We think about Valera, about his wonderful family, we remember and mourn! Next to us was an absolutely stellar person, a world-class athlete, a real hero, and we could easily communicate with him. And we appreciated this and believed that nothing would happen to him, we believed in his caution, in his methodical nature, in his star...
Alexander Abramov: Valera has accomplished so much in his life... such a huge number of ascents and expeditions. I'm trying to remember everything. And I remember more and more. A huge number of achievements. Projects. Probably, a critical mass has accumulated.
Alexander Abramov: Once again, a reminder to everyone: mountains are not a toy. Be careful. Take care of yourself and take care of your participants. How careful Valera was. How much did he check everything 10 times... Please check everything 11 times.
VALERY ROZOV: "THREE THOUSAND VOLTS - AND MY FOOT WAS TORN
He is the coolest extreme sportsman in the world. Having collected all the records as a parachutist, I got bored. The main adventures were ahead.
... Rozov looked at us ironically - and we understood that this ice itself would not melt. Rozov needs to be liked.
A couple of hours later we parted as friends. We went to the editorial office to write our notes, Valery went to jump off the cliffs.
They looked after him and again did not believe: is this young man 51 years old?
BATMAN
- Your life is full of records. Was there a record for the number of hours without sleep?
Such records were set by a student preparing for exams. I really didn't sleep that night. Sometimes it happened during ascents. I have been involved in professional mountaineering for many years.
- We are aware.
There we had to work for two days without sleep. The last time was in 2008. We climbed Cerro Torre, this is Patagonia. Border between Argentina and Chile. We worked hard for 45 hours without stopping.
- How did you cope?
Are you sure you're from Sport Express? Not from a medical journal?
- So overcoming is our main interest. Everyone has their own secrets.
I have no secrets. If we talk about mountaineering, the most important thing is to maintain adequacy of perception under stress.
- Then tell me: how do people like you celebrate their 50th anniversary?
Trite. I jumped early in the morning.
- That's what we thought. From where and where?
From the cliff. It was a special jump. Actually, I've been jumping for 25 years, but it's never happened on my birthday!
- Why?
Born on December 26th. It's cold, it's windy. And here in the Alps I went skiing with my family. The weather is wonderful! How not to jump? Friends arrived in the evening. We celebrated and walked.
One day we came to see Fedor Konyukhov. He says: “I need a specific amount to realize such and such an idea.” How much and for what do you need today?
There is an idea for a jump in the Himalayas. World record for altitude above sea level. The previous record is mine - in 2013 I jumped from the northern peak of Everest, 7220 meters. A year later he went on exploration to the Himalayas. I found a great place, even higher.
- Much?
Five hundred meters. For serious mountains the distance is enormous. This is an expensive expedition.
- Shall we name the number?
Why make people nervous? Moreover, the numbers float. A sports expedition, climbing a mountain, is one thing. The other is a jump. Logistics are more complex and expensive, professional photography and video. Additional costs, considerable! The amount will not tell people anything - it will only cause a reaction: “Well, what requests...”
- When are you ready to break the record?
Yeah right now. Or in the fall. The Himalayas are the spring-autumn seasons. But you can see for yourself what is happening to the ruble. In a crisis, the first thing that is cut is advertising and marketing. Projects like mine.
- You have found a new point for the record. Is this the limit?
I'm sure there are points for jumping beyond 8 thousand meters! I can’t point my finger at the map yet: “Right here,” but I can guess where. Hard to reach place. The slightest mistake in logistics can become very dangerous. The idea is cool, but it doesn’t find a response.
- Maybe this interview will melt the sponsors' hearts.
Unless you write in the title: “We will urgently help our Batman - and new record Russia has it in its pocket!" By the way, no one has repeated any of my projects in the big mountains. They are unique.
AMPUTATION
- The scar on your hand is a memory of what?
About your own stupidity. In France I wanted to jump from a radio antenna. Got under tension.
- The famous case - when your body withstood 3 thousand volts?
Well, yes. You saw the scar, and I have these burns all over my body. From right to left. One foot was torn apart and the sneaker melted. The leg was mangled and two fingers were amputated.
- Why did you climb onto the antenna?
Nowadays this is irrelevant - people jump in the mountains, there are a lot of options. Previously, you were considered a baser if you jumped from all fixed objects. BASE is an abbreviation. Buildig - building, Antenna - antenna, Span - arched ceilings, bridges, Earth - ground. I just needed to close the letter "A".
- What kind of antenna?
Quite famous. I was in France for a competition. A local baser advised how to properly climb over a three-meter fence with barbed wire, where is the security... Later I called the hospital: “Valera, I forgot to warn you - you must immediately jump from the fence onto the stairs! Without touching the ground!”
- Just in time.
Exactly. And I climbed over, got dressed, got ready, and took up the ladder. That's all. It shook for a long time. He had no control over his movements. Then he fell flat - but was conscious. Feeling like I have become glass. I remember the thought: now I’m going to fall apart...
- Were you alone?
Three of us. I just grabbed it first. He shouted: “Hurry back.” I managed to jump back over the fence and passed out. They were already dragging me to the road.
- How did you survive?!
There was a low current - at a high voltage. It saved me. It was also lucky that the blow did not go from left to right. Not through the heart, it didn’t stop. But it could.
- Did you spend four months in the hospital?
Two. When the insurance ran out, they kicked me out. There was some money, friends chipped in. My wife arrived and we rented a room in Marseille for a month and a half. I was flailing about with crutches and bandages. It was very difficult to heal. Skin grafts one after another, five operations...
- Was your face injured?
No. But they cut the scalp - they took a thin muscle tissue for transfer to the leg lift. More often they take it from the ass - but then half a centimeter would be added. I would have to wear orthopedic boots.
- Is everything okay in the end?
- Does this somehow limit you?
Certainly! I immediately gave up on sport climbing. I loved this business. The foot has lost sensation. The leg is a push leg, I jump from it. It took me two years to adapt to new sensations.
- People who get into trouble with electric current discover unexpected talents in themselves.
They told me about this. I waited and waited, but it didn’t happen...
- What was the fate of your older brother, who infected you with a love for the mountains?
Tragic. In the late 80s, it was fashionable for climbers to fly paragliders. "Sports domes" appeared. The area is small, the dome is ellipsoidal, nimble. We bought them - but we wanted to use them not only as a means of salvation. After all, 90 percent of parachuting is what you do during free fall. Before the parachute opens.
- It's clear.
Here you can also enjoy the canopy flight. You accelerate it strongly, pull the rear lines and fly along the ground for a long time, transferring the speed from vertical to horizontal. It looked so unusual that everyone was captivated. Although technically they were not ready. And the brother crashed. On a low turn I crashed into the ground.
- Before your eyes?
Yes. I was downstairs. Let's not go into details, this is the hardest story for me.
“Many people would give up jumping after this.”
Why? If your friend died in a car accident, will you never drive again?
- But we would drive differently.
