Russian adventurer rows across Southern Ocean, reaching Chile after 154 days alone at sea, breaking five world records

Fedor Konyukhov lands in Chile with his boat covered in barnacles, setting five world records in his custom-built vessel

The Russian orthodox priest thanks Saint Nicholas the Miracle Worker for surviving the most volatile and freezing ocean on Earth

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Fedor Konyukhov reaches Chile after 154 days at sea, but still has three more legs to fulfil his goal of rowing around the world. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:36pm, 14 May 2019Updated: 12:36pm, 14 May 2019

A Russian orthodox priest has become the first person to row across the Southern Ocean, setting five world records.

Fedor Konyukhov set off from New Zealand on December 6, and arrived in Diego Ramirez Islands, Chile on May 9. At 154 days, no one has spent longer in the Southern Ocean, in any kind of boat let a lone a rowing boat. The previous record was 59 days.

He is also now the oldest person, 67, to row any ocean solo. He has covered more distance in a rowing boat in the ‘roaring forties’ and ‘furious fifties’ latitudes than anyone before. When he reached 56’40, he made furthermost south anyone has been in a rowing boat. He is now the first person to row east to west and west to east across the Pacific, having previously crossed from Chile to Australia.

The New Zealand to Chile crossing is just the first leg of Konyukhov’s attempt to row around the world. He is still to row from Chile to Cape Town, then to Australia, and finally back to New Zealand. Briton Olly Hicks also has the circumnavigation in his sights. He aimed to leave in December 2018, but appears to be delayed.

Konyukhov said when he reached Chile: “Old man Nicholas the Miracle Worker helped me. If it wasn’t for him, I couldn’t have done it. He did everything for me, pulled me on, protected me, and here I am, alive with you.”