Alpari - Seven Summits during 300 days!!!

On March 7, the day before International Women’s Day, Russia’s main spring holiday, our team is sending Ludmila Korobeshko off to perform great feats on the equator! The second mountain in our project is located in a place that just about everybody dreams of someday seeing.

For those who haven’t read Hemingway’s description of the famous snows of Kilimanjaro… the great snowy giant, at the foot of which elephants and rhinoceroses roam free and the sun sets over endless jungle where troops of wild monkeys migrate from one place to the next.

So the Alpari team is flying off to Nairobi, which is the capital of Kenya, for those who don’t remember.

Of course we’re a little worried about our crew — they say that yellow fever had been rampant in Kenya. The Russian Health Ministry does actually recommend getting a yellow fever vaccination. Entering Tanzania is generally safe.

Bearing the nickname the “Roof of Africa”, Mount Kilimanjaro is considered the highest freestanding mountain in the world and will be the object of our attention for the next couple of weeks.

Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania near the border with Kenya and is a mere 300 km from the equator.

The mountain has three separate peaks: Shira in the west (3962 m), Mawenzi in the east (5149 m) and the highest of the three, Kibo (5895). There is a glacier on both the northern and southern faces of Kibo, yet tropical jungle at the foot! The highest point on Kibo (and therefore the highest summit of the mountain) is the peak Uhuru.

Having scarecely had time to collect their thoughts after Argentina, our team is already packing for Africa where the temperature is currently +29-30 in the day, cooling off to +17 at night.

Alpari: On Top of the World is heading to Africa. There, our trio of professional climbers will be joined by 6 members of the Alpari team. Here’s a little bit about each of them.

David Makoso, Manager of Client Services at Alpari (US), enjoys riding motorcycles, watching good action movies and traveling to warm islands with great beaches. About the trip, David said, “When this trip was first mentioned I was excited about the opportunity to be amongst a select few that will represent Alpari in this expedition. This summit will be a testament to our journey so far as a company and will also reveal a glimpse of what we can accomplish as a dominant force within our industry.”

Jacob Plattner is 29 years old and has been with Alpari (US) since June of 2010, working as the Vice President of Institutional Sales. He manages the Boston branch and is oversees the company’s global B2B solutions. Born in Baltimore, Jacob enjoys spending time with his family and playing hockey and golf. He is excited to have been chosen for the trip to Africa. “I have always wanted to hike one of the world’s largest peaks, very excited to being do it with Alpari and my colleagues.”

  Jaclyn Cole, 25 years old, was born in Tarrytown, New York. She is the Head of Marketing for Alpari (US). Jaclyn is looking forward to Kilimanjaro: “I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro with some of the most instrumental team members at Alpari. I think this trip will be a testament to how hard we have worked to bring the US office to where it currently is and how well we can overcome challenges together to make it to the top. I also think the physical and mental strength that brings us all to the top of the mountain as a team will make this a once in a lifetime experience.” Jaclyn enjoys good food and fun in New York City, traveling, skiing, hiking, water sports, boating, meeting new people and spending time with her friends and family.

  Hailing from Yerevan, Armenia, Mushegh Tovmasyan is the Global Head of Sales for Alpari (UK) Ltd. Mushegh, 28 years old, enjoys gadgets, sports and travel. “I’m a very curious person that loves to travel, explore and learn new things. Always adventure hungry but usually too busy for hobbies. When this trip was mentioned, I was certain that I am not in optimal physical condition, but the challenge is a perfect test of mental strength, dedication and ambition. I’m excited to be part of the global expedition to conquer the seven peaks.” We hope Mushegh has already begun his training.

 Stan Klebaner, 32 years old, is also excited about the trip: “Although, I have been to Africa before; I view this as truly a “once in a lifetime experience”. I look forward to the challenge and a great adventure with my colleagues!” A US citizen, born in Odessa, Ukraine, Klebaner is the VP of Institutional Sales at Alpari (US). He enjoys traveling, running, tennis, golf, skiing, art and reading the classics.

John Wang was surprised when he was offered the chance to take part in the expedition: “While Alpari US has provided me with an excellent career opportunity – it has come with some perks! Being selected amongst my colleagues to participate in the Mount Kilimanjaro expedition came to me as a great surprise. I am very excited to be part of this group and look forward to the challenges and team work this trip will provide.” John, 27 years old, is from Inverness Florida and enjoys sports, traveling, food and Forex. He has been with Alpari (US) since 2010, working as the Head of US Retail Sales.

