Bold and worthy (14 pics + text)

Heroes of our time.




Ed Stafford

Achievement: He worked his way along the Amazon River from its source to its confluence with the ocean for 859 days.

While all the great expeditions have already taken place, the British explorer Ed Stafford undertook another. April 2, 2008, he began a journey along the Amazon River from its source to its confluence with the ocean. The distance he walked and it was 6437 km. Over the way a researcher faced with hostile local zhitelemi, drug smugglers, disease, otsutviem food and a variety of dangerous animals and insects. He also found and companion, Jo Rivera, who joined him already on the way, and went with him most of the way. August 9, 2010, after 859 days, the journey finally ended when Stafford and Rivera have plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, ending one of the most dangerous journeys of our days.

Matt and Mike Moniz

Achievement: Team climbers consisting of a father and son won the 50 highest points in 50 states in record time.

12-year-old climber Mett Moniz and his father Mike had planned for this summer one goal - to win the highest points in all 50 states in 50 days. The report went when they climbed on Denali (6193-meters) - the highest peak in Alaska and part-time in all of North America. In the coming days, they conquered the point from the 4421-meter Mount Whitney in California to the least complex Britton Hill in Florida height of only 105 meters above sea level. July 16 after 43 days after launch, the climbing team of father and son reached the summit of Mauna Kea (4205 m) in Hawaii, setting a new record in the speed climbing.



David de Rothschild

Achievement: Passed from San Francisco to Sydney on a yacht made of 12,000 recycled plastic bottles.

Sailed the Pacific may seem very strange expedition for a man who has earned his reputation conquer North and South poles, and besides, still suffering from seasickness. But the eco-traveler David de Rothschild will go to great lengths to convey their message of environmental responsibility. That's why he and his team set sail from San Francisco to Sydney on the ship made entirely of plastic butylokbyvshih used. Calling Plastiki boat in honor of the legendary Kon-Tiki Heyerdahl Turan, de Rothschild has used solar panels, wind generators and other renewable energy sources, which made one of the most eco-friendly sailing yachts in shipbuilding. Their 19,312 km path includes a stop and in the most contaminated areas of the ocean, such as the Great Eastern Pacific Garbage Patch.



Mark Beaumont

Achievement: ride a bike to the Americas and conquered the highest peaks of the two continents.

In February 2010, a cyclist Mark Beaumont shotlandsy completed an epic bike tour that began in Anchorage, Alaska, and ends after 13,000 km in Ushuaia in Argentina on the edge of South America. Along the way, he took the time to get off the bike and conquer Denali (6962 m) - the highest point in North America. Later, he climbed the Aconcagua (6962 m) Aconcagua - the highest peak in South America. Despite the fact that it was deystvilno long and difficult journey, in a career Beaumont it takes only a second line: in 2007 he clocked up 194 days of cycling 29,446 miles traveled almost all around the world.



Oh Eun-Sun

Achievement: Became the first woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.

In climbing coterie climbing the 8000-meter peaks such as Everest or K2 is a great achievement, but the conquest of all 14 of the highest peaks of the world afford only the best of the best. Until 2010, this achievement was in the account exclusively for men. All that changed on April 21 201o, when Oh Yeon Sung - climber from South Korea reached the top Annapurn (8091 m), located in Nepal and add your name to the elite.



Dave Hahn

Achievement: 12 times conquered Everest, setting a new record for climbers who do not use local guides.

Regarded as one of the best mountain guides in the world, Dave Hahn has strengthened its reputation in 2010 to conquer Everest 12 times, improving his record to climbers do not use the Sherpa (local guides). It happened when he worked as a guide for Leaf Vaytekera son Jim Vaytekera, son of the legendary Jim Vaytekera - the first American to climb Mount Everest. In Khan's very impressive track record, which includes more than 250 successful ascents of Mount Rainier, 19 times he has been at the peak of Denali, and a record 26 times on the Vinson Massif in Antarctica.



Roz Savage

Achievement: Became the first woman to overcome the Pacific Ocean at the oars.

W June 2010 British grebchiha Rose Savage arrived in Papua New Guinea, completing the third and last stage of its solitary voyage by boat across the Pacific Ocean. The journey began in 2008, when she recovered from San Francisco and broke the oars 3740 km distance to Hawaii for 100 days. In 2009 she launched the second phase, having spent 104 days and covering a distance of 5082 km between Hawaii and Tarawa, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean. It only took 54 days for in-core part of the 3618 km between Tarawa and Papua New Guinea. After completing his course, Savage became the first woman in the number of those who single-handedly won the Pacific Ocean at the oars, and her campaign was devoted to the health of the oceans of the world.



