31.3.2008
Donbas Alpinists plan to conquer Mount Everest

To show the respect to miners’ work Alpinists intend in Spring 2008 to rise the Donetsk region flag, streamers with sponsors’ logos, symbols of miners’ work, capsules with names of those, who supported this project and pieces of coal extracted from the region mines to the highest top of the universe – the ascent of the Mount Everest (8848 meters).

Training of the First Donetsk Himalayas’ expedition participants was held on the rock place for training near Zujivka village. Also, there were competitions in alpinism technique “In honor M. Turkevych”.
1982 fellow countryman Mykhaylo Turkevych amalgamating with Soviet Himalayas expedition at the first time made an ascent of the Mount Everest. During 25 years nobody out of Donetsk residents was able to repeat such a sport achievement.

This time the leader of the expedition will be Serhiy KOVALYOV – International Master of Sports, repeated Champion and prizeman of the Championships of Ukraine, Russia, CIS, participant and leader of 10 Himalayas expeditions. Beside him, Oleksiy LYKOV, Oleh PALIY, Igor STOROZHENKO and doctor of the expedition will conquer the top.

During trainings in Zujivka village the head of RSA coal industry government ANATOLIY VOVCHENKO pointed out that “miners can solve each task. Miners are the basis of the energetic safety of Ukraine”.
 

The RSA head of physical training and sport Viktor KIRBABA speaking to journalists said “RSA chairman Volodymyr LOGVYNENKO and region council chairman Anatoliy BLYZNJUK supported the initiative to conquer the Mount Everest, and that was confirmation of that the physical training and sport are of a great importance in the region”.

 

By the way, Donetsk region Federation of alpinism and rock climbing celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Donetsk region by the number of ascents to the world mountain summits.
In January 2007 14 sportsmen conquered the highest peak of the Ukrainian Carpathian – the Mount Hoverla (2061m);

In March 5 sportsmen of the region alpinism team conquered the summit of Mont Blanc (4810m) – the highest peak of the Western Europe;
In May 2007 2 sportsmen together with the First Donetsk Himalayas’ expedition conquered the “eight thousand-mountain” Shysha Pangma (8021m);

These actions ended with mining “Elbrus conquering”, during which 75 Alpinists conquered the highest peak of Europe – Elbrus (5642m) in honor of the Miners’ Day 60th anniversary and 75th anniversary of the region.