I also started jumping differently. The parachute was already a way of life for me. You won’t quit... By the way, about the accident. I'm used to speed, everything flashes. Because of this, for a long time I perceived the car as computer game. He drove, changed lanes from row to row, even if he was in no hurry. Basically, I didn’t wear a seat belt - that was some kind of nonsense! One day a friend was driving out of the airfield onto a country road. Speed - forty kilometers per hour. Ridiculous collision, not wearing a seat belt, impact chest about the steering wheel.
- Died?
The autopsy showed that the heart stopped. Since that day, no driver has been more careful than me. Belt, no checkers. Now I understand: not wearing a seat belt is the same as climbing mountains without a rope!
- Figuratively.
Okay, you can climb the rock - if your skill level allows. But without a rope, walking along a glacier with filled cracks is sheer nonsense! Because nothing depends on you. If you step on a snow bridge, you fall through and you die. There are thousands of such cases in the mountains every year.
EVEREST
- What mistakes did you go through when you first conquered Everest?
I jumped from a height of 7220. I did not climb directly to the top.
- And you didn’t want to?
It’s not that I don’t want to... There is high-altitude mountaineering. And there is a technically difficult one - climbing walls. Personally, I always liked the second option. Moreover, at that time, climbing Everest cost 65 thousand dollars. This money needs to be found, right?
- Logical.
You can’t say: “I still dream of going to the top. Throw in fifty dollars...” I don’t want to look for money for this! To work hard, to earn money, to put a tick - “I’ve been to the top of Everest.” And the current commercial ascents with oxygen do not appeal to me as a climber.
- Is it true that every climb to Everest is a blow to your health? Are people starting to think worse?
- Lost memory?
Definitely. This rise has an effect on the brain. Even after reaching a height of 7 thousand, it takes me two to three months to get in shape. Not sports - just getting back to feeling normal! But big sport does not bring health at all. Whether you ski or climb Everest. This is self-torture. Beyond the body's resources.
- One of the climbers told us that he was amazed at the number of corpses on Everest. Have you seen them?
No. The corpses lie closer to the top - 8300 and above. There is a "red zone". Have you seen the movie "Everest"?
There's a lot of truth there. Except that the behavior of the characters is sometimes strange - they walk around unbuttoned, speak in a normal voice, don’t cough... Yes, a camp above 6 thousand resembles a tuberculosis hospital!
- Wow.
Everyone is coughing, spitting, and can barely move. And in "Everest" they also organize some kind of disco. But overall, it’s accurately conveyed... So I’m talking about why bodies are not lowered from great heights. People are physically unable! The terrain is such that it is impossible to drag an uncontrolled body. This is done using ropes. Do you know how?
- No.
You hang ropes, organize the descent, and belay. And the route is long! It's one thing to walk with your own feet. Another is to hang ropes every 50 meters. If you didn’t manage to return during the day, you have a “cold night.”
- What is this?
Overnight without bivouac equipment. No tent, no primus, no sleeping bag. 99 percent - death. For all.
- To talk about the “tuberculosis hospital”. We remember how you jumped with a sore throat.
2004, Pakistan. Think about it: you are sick, with a fever. And you have to do physical work.
- Have you lost interest in what is happening?
It was important to hold out for 2-3 days. The height is not that serious, about 6 thousand. But the inflammatory process immediately develops. Especially pulmonary diseases due to infection. I was afraid that it would completely cover me, that the sore throat would go deeper. A comrade used cotton swabs to clean out abscesses in my throat... Well, jumping is a relief!
- Marvelous.
You are instantly teleported to base camp. This is better than two days of hard work on the descent.
Nikolai Valuev told us: “There are a huge number of cowardly boxers.” Have you met cowardly climbers? Or parachutists?
We often discuss this topic. Climbers of a good level are never embarrassed to say: “I’m scared,” “I’m afraid of this slope,” “the stones aren’t flying well”... This is normal! Fear is your ally - no one pretends to be a hero. It would look stupid.
Have you ever given up something, listening to your inner voice, just because “stones don’t fly that way”?
I had a project. I found a point in the mountains that was incredibly difficult. I already jumped in a wingsuit. Wing suit - do you know about this?
- The whole world knows, Valery.
This is essentially a real wing - with an upper and lower shell, air intakes. But I’m not pulling the lines under him, but they’re placing me inside the wing. I control the flight by warping own body. Feet, hands, whatever. But we need a vertical part.
- For what?
Then the suit will be filled with air and will glide along the horizon. And here the vertical part was very short, then the relief began. I was terribly exhausted from the mountaineering ascent; I couldn’t find the strength to pull myself together. And most importantly, it’s my son’s birthday.
- Refused?
By hook or by crook, citing the wind, the inability to film the jump well, something else... I rescheduled it until the next morning. So as not to ruin my son’s holiday if something goes wrong.
- Was your morning successful?
Since you and I are sitting and talking - of course! Did I remind you of Baron Munchausen?
- God forbid. What kind of place is this?
I will not say. The people who were with me still don’t know why they hung on the rock for an extra day.
AVALANCHE
- Does your situation often get out of control?
All it takes is a tiny mistake. Even in ordinary jumps, which I can do in the Alps several times a day, going up the “cable car”. Previously, mountaineering practiced analyzing accidents. We sat and remembered - who said what, who objected, why they didn’t get in touch. Everything, everything, everything.
- What was found out?
99 percent is the human factor. The stone did not come from the sky, it was always man's fault. In parachuting, it’s not so detailed, but they also sort it out. There is a fatality-list. The same conclusions: “overestimation of one’s capabilities”, “incorrect use of equipment in a given situation.” Not to mention improper installation.
- Have there been any situations that have gotten out of control lately?
Personal life aside, ha... We're talking about extreme sports, aren't we?
- Exceptional.
A couple of years ago in the Alps I climbed where I shouldn’t have climbed. I looked at the slope and thought: no need! December 31, half past four in the evening. I'm tired, it's time to go home. Everyone had already gone down, the festive meadow was covered - and I was eager to check in.
- Well?
I celebrated the New Year in the hospital, stretching. Comminuted fracture of the femur with displacement. Difficult to heal. I started jumping soon, but I limped for almost two years. Do you know the main problem of athletes?
- What's the problem?
You transfer the skills and psychological confidence from your sport to other types of activity. I train constantly, excellent coordination. But he’s not a professional at skiing! Childish mistakes arise from arrogance.
- Did your mistakes have consequences?
Somehow I jumped from a fairly simple place. I didn’t take into account the strong wind, I chose a new one, difficult line. Often you create a prerequisite - and a chain of inexplicable minor bad luck starts.
- So what happened?
It opened normally, but the lines got twisted. Didn't make it to the clearing. The wind blew it into a mountain river. I almost drowned! I floundered in the icy water for about fifteen minutes and became numb.
- Anyone will start to panic.