We’re looking forward to hearing what our colleagues have to say about the trip. The Alpari: On Top of the World team will be flying out to Africa on March 7.

February, 23 Ludmilla Korobeshko, Ivan Dusharin and Maxim Shakirov reached the summit of Aconcagua. The climb has been carried out by the route False Polish Traverse. The weather was very bad, it was snowing. But the forecast for the next few days was even worse. So they had to fight to the end. Now everyone is happy. The next day, a group of friends met them in the Plaza de Mulas camp. The first ascent of the project Alpari - Seven Summits in 300 days, is committed.

Alpari: On Top of the World

Alpari has decided to take on a new challenge for the year 2012: planting the Alpari flag atop the tallest mountain on each continent. To accomplish this feat, we have put together a team consisting of three of the finest mountain climbers Russia has to offer. With this project, we are not only looking to expand our presence across the globe, to each of the world’s seven continents, but also to draw some attention to mountain climbing, a sport which has become something of a passion for many within our ranks.

“Mountain climbing as a spiritual journey… record-breaking climbs as a metaphor for achieving greater success in life,” commented Alpari Public Relations Director Valeriy Tarasov. “This is something we can relate to. Alpari is a bona fide leader in the Forex industry. For us, there is no mountain too high.”

Mountain climbing is already somewhat of a tradition here at Alpari. As recently as 2010, a team of our employees took part in an expedition to Africa, planting the Alpari flag on the summit of Kilimanjaro. Not long before that, there was a trip to Mont Blanc. “Climbing mountains is a great tradition for us; one where we must overcome great difficulties, the cold and harsh living conditions. But we always manage,” said Alpari’s Chairman of the Board, Andrey Dashin.

No one in Russia has ever completed the world-famous “7 Summits” challenge in under a year. Alpari’s hand-picked team is looking to do just that!

We wish them good luck. And good weather.

February, 23 Ludmilla Korobeshko, Ivan Dusharin and Maxim Shakirov reached the summit of Aconcagua. The climb has been carried out by the route False Polish Traverse. The weather was very bad, it was snowing. But the forecast for the next few days was even worse. So they had to fight to the end. Now everyone is happy. The next day, a group of friends met them in the Plaza de Mulas camp. The first ascent of the project Alpari - Seven Summits in 300 days, is committed.

Alpari: On Top of the World

Alpari has decided to take on a new challenge for the year 2012: planting the Alpari flag atop the tallest mountain on each continent. To accomplish this feat, we have put together a team consisting of three of the finest mountain climbers Russia has to offer. With this project, we are not only looking to expand our presence across the globe, to each of the world’s seven continents, but also to draw some attention to mountain climbing, a sport which has become something of a passion for many within our ranks.

“Mountain climbing as a spiritual journey… record-breaking climbs as a metaphor for achieving greater success in life,” commented Alpari Public Relations Director Valeriy Tarasov. “This is something we can relate to. Alpari is a bona fide leader in the Forex industry. For us, there is no mountain too high.”

Mountain climbing is already somewhat of a tradition here at Alpari. As recently as 2010, a team of our employees took part in an expedition to Africa, planting the Alpari flag on the summit of Kilimanjaro. Not long before that, there was a trip to Mont Blanc. “Climbing mountains is a great tradition for us; one where we must overcome great difficulties, the cold and harsh living conditions. But we always manage,” said Alpari’s Chairman of the Board, Andrey Dashin.

No one in Russia has ever completed the world-famous “7 Summits” challenge in under a year. Alpari’s hand-picked team is looking to do just that!

We wish them good luck. And good weather.

Hi! Ludmila Korobeshko from the expedition "Alpari on Top of the World”. So now, our team stands on the top of Aconcagua. This is a victory, the first one in our project " 7 summits for 300 days". Unfortunately, the weather is very bad. The forecast was better. But nevertheless, despite bad weather, despite heavy snow, we climbed to the top. And now, at about 12:30 local time, we are on the sunmmit. It was not easy, but we are happy. We're shooting video, photos, relax a little bit and then we will start going down. Best regards !

