Konyukhov rowing solo across Pacific covers 4,500 miles

VLADIVOSTOK, March 7 (Itar-Tass) - World-famous Russian traveller Fyodor Konyukhov, who has being rowing on his solo voyage across the Pacific for two-and-a-half months, has covered 4,500 miles, the Ocean Rowing Society International reported from London on Friday. He has to cover another 3,653 miles to reach his port of destination in Brisbane, Australia, it said. The Ocean Rowing Society International tracks the traveller’s route with the satellite navigation system and measures daily distance Konyukhov’s Turgoyak rowboat covers in kilometres and miles, making daily reports. Over the past few days, Konyukhov has sizably slowed down, from at least 60 miles he used to cover daily to 40-55 miles a day. Fyodor says the reason behind this is the northeastern wind, which carries the boat down to the Tuamotu Islands with their numerous reefs and shallows. The captain is already considering getting back to catch the leading wind, sail up to the equator and head for Australia from there. Konyukhov’s headquarters in Moscow have reported that this will delay Fyodor on his voyage to Australia, but foodstuffs and fuel for a gas cooker on board the boat are enough for 200 days. There is every hope to believe Konyukhov will win a battle with the Ocean and will reach Australia. On December 22, 2013, Konyukhov started from the Chilean port of Concon and plans to finish in Brisbane, a city on the western coast of Australia. The Russian traveller set the task to cross the Pacific in 200 days.