Jordan Romero

Achievement: Having conquered Everest at age 13, he became the youngest person to climb this peak

May 22, 2010 13-year-old American Jordan Romero came to the summit of Mount Everest (8,848 m), becoming the youngest person ever to winning the highest point on the planet. But this is just one of the steps on the way to its core ambitious goal: to become the youngest conqueror alternately 7 highest peaks on the seven continents (Seven Summits). This fall, Romero will travel to Antarctica to continue his quest and climb to the highest point - Mount Vinson Massif (4892 m).



Alex Honnold

Achievement: Install two speed records during the day on two legendary climbing routes on Yoshimo

For most climbers conquer the peaks Half Dome and El Capitan at Yosemite is the dream of a lifetime. For Alex Honnolda this is just another walk in the park. June 22 Honnold won both of these routes in one day, setting a course record of two high-speed ascent. Honnold morning to conquer Half Dome on the normal route on the north side. It took him for 2 hours and nine minutes, which is 41 minutes better than the previous record. From there he went to El Cap, where he reached the top in just 6 hours. Thus on the conquest of the two peaks, he spent an impressive 8 hours and 9 minutes.



Andrew Skurka

Achievement: 7563 km walking, skiing and rafting on the remote areas of Alaska and Canada

Covering huge distances at its two are no longer a novelty for Andrew skins. At the age of 29, he was already more than 40 000 km on the most remote areas. But his latest ekspiditsiya perhaps the most ambitious of all. In March 2010 Skurko Kottsebui went from Alaska to get more than 12, 5 thousand. Km includes 6 American and 2 Canadian national parks. Along the way, he crossed two mountain ranges - Alaska and Brooks, two of the most remote and pristine wild places on the planet. If all goes according to plan, his journey will end in October



Lewis Gordon Pugh

Achievement: Sailed the longest distance at high altitudes in history, to draw attention to global warming.

British swimmer and environmentalist Lewis Gordon Pugh went to the Himalayas in May 2010, in an attempt to swim the longest distance, which for many seems impossible. May 22, clad only in a suit Speedo, cap and goggles for swimming Pugh plunged into the icy waters of Lake Pumori, Everest nt located at a distance of 5400 meters and swam one kilometer, setting a record for the longest alpine swimming. Best known for swimming in icy water at the North Pole in 2007, the Pew overcame his mountain sickness, calling it "the worst day" of his career. He hopes his achievement will enhance the awareness of the reduction of Himalayan glaciers.



Jessica Watson

Achievement: Began at age 16 the youngest of those who made a single round trip on a yacht

While most teenagers suffer from homework and after-school jobs, and with all the activity immersed in social life, 16-year-old Jessica Watson most of the time last year spent walking around the seas battling with storms and 9-foot waves. In October 2009, avstralisky teenager sailed from Sydney on board his yacht Ella's Pink Lady, in order to make a single non-stop circumnavigation. When she returned in May 2010, just three days before his 17th birthday, she set a new benchmark for all young people who want to repeat this achievement. Watson has become a celebrity in his native country even before, as returned to Sydney. As a result, its return was a significant media event in the port and it was greeted by thousands of fans and millions of people watched it on TV.



Lei Wang

Achievement: Completed Adventure Grand Slam, reaching the summit of Everest

To reach the summit on 24 May 2010, the climber Lee Wong has achieved what can boast only a few people on the planet - he completed the Adventure Grand Slam, which includes climbing the 7 highest peaks on the seven continents, as well as the North and South Poles. Lee grew up in China and on top was not even thinking about what his life will be associated with the great adventures. But after he graduated with a degree in computer science and then received an MBA from the prestigious stepe Wharton School, he went on a trip to Ecuador. While there, he reached the summit of Cotopaxi (5896 m), and the rest is history ... now he has joined the list of honor of all the nine people who resigned Adventure Grand Slam



Lance Mackey

Achievement: 4 wins in a row in the most prestigious race on the sled sobachh Iditarod

In Alaska, there is nothing significant and prestigious than winning the Iditarod. In the past 40 years, the length of 1800 km race earned a reputation as one of the most grueling and heavy competition on the planet. Only in recent years, it managed to dominate one man - Lance Makei. In March 2010, Mackey got his fourth consecutive title at the Iditarod, setting a record for consecutive wins. And he is still the only person who was able to win the Iditarod in one year and other prestigious race on the sled-Yukon Quest (1,600 km), which to him seemed impossible. But still, despite all these achievements, probably his biggest win was in 2002, when he beat throat cancer.