I have a good one psychological preparation. I have a huge set of emergency situations under my belt that I have already been through. And powerful gusts of wind, and twisting lines, and descent along icy rocks... For some, all this is extreme - but for me it is a natural habitat. Standard set of actions. It's hard when danger comes instantly. Here you are on the verge of life and death. The psyche may not be able to withstand it. If you fall in the mountains or there is an avalanche, there is a minimal chance that you will be lucky. But if you fly towards the ground at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour, there is zero chance. You understand: “That’s all...”
- You didn’t have this.
There were just such thoughts in the river. Pulls along the shore. The dome has gone under water and is dragging with it. And he is huge! With the last of my strength I grab onto some branches, they crumble, my hands are bloody. I feel like my fingers no longer obey. They don't shrink. I'm unable to fight. Instead of mobilizing, the brain gives the command to die: “Relax, in five seconds everything will be over...”
- How did you escape?
It was purely an accident - the dome itself got caught on a snag. If not for this, he would have drowned. I loosened the tension on the lines and ran ashore. I stood for half an hour, hugging the trunk, warming up. There is no one to blame but yourself.
- Why?
Elementary mistake. Base systems do not have a reserve parachute. You carry “sling cutters” with you. A sharp hook-shaped knife, with one swing - slam! - you cut off the lines. You free yourself if you are hanging somewhere. I dropped it a couple of days before the jump - and spat.
- Have a knife with you...
- ... the problem would have been solved in ten seconds!
-Are you a believer?
I am baptized, Orthodox. I can light a candle. But my relationship with the church is complicated.
- Why do you think this story was given to you?
I can't imagine. I try not to dig too deep. I have several similar stories. Like everyone who worked in the mountains.
- Someone else's story in the mountains that shocked you?
Anatoly Bukreev. It's a pity we didn't know each other personally. In the 90s he was a very famous figure among Europeans. Then there is the unfair attitude of the Americans who published the book. He was accused of leaving the group and not participating in the rescue. Although he had nothing to do with that one. None of the guides did this, but Bukreev climbed 200-300 meters from the camp several times, saving people... In 1997, he died in an avalanche in the Himalayas.
- The most ridiculous death of a professional climber in your memory?
Yes, any death is absurd! When I, young, first encountered the death of friends and acquaintances, I felt shocked. But even more surprising was the reaction of the people around: “Look what he did! Who does this?” It was perceived as an incident, nothing more. That is, while you are burning, you are a hero. If I cleaned up somewhere, all: “Who does that?”
-Have you saved anyone’s life?
Certainly. Like any climber who participated in rescue operations.
- Did the avalanche pass you by?
Never got in. I have a friend who survived two avalanches. The first time they dug it up. On the second I managed to pull the ring - behind my back there was a backpack with an inflatable rescue pillow. She pushes you upstairs.
- With such a pillow, avalanches are not scary?
Chances of survival increase. But an avalanche can easily be crushed. It will hit the stones. Or against a tree. Snow compacts with its own weight. In ten seconds it turns to concrete! You are digging out an avalanche that stopped five minutes ago. We have to break it! Try not to suffocate once you're at the bottom! There are tips on websites to “do swimming movements”...
If the snow is heavy, you won't move. Carries you.
HELICOPTER
- Everything could have ended in a mountain river. Under the antenna in France. Were there any other “borderline” episodes?
The rest, how can I say... “Technical”. In Kamchatka I jumped with two different parachutes, they have their own deployment system. First, a small one is thrown out - “jellyfish”. He is tied to the top of the dome with a three-meter rope. It inflates, the rope unwinds. During these three meters, it gains such speed as to pull out a large dome from the backpack.
- Reliable.
Yes. But because of the change of parachutes, I got it wrong. In one there is a “jellyfish” on the leg, in the other it is under the backpack. I grab my usual place - it’s gone!
- We just shuddered.
Can you imagine how I felt? Actually opened at ten meters! Saved by deep snow. Would you like me to describe what the earth looks like from above? At first you see that it is round. Then it becomes huge. Seconds later it flies towards you at insane speed. It starts from about two hundred meters. Extremely unpleasant.
- Didn't you break anything?
It worked out. The snowdrift arrived as if ordered.
- Do you remember every second in that helicopter that was rolling into the abyss?
Oh, that's right! I was still in a helicopter falling in the mountains! This is an interesting case. Based on the pilot’s actions, I realized that the guy was inexperienced. I couldn’t estimate the distance to the smooth snow sparkling in the sun. The glass slightly distorts the picture. I came in to land several times and ended up making a mistake!
- Collapsed?
We are in full uniform at the door, there is no wind. I see that we are falling like a stone from a height of fifteen meters. We were going to sit on a ridge, a not very wide ridge that ends in a steep, icy slope. At this moment there is a blow that makes you fly up to the ceiling. Everything inside freezes for a second. I think: wow, wow, lucky. But it starts tossing from one side to the other. I understand - we are heading towards the abyss!
- Did the helicopter linger on the edge?
No, the ridge turned out to be wider than I expected. The slope is gentle. I have it in my head that the abyss is right there, nearby. We suddenly brake. For the second time I think: wow, lucky. The pilot jumps out first, ha-ha... Silently, not helping anyone, he scratches through the snow. In a T-shirt and slippers, in which he flew from Sochi.
- Why did you run away?
I was afraid that the helicopter would explode. The door is locked. I'm following someone through the porthole. I have a backpack on my back and a climbing structure - I can’t pass. I look around - this Li-8 has a gearbox that rotates the propeller in the center of the ceiling. Fuel is dripping onto it, it is red-hot, the interior is filled with heat before our eyes. Kerosene fumes. It's like we're in a steam room! If there is a spark, it will explode!
- Nightmare.
I quickly undress, throw out my backpacks, get out... The mechanic broke down badly, then they carried him downstairs. The rest escaped with hematomas. Miraculously.
- Have you caught up with the pilot?
Well, the pilot... Where will he go? Days passed and they gave him boots and a down jacket. In general, it is not clear who allowed him to fly. I flew a lot in the Alps - there the pilot always wears warm shoes and a jacket. Under the seat of the NZ with a tent, sleeping bag, kerosene stove, minimal food. If it gets dark and he breaks down in the mountains, no one will come to him!
-Have you had any more adventures with helicopters?
In the 90s, the engine failed due to poor fuel.
- And what?
Emergency leaving. He landed on some kind of clearing. The helicopter is able to maintain control through autorotation. The main thing is that the pilot does not panic and, figuratively speaking, turns on neutral speed. I freed the propeller from the gears of the gearbox. Then the screw unscrews under own weight, the helicopter does not fall like a stone. But the landing is rough.
- What went wrong in Karachi, when you jumped from a hundred-meter building and almost crashed?
In Karachi... Somehow we focus on continuous problems. I have 11 thousand parachute jumps and one and a half thousand cliff jumps. In percentage terms, everything is great. I am a safe athlete in this regard.
CAPTIVITY
- How much does the wing suit cost?
About two thousand euros. I order almost every year. The wear and tear on the fabric is decent - I jump in the mountains. In addition, new models are appearing that improve flight quality by twenty percent.
