This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Igor Svergun (February 10, 1966, Korocha, Belgorod Oblast,[1] USSR – June 23, 2013, Nanga Parbat) was a Soviet and Ukrainian climber. He was a USSR Master of Sports in mountaineering (1989), USSR Snow Leopard award, USSR master of sports at the international level (1991), instructor-methodologist of the 3rd category.
![]() | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Native name | Свергун Ігор Миколайович |
Birth name | Свергун, Игорь Николаевич |
Full name | Svergun Igor Nikolaevich |
Citizenship | ![]() ![]() |
Born | February 10, 1966 Korocha, Belgorod Oblast, USSR |
Died | June 23, 2013 Nanga Parbat, Pakistan | (aged 47)
Resting place | Cemetery No.13, Kharkiv, Ukraine GPS coordinates: 50.02182905900512, 36.27845988792096 |
Occupation(s) | Soviet and Ukrainian climber, mountain guide, rescuer |
Years active | 1984–2013 |
Spouse | Tamara Svergun |
Life partner | Maria Alexeeva |
Sport | |
Country | ![]() ![]() |
Sport | Mountaineer |
Rank | USSR Master of Sports in mountaineering (1989), USSR Snow Leopard award, USSR master of sports at the international level (1991), instructor-methodologist of the 3rd category. |
Club | Kharkiv Alpclub ![]() 7 Summits Club ![]() |
Climbing
editIgor's passion for mountaineering sparked during his school years under the guidance of his mentor, Georgiy Kardash,[2] a physical education teacher. At the age of 18, Igor embraced mountaineering as his lifelong pursuit. He began his career by climbing Semenov-Bashi (3602 m).
In his student years in 1990, he became a member of the Kharkiv Mountaineering Club and began training under the guidance of Sergey Bershov (Master of Sports of the USSR, Snow Leopard). Bershov and Svergun became friends and climbing partners, together they made many ascents, including the eight-thousanders Lhotse in 1990, Everest and Kangchenjunga.[3] From Bershov's memoirs:
"With Igor Svergun we were 23 years (!) were a climbing pair."[3]
"The guy had a character to spare, he wanted to be the first, to achieve more."[3]
"What distinguished him? Well, first of all, he was the youngest – 24 years old. Like me once, he also engaged in mountaineering and rock climbing, which always gives an advantage on ascents. He stood out for his determination. And he also played the guitar, knew many beautiful songs – mountaineering, bard, folk. And the guitarist is always the soul of the company."[3]
"Igor set a goal for himself: to become a high-class, successful, in-demand mountain guide – and he did. He learned English, graduated from the master's program of the Kharkiv Academy of Physical Culture in the specialty "Olympic and professional sports". He could not live without mountains, without travel. He loved it. He, like me, did not work, but was engaged in his favorite thing. Very professionally, thoughtfully, focusing on safety. How many times on the same Elbrus we turned clients down, not agreeing, understanding each other with a half-glance. Nothing surprising. When you have been walking in a climbing pair for 23 years, decisions are made the same without any words. Just as we have long been bypassing words, securing each other. You just know – there is no more reliable."[4]
Accomplishments
editIgor Svergun's best ascent include:[5]
- 1990: marking a significant milestone in his mountaineering career-ports achievements – as part of Sergey Bershov's team in the most severe weather conditions – the first ascent of the South Face of Lhotse (8,516m) up to an altitude of 8,200m. Numerous climbers attempted this route unsuccessfully, including Reinhold Messner who had to retreat three times. It was one of those ascents that Igor cherished the most and took immense pride in.
- 1991: Completed the traverse of Manaslu with Viktor Pastukh and Alexey Makarov.
- 1992: Summited Everest's South Peak at 8790 meters.
- 1994: Conquered Dhaulagiri.
- 1996: Ascended Annapurna via Bonington Route, alongside Sergey Bershov and Sergey Kovalev, as part of the Ukrainian State Sports Committee expedition led by Mstyslav Gorbenko.
- Shishapangma (alpine style).
- Other notable ascents include:
- 1998: Ama Dablam.
- 1998: Pumori.
- 2004: Cho Oyu.
- 2005, 2006: Everest via the Northeast Ridge.
In 1999, during the "Ukraine – Everest-99" expedition, Igor took part in one of the most challenging rescue operations, transporting climber V. Horbach from an altitude of 8600m to the summit.
In 2008, as part of an expedition organized by the Kharkiv Regional Mountaineering Club, Svergun successfully climbed Gasherbrum II (with Sergey Bershov and Alexey Bokov) via the classic route. Before the ascent, they erected a memorial plaque at the mountain's base to honor two Ukrainian climbers: Viktor Pastukh from Kharkiv and Gennadiy Vasilenko from Crimea, who perished in 1996 during an attempt to conquer Shishapangma.
Igor Svergun twice summited Everest and reached many of the world's eight-thousanders. In 1990, he participated in the Soviet expedition led by A. Shevchenko, climbing Lhotse's Main Peak via the South Face, a route hailed by Reinhold Messner as the route of the 21st century. According to Igor:[6]
"This ascent became my calling card. Whenever I meet fellow climbers, mentioning 'Lhotse' elicits genuine admiration. The climb was incredibly challenging. We weren't prepared for everything we encountered. The books tell a different story."[6]
Among his other achievements are 25 routes of the 6th category of difficulty.[7] Igor Svergun said:
"For a mountaineer, the mountains are the only place on Earth where they feel comfortable and a sense of their own purpose on this planet..."[8]
Igor Svergun also worked with youth at the Kharkiv Alpсlub, served as a coach for various expeditions, and led commercial expeditions. In his later years, he held the position of senior coach at the Ukrainian Mountaineering Federation's Kharkiv branch.[citation needed]
Death and aftermath
editIn June 2013, Igor Svergun led an international expedition to Nanga Parbat. The expedition began on June 6 and was scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2013. However, on the night of June 23, terrorists attacked the base camp located at an altitude of approximately 4200m.[9][10] [5] The attackers forced two local guides to take them to the base camp. The attackers rounded up the climbers and staff, took passports and money, destroyed mobile phones, blindfolded them, forced them to kneel[11] and shot them. 10 mountaineers from different countries died, including Igor Svergun and two other climbers from Kharkiv.[12]
Responsibility for the killings was claimed by the Pakistani militant group Jundullah. Later, an affiliated movement called Tehrik-i-Taliban also claimed involvement.
