Dunedin is set to be the launch point for a world record attempt to row the Southern Ocean and around Cape Horn. Russian adventurer and Orthodox priest Fedor Konyukhov will touch down in the city in early November to prepare for the feat.

Following a successful world-first endeavour in 2014 to row from Chile to Australia without stopping, Konyukhov, who is also the first and only person in the world to have reached the five extreme poles on earth so far, is looking to once again make history.

The decision to depart from Dunedin centred on a number of factors, including positioning in relation to Cape Horn, which allows for a direct and comfortable route to be taken. Perhaps more auspicious is Konyukhov’s connection to the albatross, who are often his companions during long ocean passages in the Southern Ocean.

“I heard about Dunedin because of the Albatross Centre and for me the albatross is a symbolic bird, always in the air, always where the strong winds are.

“In heavy weather when all birds hide, the albatross is soaring,” he said.

With an impressive biography of achievements and accolades, the accomplished artist, author and environmentalist, will take to the seas in a specially-designed ocean rowing boat built by UK based company Rannoch Adventure.

Over 50kg of freeze-dried food supplied by NZ company Radix will be required to keep Konyukhov healthy throughout the journey, which is anticipated to take 110-130 days.

The project has been brought to fruition with the assistance of Enterprise Dunedin’s Business Relationship Manager Des Adamson, who has been liaising with Konyukhov’s project team since April this year.

“It’s not every day that a request like this lands on my desk, and once I found out more about Fedor’s background, I was completely fascinated and keen to help get the project off the ground here.

“As ever in Dunedin, this has been a collaborative effort, and it’s with the assistance of local supporters that we have been able to source equipment storage and accommodation for the project team,” he said.

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