News Release

On the 25th of April company BASK held a press conference devoted to an exceptional climbing expedition ‘BASK – Great Sail Wall’, which is leaving to Baffin Island (Canadian Arctic).

The forthcoming exclusive event is a joint expedition of ‘Big Walls – Russian Way’ and ‘Russian Extreme Project’ sport groups.
For the first time a team of leading Russian climbers (headed by Alexander Odintzov) aims to ascend up the Great Sail Peak Wall. Sail Peak is situated in a mountain range of Baffin Island in Canadian Arctic, which no European has ever trodden.
An extreme climb of 1500-meters long and 800-steep wall route is a new stage of Alexander Odintzov’s “Big Walls – Russian Way” project.
The expedition should be especially interesting as former famous climber and now no less famous skysurfing athlete Valery Rozov decided to participate in it. Valery plans to bale out of Great Sail Peak wall with delayed parachute opening.
Baffin Island is the fifth in size among all islands. Almost the entire surface of it is covered with panoply of ice. It is one of the most remote and less explored places of the Earth. Great Sail Peak was climbed only once – by famous Alex Lowe (USA) and his team. Russian athletes plan to break a new route up the Great Sail Peak Wall.
Terms of the expedition (from March till June of 2002) are determined with a polar climate of Baffin Island. This island is situated in the Arctic. One may approach the east side (where all extreme routes are located) only with snowmobiles. In rare warm days of July, when there is no more ice on rivers, it’s also possible to use boats.
The situation is complicated with endemic features of local fauna. The island is inhabited with thousands of polar bears. Only on completing an agreement with state officials and local government (Baffin Island is ruled by Eskimos elders) the team got a permit to import firearms and to use it for self-defence.
High-altitude cameramen Ivan Samoilenko and Lev Dorfman plan to shoot a film, devoted to the climb and the jump. Satellite communications, provided by BASK company, enable the expedition to be covered in media in on-line mode.
General equipment sponsor and an informational sponsor is company BASK – a foremost Russian producer of extreme and special outdoor clothes and equipment. Company Canon provides the expedition with photo and video facilities. ‘Russian Extreme Project’ is sponsored with Salomon company.

Since the 19th of April you may find all details about the expedition at our Internet site: http://www.bask.ru

24.05.2002