- Where do you put the old ones?
There are houses. Sometimes I give it to friends. One suit was begged by a Serbian photographer. He has his own fitness club in Belgrade. I hung it there under glass, with my photographs around, which he took on joint expeditions.
- In flight - what does it feel like?
It's like you've been stuck in a hard place inflatable mattress. To open the parachute, you need to tense your muscles, squeeze a little. Otherwise I won’t be able to reach the “jellyfish”. This slows down the speed. The lower it is, the softer the parachute will open. If we talk about visual pictures, then it all depends on the type of jumps.
- How is that?
The usual one is when I just fly down. I look around, admire the scenery, and think about something. A proximity style jump is much more difficult. You lick the slopes, press one and a half to two meters against them, turn sharply first to the right, then to the left... Maximum concentration is required here. No time for landscapes.
- The most picturesque of them - during a “regular” jump?
Glaciers. Mountains. Jungle.
- And Kamchatka?!
No. Kamchatka is full of monotonous snowy volcanoes. The landing turned out to be spectacular. On the ocean coast, right next to the oncoming waves.
- You were the first in the world to jump into a crater in Kamchatka active volcano.
Well, yes. He flew into a two-hundred-meter crater between the active zones of the crater. Hot steam mixed with hydrogen sulfide came from there. You can't stay there for long. A terrible stench, my head was cracking for half a day. There was another danger as well. If, when opening the parachute, problems had arisen with the canopy and the twist of the lines, I could have fallen into a boiling acid puddle.
- Phew.
Perhaps the most vivid impression was one of the first cliff jumps. Venezuela, Angel Falls...
- The height is about a thousand meters?
979. This is the place that Conan Doyle described in the novel “The Lost World”. In the mountains there is always something blocking the view. A nearby ridge, for example. And there below you is an endless jungle. You stand on the top, twenty steps away from you water falls in megatons with an eerie roar... Fantastic!
- Have you encountered spiders or snakes in the jungle?
God has been merciful. I saw poisonous frogs - cute, colorful. You can't touch them. The most annoying thing was the wild bees. Like in the cartoon about Mowgli. The first ray of sun - and you are covered all over!
- And dichlorvos?
Useless. No insect repellent helps. It is important not to make sudden movements and cover your clothes. Bees don't bite. But if it gets under your shirt and you accidentally press it under your armpit, it will hurt. The jungle is a continuous, monotonous hum. Even at night. It's so dark you could prick your eyes out. And everything around lives on, not calming down for a second. Endless hooting, clicking, clicking, buzzing...
-...growling?
This didn’t happen, I won’t lie. We spent a week climbing Mount Autana, on the border of Venezuela and Colombia. When there was a quarter of the way left to the top, we turned back.
- Why?
The water has run out. You can't survive without it. The heat is below forty, the rock is like a hot frying pan. I jumped from the middle of the wall, calmed down, and a year later the guys came again to conquer Autana. So the Indians took two prisoners! They were unhappy last time.
- How?
They were photographed and filmed. The employees of the local travel agency who accompanied us rubbed in the snowstorm and egged us on, saying that every photo takes away energy, a part of the soul. Indians are naive and trusting. At the same time, they love money very much. They demanded a bribe. Then I managed to get out of it. But here they were serious. They pointed their weapons, the shaman appeared.
- In feathers?
No, in a T-shirt and shorts. With amulets around the neck. Absolutely inadequate - either drunk or stoned. He said: “Collapse the camp and get to the river. We will give up the prisoners when you pay the ransom. Ten thousand dollars.”
-Where were they taken?
To the village, locked in a hut. Three days later they escaped.
- Undermining?
No. Christmas came, the whole village got drunk to celebrate. The Indian who was guarding them went away somewhere. The guys broke out a couple of boards and sank it.
- Could you get lost?
Not really. The river where the camp was located is about a kilometer away. There's a boat there.
PYGMIES
-Did you get along with the natives?
There was a story in Papua New Guinea. We walked through the jungle to the foot of the mountains for a week. The pygmies were carrying equipment and food. They gave us a cook who mastered two dozen words in English. Funny guy. We bought him a ladle and a colander. I couldn’t figure out what to do with the ladle, so I immediately hid it. But I was delighted with the colander. I used it to stir noodles in a saucepan, which is what we mostly ate. For pygmies this is a delicacy.
- Really?
Roots, sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes - the whole diet. Pasta is too expensive for them, and rice even more so. And so, after stirring, he took out the colander, to which something was sticking. He sneakily licked it and put it back into the pan. A minute later everything was repeated.
- And you?
When they noticed, the colander was taken away. Soon a new misfortune - the guy caught a cold, a runny nose. They walk around naked. From clothes - only kateka.
- What is this?
Wild gourd pipe. Placed on the reproductive organ. If you are a respected member of the tribe, you can decorate the end of the kateka with bird feathers.
- How lovely.
Our cook is sitting, preparing dinner. He sniffles, snot like a river. There is nothing to wipe off with. We hold out the handkerchief - he doesn’t understand how to use it. He doesn't know how to blow his nose. He picks a bunch of grass and twists it. He turns away from the pan, wipes away this disgrace smeared on his face, and continues cooking... We decided to dress up the poor guy. They gave me pants, a T-shirt, and a jacket.
- Are you happy?
On the contrary, he waved it off. Barely persuaded. After dinner I went to my camp, about fifty meters from us. Usually everything is peaceful, fun, songs until the morning. Suddenly there is a noise, a fight. It turns out that he is not the most respected member of the tribe - despite his knowledge of English and cooking skills. A scandal began. They say he dressed up inappropriately for his rank! In the morning I was naked again.
- What about things?
The pants and jacket were gone. The leader put on a T-shirt. And they gave it a specially small size - pygmies are puny. And this one, with sculpted muscles, resembles a player from American football. It didn't bother him that his T-shirt was bursting at the seams. There was a strike there.
- What did you want?
Money - what else? We say: “We have already paid” - “We must add. Otherwise we won’t move.”
- And you?
They took it for show. The radios were for communication between us. We turned it on and shouted: “Police! Indonesia!” The western part of the island belongs to the Indonesians. The Papuans are afraid of them. They believed it. Plus they gave them jackets with team stripes. And to the leader, the main rebel, a guitar. The incident was over.
-Where is the guitar from?
A guy from Moscow captured it. I played in the evenings by the fire. The leader came and listened. He really liked Russian songs. He didn’t work himself, he only gave orders to his own people. Then he sat down on a hill, held the guitar with his left hand, and along the strings with his right: “Dr-ryn...” And thoughtfully looked into the distance.
- Has anyone from the expedition ever fallen for native girls?
God forbid! Yes, they are naked to the waist. But grimy, ugly. Outwardly, they are a cross between blacks and pygmies. True, I read that the pygmies from Papua New Guinea are an anthropologically unique nation. They don't look like anyone else. Cannibalism flourished there until recently. Maybe they still eat each other. During civil strife.
