THE SECOND RUSSIAN YOUTH
EXPEDITION
TO THE NORTH POLE
The
second Russian Youth Expedition to the North Pole was completed
with magnificent victory. On April 22, 2009, in the morning
the team of seven girls and boys under the leadership of Matvey
Shparo and Boris Smolin hoisted the Russian Flag at the North
Pole. The participants also raised the flag of Moscow and
the flags of those Russian regions, the representatives from
which participated in this Expedition: the Republic of Chuvashia,
the Republic of Mordovia, Pskovskaia, Sverdlovskaia and Tomskaia
regions.
On April 16, 2009 in the evening
the Youth Expedition started from the Russian drifting Station
Barneo. The courageous skiers began their route from the point
with the coordinates: 89° N, 150° E. They had to travel 110
km to the cherished destination 90° N, the meeting place of
all meridians. The team needed less than six days to cover
this distance.
The sun, which never set together
with bad weather were predominating over the region of the
North Pole. The temperature dropped to -26° C with the wind
speed up to 25 m/sec. This frost can be compared with the
temperature -45° C without wind. Low visibility and frequent
snow storms complicated the life of the young explorers, but
the ice drift was always favourable and this allowed to make
one day ahead of the planned schedule.
Seven girls and boys were selected
on the basis of the results of the All-Russia Competition,
announced in December 2008. The team included young sportsmen
from six regions of Russia, one of the participants was a
teenager with hearing impairment, a student of the Moscow
Remedial School. Yuri Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow, sent the Letter
of greetings to the young participants.
The second Youth Expedition also took place in the Anniversary
Year – thirty years ago the Polar Expedition under the leadership
of Dmitry Shparo for the first time in history reached the
North Pole on skis. Our countrymen added a glorious page to
the history of the Arctic exploration. The names of the Russian
Arctic pioneer explorers, famous Russian and Soviet polar
seafarers, pilots, scientists are well known and recognized
in the world.