Piolet D'Or Russia 2009

The best climb 2009

6 December, 2009. Piolet D'Or Russia 2009 was awarded yesterday to Alexander Ruchkin and Mikhail Mikhailov for their Minya Konka massiff climb in China.

The award ceremony will be in Moscow, Dec, 5.

2 December, 2009. The expert council have announced the nominees of Piolet D'Or Russia 2009:

1. Peak 6134 м, Minya Konka massiff, China
First climb, А2, 6b-6c
Alexander Ruchkin - Mikhail Mikhailov

2. Peak Verny (Cathedral), 5250 m via center of NW Face, Kyrgyzia, Tien Shan. First climb, appr. 6B Russian grade

N. Bandalet, D. Golovchenko, A. Malakhovsky, S. Mikhailov, S. Nilov.

3. Peak Pobeda West, 6918 m via SW Face pilaar - Verbljud (Camel) gendarme, Kyrgyzia, Tien Shan. First climb, appr. 6B Russian grade. Gleb Sokolov and Vitaly Gorelik.

4. Pole (Tsar Throne) 2850 m via left side of West Face, Russia, Kodar. First winter climb, appr 6B Russian grade.
D. Veretenin, O. Pedenko, E. Bashkirtsev, E. Glazunov, M. Davydenko.

5.Kjerag via North Face , Norway
Fierst winter climb, appr. 6B RUssian grade. Galina Chibitok, Valery Ivanov, Alexey Lonchinsky, Ivan Dozhdev and Valery Shamalo.

6. Siguniang via NW Face, China. First climb, appr. 6B Russian grade. Valery Shamalo, Vladimir Molodozhen, Alexey Muryshev and Denis Sushko.

7. Pamir maraphon: Revolution peak, Communism peak and Lenin peak in one trip. (5b, 5B and 5A Russian grade) Routes: Revolution peak via rightSE Face (Zaidler, 5B), Communism peak via SE ridge from Bivachny glacier (Tamm, 5B), Lenin peak via W ridge from Mal. Saukdara glacier, 5a
A. Timoshenkov, D. Shabelin, A. Zharov, B. Savchinsky, A. Borobjev, I. Zhdanov, Andew Lebedev.

8. Varyag 2430 m., first climb, appr 6B Russian grade (we haven't the picture)
I. Sherstnev, S. Ljagin, A. Sinjushkin, A. Shelkovnikov

Organizers of Russian Piolet D'Or (www.alpfederation.ru)