- Have you become familiar with the rituals?
Boar festivals are held periodically. They catch it, bury it, and make a fire over the carcass. Seated according to rank. First - warriors, strong men. They get fatter pieces. The leader cuts it off and personally hands it to everyone. The women and snotty children who sit at the back are thrown last, like a dog with a bone.
- Have you tasted it?
They didn't offer it to us. And I didn’t want to. Papuans eat themselves to the point of insanity, leaving nothing for tomorrow. Until they eat everything, they don’t disperse.
- What's the nastiest thing you've eaten in your life?
The worst thing is when the water runs out. Especially on high altitude where there is severe dehydration. Your mouth is so dry that you can’t swallow. You bite the snow, your throat starts to hurt, then a sore throat... Horror!
- Still, have you tried anything authentic?
On expeditions, food is standard. Light sublimates, no exotics. This is a restaurant where you can have a blast. Once in Southeast Asia I ordered grasshoppers fried in batter and some kind of cockroach insects. Did not like.
- Apart from the crater of a volcano, what is the smelliest point on Earth?
India. Land of smell. In the mountains it’s normal, but down below a disgusting mixture hits your nose - dirt, unwashed bodies, spices. The unsanitary conditions are such that a squeamish person will go crazy.
- What surprised polar Canada?
2002, expedition to Baffin Island. The mountains are low, growing straight from the ocean. The difference in the wall part is one and a half kilometers. The most difficult mountaineering climb.
- Who lives there? Eskimos?
Inuit! Eskimo in those parts is a dirty curse! Worse than calling an African American - a black man! I was amazed at how polar settlements are organized in Canada. The stores have everything, including fresh strawberries. Fast Internet. For a wedding, the state gives the newlyweds a snowmobile.
- Is it the main means of transportation?
No, they drive pickup trucks that park at electrical outlets. Those stick out from all the houses. The car has a spiral installed near the starter. Plug it into the socket - the engine is always warm... They sell alcohol once a week - on Friday afternoon. By evening, the entire village gets drunk and lies in a snowdrift.
- Is this a familiar state?
I’m not an ascetic, but I stopped loving strong drinks a long time ago. I prefer dry wine. I often train in Europe, and it’s everywhere there.
KONYUKHOV
-Have you talked to Konyukhov?
I even went on his expeditions. About ten years ago, he participated in the creation of extreme programs on television, traveling with Konyukhov as a cameraman. Fedor set a speed record and crossed the Atlantic on a catamaran.
- Is he a showman?
Doesn't look like Urgant. But some of his projects are mostly PR. I have a normal attitude towards Fedor. Imagine a standard ruler. On the left end it says "PR", on the right - "sport". The closer you are to one part, the further you are from the other. However, any sailing with a limited crew is an extreme thing.
- Did Konyukhov ask you about something?
I didn't ask any questions at all. He is not a curious person, he is completely self-absorbed. Reading his book, it seems that Fyodor is fixated on religion, almost a holy hermit. But in ordinary life this is not noticeable. When we got caught in a storm, I was pleasantly surprised at how clearly and confidently Konyukhov behaved. Apparently he is a professional sailor. I was of little use. Although he trusted me with the winches. Twisted when the sails changed.
- Have you crossed paths with Felix Baumgartner?
We both represent Red Bull, but haven’t had the chance yet.
- What did you think when in 2012 he made a record jump from the stratosphere?
The history of jumps from the stratosphere is rich and tragic. Ours have been practicing since the 50s. Someone died because the suit depressurized when the rocking cabin broke through the glass. Someone's latch froze, his helmet jammed, and he suffocated. To avoid fatal consequences, you need to provide for everything. But from the point of view of parachute technology, Baumgartner’s jump is nothing special.
- How would you react if you were offered to jump from the stratosphere?
I agreed. But I am more attracted to the sports component. But here everything depends solely on technical capabilities - insanely expensive.
- How much money did it cost?
A lot of. A unique spacesuit, capsule... Unfortunately, we have lost the technology of gel launches. If in the USSR they even launched gel balloons into the stratosphere, now we basically don’t have that. Only in France and in the USA, where Baumgartner worked.
- What question would you ask him when we met? You are not Konyukhov.
Baumgartner has never been involved in parachuting professionally. My experience is on a completely different level. In this sense, there is nothing to ask him about. But it would be interesting to chat about life.
Baumgartner has two tattoos: Born To Fly and 502, a number received from the American BASE Jump Federation. Do you have tattoos?
None. Since childhood, they have been associated with prison. And what to stuff? Everest in full view? A skier I know performed unsuccessfully at the Games in Sochi. So I pinned it on my biceps Olympic rings with one unopened.
- Funny.
I seriously thought about getting a tattoo in Florida. In the 90s I moved there to train all year round. In Russia, parachuting is an expensive pleasure. In the States it’s more accessible, and therefore the party is simpler. Hippie guys with long hair, earrings, stupid tattoos, like “Born to Fly”. I constantly communicated with them and decided to keep up. I went to tattoo parlors and leafed through catalogues.
- What were the options?
I didn’t understand what I wanted. Tiger on the shoulder? It's not that powerful. It will look ridiculous. I limited myself to piercing my ear. The tattoo is for life, but I took out the earring and forgot about it. After that, I immediately won the X-games. What was cooler than Golden medal World Championship! Yeah, I think the earring attracts good luck. I haven't taken pictures since then.
- Are there any points left on the map that you haven’t been to, but you dream of visiting?
For example, Alaska. I would like to return to Papua New Guinea. I haven't been in the mountains of Ecuador and Peru long enough. I'm planning to go there in the summer.
- It’s clear that you don’t bring magnets from your trips. And what?
Why? A refrigerator magnet is a cute tradition. Before that there were mugs and plates. In Africa I bought figurines of animals made of ebony. I brought kateka with feathers from Papua New Guinea. Not by rank.
- Someone took it off - as a sign of respect?
What do you! I wouldn't touch this one. Kateks are sold in souvenir shops there. A great gift for friends.
- What do you read on expeditions?
I have three e-books, but I haven’t gotten used to them. Just good old paper. When traveling, detective stories about Fandorin and Pelagia are great. Now I have discovered a new Akunin. His cycle “History of the Russian State” is brilliant! I have been interested in this topic since childhood. If Lev Gumilyov writes about the Tatar-Mongol yoke in such a way that you will struggle, then Akunin presents it in rich, accessible language. Lately I have lost interest in fiction. I don’t see fantasy as a genre. But suddenly I became a fan of Game of Thrones.
- Are you talking about the book?
About the film. Due to a broken hip, I didn’t go anywhere for several months and became hooked on American TV series. Today they are filmed with better quality than full footage.
- Have you caught yourself thinking that as you get older, you become calmer about things that should cheer you up?
You don’t get used to base jumping at all - there are always new conditions and well-being. I prepared for the Everest project for two years. Sometimes I would go to bed and remember where I was going. I couldn't sleep from excitement until the morning. Then again - and you embody it! Of course it's invigorating! An explosion of emotions!
