong team in 80-s. Elbrus speed climb is a good opportunity to test your endurance before going on a real high.
Awarding ceremony was held Sep, 1, 2012 in Azau. Nick Shustrov (the Director of Top Sport Travel company and the organizer of International Elbrus Race), Abdul Halim Elmezov (the president of the mountaineering federation of Kabardino-Balkaria), and Tahir Mollaev (the head of the Tourism Department of Elbrus National Park) greeted the athletes.
Diplomas and the prizes for winners from the Ministry of Sports of Kabardino-Balkaria were presented by Abdul Halim Elmezov (who climbed Everest twice). Athletes were awarded by the medals and prizes from General sponsor NPF BASK and the sponsor Tramontana outdoor shop.
Anton Proshenko (Omsk, Russia) was the first, who reached the top via the Classic route. His time was 2HRS 28 min 2 sec. He set the new record on this route in International Elbrus Race. A brilliant achievement! (the previous record belonged to Andrew Puchinin from Almaty -2 HRS 34 min 33 sec).
Judges on the Elbrus West top, 9 am, Aug, 31, 2012
Anton is running about the top
Last meters...
Finishhhhhh...!
Number 55 has done their task!
The first congrats
Yes!
Just beyond Anton, the next athlete – Kazakhstan climber Aggey Scopin – reached the top via the same route. His result was 2 HRS 31 min 35 sec. Aggey debuted in these competitions, but has a great experience of speed climbing in Kazakhstan. He was for the first time in the Caucasus.
Aggey is close to the top
Some more meters...
And more...
The last push...
And he's on the top!
Two athletes, nice guys, new record setters
Aggey on awarding ceremony
And the judge is already signaling for the next runner...
Victor Kamarichev, the judge on the top. It's cold!!!
Third, who run to the top, was Roman Gubanov (Teberda, Russia), who ran a long route from Azau (Extreme route). He became the winner in that class. Roman improved his previous result on that route – now his time was 4 HRS 31 min 11 sec ( and he run 4 HRS 53 min in 2008).
Roman summiting
Roman on awarding ceremony
The fourth who reached the top was young climber Rafael Ramazanov (Ossetia, Russia), he run classic route. His result was 3 HRS 31 min 55 sec. The third place in the competition is an excellent result for the beginner! Rafael is 21 y.o., and maybe he’s a future Champion at Elbrus Races...
Rafael Ramazanov, 21.
The flag on the top. The weather's turned extremely bad...
Hot tea on the top
Rafael on awarding ceremony
Then the weather on the top turned extremely bad, very strong wind. The judges, who were on duty at the top, found conditions impossible for the competitions. So, the remaining members finished on the col between the Eastern and Western peaks or on the part between the West top and the col. The height achieved by athletes, in this case, was assessed visually by the judges.
The judge and Alexander Igumnov (the fouth on Extreme route)
Vadim Nazarenko (Ukraine). The fouth on the Classic route
Judges camp on the col
The best result among women on Classic route got by Olga Mikheenko (Omsk, Russia), the second by Tatyana Krivosheeva from Ukraine, the third by Olga Rzhavskaya (Russia). The fourth was a Chinese woman from Sweden Mei Wen.
OLga Miheenko
OLga Rzhavskaya
The second man on the Extreme route became Ivan Moshnikov (Saint Petersburg, Russia), the third – Alexander Sidorenkov (Smolensk, Russia). The final report posted on the competition website http://www.elbrusrace.com
Alexander Sidorenkov, the third on Extreme route
The oldest participant on the VII International Elbrus Race was Boris Korshunov – he selebrated his 77th birthday in the day of the race on August 31! And it was the day he climbed Elbrus in 77th time! This event was the point of interest for MEDIA – the reports were made by ITAR TASS NEWSWIRE and Government TV channel. Boris’ excellent sports form and an amazing biography made a deep impression on television crew. Boris participates in Elbrus Races since 2006, this race was the 5th for him. Participants who saw how Boris run the route, admired him. Boris is a well-known high-altitude mountain climber –and also permanent participant of ski marathons, soame years ago he won the European title The Iron Man for the victory in a series of ski marathons in her age group.
Boris Korshunov with gifts on his Birthday (Barrels, Elbrus, Aug, 31)
BTW, the athletes and the judges of International Elbrus Race rescued the climber, who they found on Elbrus slope not far from the top. The Fillipine mountaineer, who climbed with 7 summits guide that day, felt bad and couldn’t descent by his own. He had symptoms of Cerebral Oedema and needed the help, because could die very quickly at that altitude. Going down from the top to the col, the winner Roman Gubanov saw Fillipine climber. Together with the competition judges (the most of them are the high-experienced mountain guides) - they could not indifferently walk past, so they provided first aid to the climber and transported him down. The participant of competition, Olga Rzhavskaya (a former Rescue Service doctor) made injections of dexamethasone to the patient. It was good luck to that climber that he had been met by that strong and experienced team with the enough aid kit!
Then all safely descended to the Barrels.
OLga made the injection
Organizers of International Elbrus Race (2005-2012) Top Sport Travel (Nicholas Shustrov ) and www.Russianclimb.com (Elena Laletina )
September, 2012
The General sponsor
sponsor
Follow us on the eighth International Elbrus Race in September, 2013.
The official site: www.elbrusrace.com
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