The funerals took place on June 30, 2013, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, at Cemetery No.13 (Pushkins'ka St, 108, Kharkiv, Kharkivs'ka oblast, Ukraine). More than 5,000 people attended the farewell ceremony, including mountaineers from around the world.[13]
Legacy
edit- Memorial album, Igor Svergun: We don't conquer the mountains, just ascend into them. The publication features photographs from the archives of the Kharkiv Alpine Club and the family.
- The annual Ukraine Cup in mountaineering (discipline: mountaineering technique) in memory of Igor Svergun invites boys, girls, adults, and veterans to participate. The prize fund of the Cup is formed from sponsorship contributions by Igor Svergun's friends. Years of the competition: 2013, 2014,[14] 2015,[15] 2016..,[16] 2017,[17] 2018,[18] 2019,[19] 2020,[20] 2021.[21] In 2022 not held due to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.
- An expedition to Mount Elbrus in August 2013, in memory of Kharkiv residents who tragically died on June 23, 2013,[22] in Pakistan, with the participation of Igor Svergun's spouse Tamara and their son Yegor Svergun.[23][24]
- Mention in the book "South Face of Lhotse" – S.I. Bershov, Snow, 2022.
- A memorial plaque in honor of I.N. Svergun was installed on September 29, 2014, on the building of Dmitry Kromsky Secondary School (Korocha, Proletarskaya Street, 39, Belgorod, Russia).[1]
Awards
edit- The Order "For Courage", USSR (1990).
- The Order "For merits" 3-d grade, Ukraine(1996)[25]
- The Order "For Courage" 3-d class. Ukraine (1999)[26]
References
edit- ^ a b "В Белгородской области открыли мемориальную доску в честь альпиниста, убитого исламскими террористами". go31.ru – Сайт города Белгорода (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Через перевал в вечность. Желание преодолеть себя стало смыслом жизни для Игоря Свергуна". korocha31.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ a b c d "Сергей Бершов: ТАКОЕ ГОРЬКОЕ ПРОЩАНИЕ — Risk.ru". risk.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-07-16.
- ^ "Сергей Бершов – Такое горькое прощание. Памяти погибших харьковских альпинистов". 4sport.ua. 2013. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
- ^ a b Haroon, Asad (2013-06-23). "Svergun Igor the top climber of Ukraine was among killed climbers and tourists in Pakistan". Dispatch News Desk. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ a b ""В книгах – все по-другому", – Игорь Свергун". Новости Харькова | news.kh.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ Zakharov, P. P.; Zhemchuzhnikov, Yu A.; Marynov, A. I. (2006). Al'piniszm : entsiklopedicheskii slovar'. Library Genesis. Moscow : Izdatel'stvo TVT. ISBN 978-5-98724-030-4.
- ^ "Игорь Свергун, альпинист, в гостях у ХарьковТуриста (анонс)". xt.ht. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ ""Nanga Parbat attack: Taliban say new faction killed climbers"". BBC News. pp. 2–3.
- ^ ""Nanga Parbat: 'Taliban mastermind' held over climber murders"". BBC News.
- ^ ""Nanga Parbat: 'Taliban mastermind' held over climber murders"". BBC News. p. 1.
- ^ "Massacre on Nanga Parbat". HimalayaMasala. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "На похоронах расстрелянных харьковских альпинистов не стихал плач жен и матерей". sport.segodnya.ua (in Russian). 2022-07-11. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "ИТОГИ альпинистского, скалолазного и ледолазного сезона 2014 и планы на 2015 год!". 4sport.ua. 2015. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "ФАіС: Новини > Годовщина памяти погибших в Пакистане альпинистов". fais.org.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "ФАіС: Альпінізм > Кубок памяти И.Свергуна. Результаты". fais.org.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Кубок Украины по технике альпинизма. Подробности. | Альпклуб". alpclub.com.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Кубок Украины по технике альпинизма памяти Игоря Свергуна. Финал. | Альпклуб". www.alpclub.com.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Скалолазный фестиваль "КУБОК ПАМЯТИ". | Альпклуб". alpclub.com.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "В Харькове состоится Кубок Украины по технике альпинизма памяти Игоря Свергуна". 4sport.ua. 2020. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Кубок Украины по технике альпинизма памяти Игоря Свергуна. | Альпклуб". alpclub.com.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "В память о погибших коллегах харьковские альпинисты поднимутся на Эльбрус | Вечерний Харьков". vecherniy.kharkov.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Украинские альпинисты поднимутся на Эльбрус в память о погибших в Пакистане". www.unian.net (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "В память о погибших коллегах харьковские альпинисты поднимутся на Эльбрус | Вечерний Харьков". vecherniy.kharkov.ua. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України – орденом "За заслуги"". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Про відзначення нагородами України учасників Першої Української національної експедиції на Еверест". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-06-09.