- At what point do you realize that you are already 51?
I don't feel age. I'm worried that the pain is accumulating. The older you are, the more recovery is required. I'm not going to change my lifestyle yet. But if internal motivation disappears or injuries finish me off, I’ll finish. It's not scary. I take it for granted.
- The soul will not ask for adrenaline?
Adrenaline has nothing to do with it! I am a categorical opponent of this theory! Yes, it excites the blood when you are very worried or the self-preservation instinct is triggered. But for me this has long been a familiar feeling. I don't jump for them.
- Many people admire your courage. Whose are you?
There have been no idols for a long time. And courage is an abstract concept. There are just things that fascinate. Let's say kayak jumping from waterfalls. Or surfing. I can’t imagine how a person rides in a “tube”, inside a giant swirling wave?! In Florida I tried to master boarding and realized how difficult it was.
- Would you like to try a kayak from a waterfall?
No. To each his own.
Several hundred people gathered at the civil memorial service at the Zelenograd Cultural Center. Among the speakers at the funeral ceremony were, in particular, the President of the Russian Mountaineering Federation Andrei Volkov, multiple world champion in parachuting, organizer of the skydiving competitions held in Zelenograd Sergei Razomazov, first deputy prefect of Zelenograd Alexey Mikhalchenkov, relatives and friends of Valery Rozov. The ceremony was hosted by TV presenter Valdis Pelsh, who is known for his passion for parachuting and was personally acquainted with Rozov. He publicly took the initiative to name one of the streets of Zelenograd after Rozov.
Journalist Yulia Rychenko said at the memorial service that shortly before his death, Valery Rozov managed to write a book on which they worked together for five months. “He dreamed so much of seeing her, holding her in his hands. […] He worked on a book and devoted himself to this work, like any other project,” Rychenko said. She expressed hope that the book, which Rozov called “One Way Ticket,” will soon see the light of day.
Valery Rozov was buried at the City Cemetery in the Eastern Communal Zone of Zelenograd.
Valery Rozov
In 1988 he graduated from MIET and since then lived in Zelenograd.
Master of sports in mountaineering, which he has been practicing since the age of 18. Repeated winner and prize-winner of the USSR and Russian mountaineering championships. Made more than 50 ascents of the 5th “B” and 6th categories. Climbed the highest peaks in Europe, Africa, South America and Oceania.
Honored Master of Sports in Parachuting. Made his first jump in 1993. In total, he has more than 11 thousand jumps. Two-time champion world champion, European champion, multiple champion of Russia, winner of the World Cup in parachuting. Champion and silver medalist X-games in skysurfing, silver medalist of the World Air Games. World record participant (largest parachute formation - 400 people) in parachuting.
He has been involved in base jumping since the 90s. He is considered one of the founders of baseclimbing - jumping in a wing suit and with a parachute from mountain peaks and slopes. Made more than 1,500 BASE jumps. The author of the highest BASE jump height established in 2016 - 7,700 meters (the southwestern wall of the Cho-Oi mountain peak in the Himalayas). He also made the highest BASE jumps in the history of Europe and Antarctica. In 2009, he was the first in history to jump with a parachute into the active crater of the active Mutnovsky volcano in Kamchatka. In 2012, he flew in a wing suit across the Tatar Strait, separating the Russian mainland from Sakhalin Island.
Photos by Daria Kulpeka, Infoportal
December 20 - 40 days from the date tragic death one of the most famous Russian extreme athletes Valeria Rozova. He would have turned 53 on December 26th. Close friends of the base jumper, at the request of SE, told about him what no one knew.
Valery Rozov is a legend of base jumping. He jumped into the crater of the active Mutnovsky volcano in Kamchatka, set a base jump altitude record after a three-week climb to the top of Cho Oyu, crossed the Tatar Strait in a wingsuit... And this is only a tiny part of his achievements. Valery made his last jump in his life 40 days ago from Mount Ama Dablam in the Himalayas.
JUMPING WITH PINK IS A REASON FOR PRIDE FOR LIFE
Channel One presenter Anatoly Kuzichev is not a parachutist, but he has a lot in common with Rozov.
In the early 2000s, Valera and Maxim Malanchuk (a Russian base jumper who died tragically in the Caucasus Mountains in 2013 - SE note) had a small television production studio. They were already involved in various extreme projects, trying to convert their unique connections and skills into a successful way to make money. After some time, they agreed to do a small section about extreme sports in the morning program. That's when we met. In 2002, the section grew into the “My Crazy Friends” program. In it we talked about my incredible friends - Rozov and Malanchuk, and about many other equally strange and amazing people. It was an extremely interesting job - we covered everything from kayaking to base jumping. And our guests were the best representatives of these, then still exotic, completely unfamiliar sports. We also made a film in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Chomolungma - “Everest is the best gift to the Queen.”
Once Malanchuk and Rozov gave me a certificate for a parachute jump. I wanted to feel at least a drop of what these extreme sports enthusiasts experience. I even thought: “I know Rozov! Just jumping with him is already a reason for pride for the rest of my life!” But I didn’t dare. Firstly, I was afraid that the parachute would not open. Secondly, I decided that I should not be a parachute “skibam”. “Skibams” are people, skiers or snowboarders, who chase winter around the planet. From the Alps to the Himalayas, from there to the Andes. I was afraid that I would get carried away and not be able to stop.
And although I never jumped, Valera expressed recognition to me in another area. He gave me the biggest compliment of my journalism career. When creating stories, I came up with his own thoughts and impressions for him dozens of times. He was almost never one hundred percent satisfied and always edited my work. And once he said: “You know, this time you described better than me what I would like to say.” I've never heard anything cooler in my life. It’s very inspiring when incredible people like Rozov express their gratitude.
November. Himalayas. Photos of one of Valery ROZOV's jumps, taken on his mobile phone during the last expedition of the legendary base jumper. Photo from the archive of Valery Rozov’s family
The President of the Russian Mountaineering Federation Andrei Volkov was also a close friend of Rozov. The former rector of the Skolkovo business school and doctor of technical sciences told how he remembers the legendary base jumper.
We met at the USSR mountaineering championship,” recalls Volkov. - They performed on the “Free Korea” wall. We met in 2003, when I started skydiving. Imagine the difference between an Honored Master of Sports in parachuting and a person who masters this type of activity. But Valera communicated with me as with an equal - no snobbery. And two years later we were already jumping together and in 2005 we took part in the country’s record for a mass parachute jump. Now I have more than 150 climbs in 38 years and three hundred BASE jumps.
At one time I went with him on almost all trips. To Germany, Austria, Italy, Norway - where there are mountains and jumping walls. We read books together, watched movies, argued about the fate of our homeland. Usually, when we jumped together, Valera jumped first, and upon landing he gave his commentary on the radio. Sometimes he said: “Andrey, I don’t recommend it!” For me it sounded like a law - I stopped even thinking about jumping. He thus took on great responsibility - he assessed my condition, the complexity of the take-off point and the weather conditions. By the way, when I was the rector of the Skolkovo business school, Valera was a popular speaker there. He talked about how people make decisions in extreme situations.