7 Summits, hello ! Dmitry Yermakov from the base camp Plaza de Mulas in Argentina. Today a team of heroes came down here in the base camp after a successful ascent. The weather turned bad, even at the base camp it is snowing. Therefore, we rejoice that we have chosen the right tactics. We were climbed in the beautiful weather, yesterday was absolutely zero wind, solar, visibility million per million. And now it snows even here. Hello! Dmitry Yermakov.

Today, February 20th, our team

Alpari - On Top of the World went down for a very short rest at Base Camp Plaza Argentina in 4200. February, 17 we went to the first assault camp at 4900. Drop of 700 meters we have overcome in less than three hours. In the evening a strong wind blew, the night turned into a hurricane. We just kept the tent by our bodies.

Morning of February 18 we changed the plan. Hurricane. We spent the second night in 4900.

February 19th the wind slackened, and we went out in the second camp at 5500. Now we have a rest in the base camp. Plan the following: 21.02 to go straight to 5500, 22.02 in 6000. 23.02 to try clinb the summit of Aconcagua.

Health and mood of the team is excellent. Hello!

Hello. This is Maxim Shakirov from the Alpari: On Top of the World expedition.

Everything’s going according to plan for us. I wouldn’t really say that we are all in perfect health, but things are pretty upbeat. We have been overwhelmed both by the beauty of the night sky and by the people who live and work here. Let me hand off the phone to the head honcho here, our team captain Lyudmila.

Ludmila:

About our mood… We’re feeling great. Here’s a little bit about where we are at this point. We’re currently at 3,200 meters, in Casa de Piedra, and we’re heading to base camp at 4,200 meters.

Hi to everyone out there who’s following us!

http://www.alpari-life.ru/en

Today we are staying in the first camp on our way to the peak. Pampa de Lenas is about three kilometers above sea level. Overall, we have already hiked about 20 kilometers from the entrance of Aconcagua Park through the valley of Punta de Vacas.

The views are incredible. This route is more picturesque than the classic route through Plaza de Mulas. There are fewer people and everything is greener and more beautiful. During the evening we sit with the gauchos, who drive the mules. We cook meat and bake potatoes. We still have about 20 kilometers to go before we get to the next camp.

Ludmila Korobeshko

And now a little bit of Argentinian culture:

Gauchos are part of an ethnic group originating in the 16-17 century. Gauchos were often the progeny of Spaniards and native women from Argentina and Uruguay. Originally, they led a nomadic lifestyle, living off of contraband, theft and the resale of cattle. Near the end of the 18th century, they took to commercial cattle ranching and began to hire themselves out as cattle herders.

http://www.alpari-life.ru/en

February, 9 Ludmila Korobeshko flew to Argentina. The next day she was followed by Ivan Dusharin and Maxim Shakirov. So practical implementation of the program "Alpari on top of the world" begins. The 7 Summits Club not only delegated to the program our director, but we take all organization and logistics. Alpari project can enter their place in the general history of the program Seven Summits. Here is a list of World and National records that our team can beat on success of the event:

1. Fastest collective (more than two people).

2. First all Seven by not classic routes.

3. First all Seven Summits by traverses.

4. The fastest female for the Seven Summits. At the moment the record is 360 days (Annabelle Bond, United Kingdom - Hong Kong)

5. The first TWICE of the 7 Summits for woman by Ludmila Korobeshko

All of them, of course records will be valid for Russia (Europe and CIS ....)

Actually it will be an absolute national record of speed for 7 summits.

And national age record for Ivan Dusharin - 65 years.

In Mendoza

Project Alpari: On Top of the World

Alpari has decided to take on a new challenge for the year 2012: planting the Alpari flag atop the tallest mountain on each continent. To accomplish this feat, we have put together a team consisting of three of the experienced mountain climbers from Russia has to offer. With this project, we are not only looking to expand our presence across the globe, to each of the world’s seven continents, but also to draw some attention to mountain climbing, a sport which has become something of a passion for many within our ranks.

“Mountain climbing as a spiritual journey… record-breaking climbs as a metaphor for achieving greater success in life,” commented Alpari Public Relations Director Dmitriy Tarasov. “This is something we can relate to. Alpari is a bona fide leader in the Forex industry. For us, there is no mountain too high.”

Mountain climbing is already somewhat of a tradition here at Alpari. As recently as 2010, a team of our employees took part in an expedition to Africa, planting the Alpari flag on the summit of Kilimanjaro. Not long before that, there was a trip to Mont Blanc. “Climbing mountains is a great tradition for us; one where we must overcome great difficulties, the cold and harsh living conditions. But we always manage,” said Alpari’s Chairman of the Board, Andrey Dashin.