Just imagining a jump makes any baser feel afraid. The athlete does not need to artificially bring himself into this state. But this is not panic, but a level of anxiety. In total I did more than 300 jumps. The first 20-30 cause real animal horror. Falling into the void is unnatural for a person. This is laid down at the level of psychophysiology. Even when I had 100-150 jumps, the sensors showed that at the moment I separated from the rock and opened the parachute, my pulse jumped. When you fly, you are like a bird. It's impossible to imagine. But there is no euphoria - you are completely focused and collected. The condition is like before an important fight. And after the jump comes joy. Everyone jumps just for the sake of this pure happiness.
VALERA'S JUMPING IS THE EDGE OF OPPORTUNITIES IN BASE
“One day,” continues Anatoly Kuzichev. - We made a program about a bass festival in Malaysia. Rozov and an even larger company of basers from different countries jumped from towers in Kuala Lumpur, the famous Petronas Twin Towers. One baser there did not catch the air flow. And the camera mounted on the helmet recorded everything. And how he hit the house, and how he then flew head over heels. How then he received many fractures. But the main thing is that he remained alive. Valera then calmly and in detail described what he did wrong, and what he did exactly right, which is why he remained alive. This meant composure and composure. It is often necessary to explain that extreme sports enthusiasts are not those people who rush to the mountains shouting: “Die, so with music!” This is not about Rozov at all. First, Valera studied the landing site, the takeoff site, and the weather. The level of thoughtfulness is incredible. With even a drop of carelessness, the first jump would have been the last. Walking out was the worst thing that could happen in his job. You need to motivate yourself. The slightest loss of spirit could lead to collapse. Perhaps he felt this, but he pushed away his lack of motivation. Although Valera has been doing this all his life...
On November 10, when the news of his death arrived, everyone was stunned. I lost a very close person. And he died where he had no equal. "How so?" - everyone had a question. Reply to this complex issue Andrey Volkov has it
“I have two versions of why the tragedy occurred,” he says. - First: jumping in high mountains is rare. The extreme sports enthusiasts capable of this can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I think Rozov was tired after climbing the seven-thousander. Valera had already been high in the mountains for five days. And at an altitude of more than six thousand meters, the body does not fully recover - it only expends energy over time. This could influence reactions and decision making. Although I saw photographs and filming. I can say that the separation from the rock was regular and error-free.
The second version: pressure differences and very rarefied air created an air gap. In ultra-high jump difficulty this could play a role important role. 85 meters to the “first shelf”. Rozov himself called these jumps “uncompromising.” In this case, you do not have the right to make any inaccuracies. This is the edge of possibilities in base. A maximum of seven or eight people do this. If only there were 600 meters of free vertical space, you could even do a double somersault, but there is no room for error! For Rozov, everything went well the first time, but on the second jump there was an unfortunate misunderstanding. The subtle influence of altitude and cold air was tragic. Although he did not make any serious mistakes.
Valery ROSOV. Photo from the archive of Valery Rozov’s family
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE TOO CAREFUL ALL THE TIME
“I once thought that Valera is an adult already, he is over 50,” says Anatoly Kuzichev. - At this age, athletes finish their craft. In boxing, reaction and speed are no longer the same; in football, endurance is no longer the same. And in BASE jumping the main skill is composure, the ability not to panic. This could have been done for a long time. But you can't be too careful all the time. The more jumps, the greater the likelihood of negligence.
Once we were in Italy, we had to move up the mountain. Together with the film crew, we distributed things, and I had the difficult fate of dragging the tripod. Brought to the mountains by my mother and wife, I dragged him for what seemed like an eternity. With difficulty I crawled to the top, and then the director looked at the panorama of the upcoming shooting and said that it was better to shoot handheld here. Throughout the trip, Valera later reminded me: “Tolya, you don’t need a tripod!” But then the guys gave me the “USSR Climber” badge. I cherish it like the apple of my eye, because they wanted to do something nice - it makes my heart ache.
I reproach myself that we have communicated so little lately. Valera was absolutely extraordinary. He cannot be perceived as a reckless parachutist. He knew how to listen, and it was always interesting to think with him. He had no ready-made stamps. If I were asked to draw the image of a real man, then Rozov would be a big part of it.
Valery ROSOV. Photo from the archive of Valery Rozov’s family
ROZOV WAS A PIONEER IN SPORTS
Valera expanded the idea of human capabilities, says Andrei Volkov. - He was a pioneer in sports. It was a tester! A romantic not towards mountains, but towards people, Rozov was an idealist. Valera jumped for the sake of the process! He just did it so well that jumping also allowed him to earn money. He was driven by a thirst for exploration. He tried, experimented and spent a lot of time on it. He read a lot and did a lot of intellectual work. Valera was his own instructor and analyst. Human laboratory! There are very few athletes with such self-discipline. Base was constantly increasing in complexity. Rozov raised the bar at such a pace that everyone around him could not stand it. We jumped together a lot, but at some point it became impossible to keep up.
The combination of the incongruous - idealism and prudence - made him a creative person. He created something new. And he was dedicated to one thing. He devoted his life to this. Rozov, regardless of circumstances and points of view, moved in one direction. There are few people capable of this.
Rozov was very worried when other basers spoke unflatteringly about him. He was a leader, and such people are always envied. Some criticized Valera for messing with newcomers like me. But we all, very different, rallied around him. In 2005, all these extraordinary people, his future friends, began to study with Rozov. Valera was a supermodel, and we followed him. And Rozov spent hours explaining and answering any questions. This altruistic teaching practice of his is amazing. Although at the time it seemed natural to us. This is what I value more than all majestic achievements. I started jumping at 43! This is madness from a domestic point of view! Only a reliable and sincere person can inspire this!
Valery ROSOV. Photo from the archive of Valery Rozov’s family
PAYMENT FOR A GREAT WORK
We really loved jumping in Italy,” continues Volkov. - After landing, we had a couple of glasses of Prosecco. Valera loved him very much. And two years ago we jumped from the Maglan wall in France. They came off well, opened up, and then I made a mistake and fell into high-voltage wires. They hung low above the ground, but I slipped between them, although the distance was a little more than a meter. I could have burned out. But Valera said nothing. He smiled, shook his head and that was it. Another would have burst into a menacing tirade, but Rozov never remembered this jump again.
IN last time we saw each other a couple of months before his death. I had a course in the Himalayas. Valera called when I was already in Kathmandu. He asked if I would like to join his expedition, since I had already acclimatized. I had to refuse - there was a lot of work, and I hadn’t jumped in a wing suit for a year and a half. Then I didn’t feel anything special in his voice, there were no premonitions. Valera was with his family, getting ready to jump, just trying out a new suit.