No one in Russia has ever completed the world-famous “7 Summits” challenge in under a year. Alpari’s hand-picked team is looking to do just that!

We wish them good luck. And good weather !

Here’s the plan:

Aconcagua (South America): February 11-28 (18 days)

Kilimanjaro (Africa): March 7-13 (7 days)

Everest (Asia): April 11 – June 8 (59 days)

McKinley (North America): June 20 – July 10 (21 days)

Elbrus (Europe): September 1-7 (7 days)

Kosciuszko (Australia): November 3-7 (5 days)

Mount Vinson (Antarctica): December 1-19 (19 days)

ROUTES

Mount Aconcagua (6,962 m) – Although ascending Aconcagua often seems simple at first, this mountain is susceptible to sudden changes in weather and violent storms.

False Polish Traverse, descent by classic to Plaza de Mulos

Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) – Ernest Hemingway once sang the praises of Kilimanjaro, which promises to be the perhaps the warmest and least inhospitable climb for our team.

Umbwe route, descent by Marangu route

Mount Everest (8,848 m) – Each year, the world’s tallest mountain draws in hundreds of climbers looking to test their personal limits, and each year, many of these climbers end up paying the ultimate price.

New route traverse North Summit (Chagtse) – Main Peak.

Descent to the North Col and ABC camp

For Everest Traverse our team will be strengthened. Currently, Alexander Abramov (as a leader), Ludmila Korobeshko, Ivan Dusharin, Maxim Shakirov and Mingma Gelu plan to take part in the ascent. The route will start from the campsite Changtse on the left moraine of the Rongphu Shar Glacier (Changtse camp - 6000m). From there the group plan to climb to the North (North East) ridge and then to the summit of Changtse 7543 meters. Where exactly they will rise to the North East ridge of Changtsze it will be determined on the spot. There are several options. From the top of Changtsze descent leads by a steepslope via South Ridge on the North Col - 7000m. Then the group will use standard camps on the classic route at 7700 and 8300 meters. From there they will try to climb the main summit of Everest (8848 m). Way back to the North Col and down to the standard camp ABC at 6400 meters.

 From Jan Kielkowski. Mount Everest Massif

Акщь

Mount McKinley (6,194 m) – Known to native Alaskans as Denali (“the great one”), McKinley is the tallest mountain in the world measured base to peak. During the ascent, climbers must confront the bitter cold, an exhaustingly long climb and stringent legal restrictions, including a policy which requires all climbers to carry all of their “waste” back to base camp.

West Rib

Descent by Western Buttress route

Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) – Located in the Caucasus Mountains, Elbrus demands a great deal of focus and discipline from climbers. This guileful inactive volcano often surprises climbers with streaks of brutal winter weather and strong winds.

Traverse from the East (Irik Valley) Eastern Peak - Western Peak

Descent via the Khotiu-Tau Pass

Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m) – Getting to this mountain is difficult, but the view from the top makes the trip worth it.

Route Main Ridge Track from Charlotte Pass

Descent to Thredbo

Mount Vinson (4,897 m) – Our climbers will come face-to-face with ice storms and some of the coldest weather on our planet to reach the highest peak in Antarctica.

Probably Rudi's Runway (Lang 1991) Route

The team

Ludmila Korobeshko

Ludmila was the first woman from Russia to complete the “Seven Summits” challenge and just the third Russian woman to climb Everest. Her resume includes more than 50 successful climbs and a trip to the North Pole. She has been working as a mountain guide/translator and organizing expeditions for more than a decade. She also writes and makes short films.

The first Russian woman to complete the “7 Summits” challenge

The first Russian woman to complete the “7 Summits +1” challenge (the +1 being the Puncak Jaya, or Carstensz Pyramid, in Indonesia)

The third Russian woman to climb Everes

An experienced mountain guide and director of the “7 Summits Club”

14 years of experience climbing mountains and organizing expeditions (9 years professionally)

More than 100 successful ascents across the world

Class A mountain climber, guide, English translator

Has climbed and trekked in the mountains of the Causasus (Russia), France, Peru, the United States, Tibet, Nepal, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Tanzania, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Turkey

Has led more than 20 expeditions to the peak of Elbrus

Ivan Dusharin

Ivan is a world-class mountain climber with more than 300 successful climbs under his belt, including Everest. He is an experienced guide and leads expeditions all around the world. His hobbies include photography and filmmaking. Dusharin is the author of a book “Crossing the Abyss on a Wire”.

http://www.alpari-life.ru/en/alpinisty_vaza/

Maxim Shakirov

Maxim is the man behind “New Year’s on the Summit” as well as a 2014 Olympic Games flag-bearer. He has already planted the Olympic flag atop mountains on five continents, including Mount Everest. He is a journalist, filmmaker, photographer and traveler

“We look to be first in everything we do, both in the mountains and in business.” Alpari

We thought we would go into a little bit more detail about some of the things that went on at the February 8 Alpari: On Top of the World press conference.

Valery Tarasov, Public Relations Director at Alpari opened up the proceedings by drawing parallels between mountain climbing and business. “Striving towards success, towards the top, requires teamwork, overcoming your ego, setting goals and following through on them. These things are all important in achieving your goals and reaching new heights, whether it is in the mountains or in business. We look to be first in everything we do, both in the mountains and in business.”

Everyone taking part in the press conference showed a great deal of enthusiasm for the project, including team captain Lyudmila Korobeshko. “I’d like to thank Alpari for giving us the chance to be a part of this project. I really hope our team manages to set a new world record and complete the 7 Summits challenge in 300 days, taking new and unorthodox routes in the process. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are a lot of outside factors that come into play in climbing.” Lyudmila also had kind words for her teammates, praising Ivan Dusharin for being one of the “patriarchs of Russian alpinism” and for having a number of difficult climbs on his resume, including K2, widely considered to be among the planet’s most difficult climbs. About Maxim Shakirov, she commented, “He’s not only a great photographer and filmmaker, but also a man who has rung in the New Year atop a mountain more than once.” Ivan Dusharin thanked Alpari for the project, saying that efforts like Alpari: On Top of the World help make the pursuit of mountain climbing “more accessible to people of all sorts. Sometimes this pursuit can turn into your life’s calling. Everyone is working towards their own Everest, whether it be in sport or in life. What’s most important is to set a goal and work towards achieving it.” Maxim thanked Alpari for giving him the chance to film the mountains, the sights he could only dream of capturing on previous climbs.

We asked some of those in attendance what they thought about the project. Here is what they had to say:

Aleksandr Grek (Editor in Chief of National Geographic, Russia): “The 7 Summits challenge is one of the greatest adventures you can experience on the planet. A year is a very short time frame, which makes this twice as interesting. I wish the team good luck. I hope they can pull it out and beat the record, without any losses.”

Alexey Ovchinnikov (Executive Director of the Russian Mountaineering Federation): “I would like to thank Alpari for getting this started. Large-scale projects, unfortunately, are quite rare in Russia. The last time we saw something like this was probably 20 years ago. This is a very serious project, where business is making history in the world of mountain climbing. This is a real challenge, both for the climbers, and for Alpari. I’m sure that with a stellar company like Alpari behind it, this project will succeed.”

Ivan Davidov (Marketing Director at the Expert publishing house, representing Russian Reporter): “This is a bold project with an interesting history behind it. The mountains are a thing of great beauty. Let’s hope we get some amazing footage from the project.”

Andrey Moskalenko (Special Projects Director, Profile magazine): “Our magazine too, has its sights set high, so of course we had to throw our support behind an ambitious project like this.”

Maria Stepnova (Editor in Chief, XXL magazine): “Alpari: On Top of the World is a project for real men. The fact that the team is being led by a woman makes it extra special. The business support for this project also sets it apart, since making it to the peak doesn’t really depend on money. However many millions you may have, none of that matters in the mountains. I hope that this project inspires our readers to be more active, that hearing about the progress of the expedition will get them moving forward.”

There were a lot of questions that came up. How long is this all going to take? What do we plan to do with the footage? Will there be articles about the different places our team will be visiting, about local cultures and traditions? Lyudmila also stirred a great deal of excitement in the room when she hinted that the team might attempt a new route to the peak of Everest. Climbing the world’s tallest mountain is difficult in and of itself, so this news was rather shocking to some of those in attendance.

You can learn more about the project and keep up with the team’s progress on http://www.alpari-life.ru/.