But we must admit, base racing has an end, just like mountaineering. Just like everything else. Either you stop or you continue. Sometimes you say: “I can’t stretch, I can’t reach the next height.” And he, despite his age, at 52 years old did what, in principle, he could not do either at 40 or 45 years old. Yes, technical means have objectively begun to improve. The costumes we jump in have become better. But it's just a rag! It will only work if you do everything right. Rozov shifted ideas about the maximum of human capabilities. But I don't think he was chasing death. Valera was aware of the risk of his business.
Rozov once said: “My big dream is to stay alive, live to old age and see my children grow up.” It turns out that it was not fulfilled. He sacrificed his dream. This is the payment for the great work that he did.
Few athletes are called legends during their lifetime. In most sports you can count them on one hand. Russian parachutist, base jumper and extreme sportsman Valery Rozov was a true legend, hero and idol. For more than 52 years of his life, he deceived death itself many times, escaping from its bony embrace. However, on November 11, Valery was unable to escape - a wingsuit jump from Mount Ama Dablam in the Himalayas turned out to be fatal for him.
Meters won
Valery fell in love with the mountains back in teenage years– He began mountaineering as soon as he entered college. However, conquering heights in itself fascinated the young athlete only at first. As part of the Seven Summits Project in the mid-90s, he climbed several key points in the world, including the summits of Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc and Aconcagua. However, even then rock climbing was not the only hobby of Valery, who had already discovered parachuting. For almost ten years, the extreme sportsman was torn between two hobbies - mountaineering and skydiving. At the same time, Rozov always wanted to climb Mount Rozov along the most difficult path possible. Climbing to the top of Everest with oxygen just to tick a box is not Valery’s style. His passion is to struggle to gain a few meters from a sheer cliff.
Help from the Championship. Valery Rozov
Valery Vladimirovich Rozov (December 26, 1964 – November 11, 2017) – Soviet and Russian climber, Honored Master of Sports in parachuting, base jumper, skysurfer.
World champion in parachuting (1999, 2003), winner of the European Championship, World Cup (2002) and X-Games in skysurfing (1998).
World record holder in parachuting (400-way group acrobatics and 100-way wingsuit). The first person to make a parachute jump into an active volcanic crater. The first person to BASE jump from Africa's highest peak, Mount Kibo. Holder of the world record for BASE jump height (7700 meters, Mount Cho Oyu).
The ill-fated antenna
Parachuting in its usual sense also quickly bored Valery, and already in the 90s, when almost no one had heard of BASE jumping in Russia, Rozov became interested in a new, dangerous, but so spectacular and nerve-wracking form of parachuting. And one of his first attempts almost became his last. If we take the English expression BASE-Jumping, then the first part is an abbreviation, short for “building, antenna, bridge, ground” - any self-respecting BASE jumper should jump from these four objects. Valery Rozov, in an effort to close the letter A, wanted to climb onto an antenna in France, but received a severe electric shock. The extreme sportsman spent two months in a Marseille hospital, underwent skin grafts and lost two toes. I had to forget about mountaineering. But Valery’s parachute did not release.
Jump into the volcano
Rozov eventually added the antenna to his track record, and more than one. However, this is not what made him famous. The world community recognized the athlete from Russia in 1998, when he won the prestigious X-Games competition in the discipline of skysurfing - a kind of Olympics for extreme sports enthusiasts. But what is extreme sports without a touch of madness? Valery Rozov had been nurturing an idea for a long time that no one in the world had ever brought into reality before, and in the end he decided... to jump, dressed in a wing suit, with a parachute into the mouth of an active volcano. “If there were problems with the canopy when opening the parachute, I could have fallen into a boiling acid puddle,” Valery described his jump. However, the volcano is not the only achievement of the extreme sportsman. Every day he tried to discover something new for himself, because a day without a jump was wasted. So in track record Rozova appeared the highest peak in Africa, Mount Ulvetanna in Antarctica, Himalayas.
"I am a safe athlete"
Athletes involved in such sports tease death every time, and Valery understood this very well. He himself came close to death more than once, but later laughed it off: “I have 11 thousand parachute jumps. One and a half thousand cliff jumps. In percentage terms, everything is great. “I’m a safe athlete in this regard,” said the one whose parachute opened at a distance of ten meters from the ground, the one who almost drowned in an icy mountain river, but got caught on a snag with the straps, the one who, due to an unsuccessful helicopter landing, almost fell along with the helicopter, the pilot and all the equipment into the abyss. In a word, someone who has looked death in the eye more than once, but could look away and continue doing extreme sports.
Life in exchange for a record
In October 2016, Valery Rozov set a world record for the highest BASE jump, starting his flight at 7,700 meters above sea level from the Himalayan peak of Cho Oyu on the border of China and Nepal. The athlete climbed this peak for three weeks in order to, after spending 90 seconds in the air, record incredible record, which is unlikely to be repeated in the coming years. But Valery’s gaze still aimed upward, he was sure that 7700 was not the limit, he was looking for a place for higher jumps. However, Rozov was not destined to improve the record. The Himalayas gave him a remarkable achievement, but in exchange took his life. During the jump from Mount Ama Dablam, something went wrong and Valery crashed. The mountains and sky took him to themselves...
Mountaineer and base jumper Valery Rozov, one of the symbols of Russian parachuting, died in Nepal. 52-year-old Valery crashed while performing a wing jump from Mount Ama Dablam in the Nepalese Himalayas.
Famous Russian athlete Valery Rozov died in Nepal after jumping on a wing from Mount Ama Dablam in the Himalayas. The climber, who also practiced skysurfing and base jumping, began his flight at 7,700 meters above sea level from a Himalayan peak, spending one and a half minutes in free fall. After that, he landed on a glacier at an altitude of six thousand meters above sea level.
“This man is one of the symbols of Russian parachuting, he was once a world champion, he was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports. For the last 10 years, Rozov has been purposefully engaged in base jumping and mountaineering; he became interested in extreme projects with jumping from mountains,” said Main coach Russian national parachuting team Vadim Niyazov.
Valery Rozov was born on December 26, 1964. He was a multiple champion of Russia and international competitions in parachuting, Russian champion in mountaineering, winner of the European Championship and World Cup, two-time world champion in parachuting. In 2009, for the first time in history, an athlete jumped with a parachute into the crater of the active Mutnovsky volcano (Kamchatka Peninsula).
In recent years, Valery Rozov has been interested in base jumping. In a special wing suit, he flew from a volcano in the Kilimanjaro massif, from a mountain in the Himalayas, and in October 2016 he set a world record by making the world's highest jump from Cho Oyu (Himalayas, 8201 m) from a height of 7700 m above sea level. Valery Rozov was the organizer of numerous base projects around the world. He participated in the filming of television programs about sports and travel on central channels, thanks to which he became known in wide circles.
A couple of days before his death, Russian base jumper Valery Rozov published a video on his social media pages showing an extreme jumper in Chamonix.
Currently, rescuers are working to search for the body; the people who were with Rozov have not yet made contact.
