Rower from Ukraine seeks to cross Atlantic, twice (07/06/03)

Rower from Ukraine seeks to cross Atlantic, twice

by Peter Steciuk

NEW YORK - Ukrainian Teodor Rezvoy is making a daring bid to become just the third person in the world to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean and back. Should he succeed, Ukraine would become the third country, after Great Britain and France, to have one of its countrymen achieve the feat. Ukraine's Consulate General in New York hosted a press conference on June 20 at which Mr. Rezvoy discussed his upcoming journey.

Mr. Rezvoy, 35, of Odesa, Ukraine, has already completed the first leg of the journey, having rowed from Spain to the Barbados in just over 67 days, according to information compiled by the Ocean Rowing Society. That journey, which took place from October to December 2001 and covered a distance of 2,934 miles, made him the first man from the former Soviet Union to row across an ocean.

The second leg will take Mr. Rezvoy from New York to Brest, France, along what is referred to as the "Gulf Stream Route." This was the same route traveled by George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen in 1896, when they became the first men to row across the Atlantic Ocean, using a vessel called the Fox. Mr. Rezvoy will be the first solo rower to depart from New York since the voyage in 1896. Mr. Rezvoy embarked on this leg of the journey on July 2,

The boat that will carry Mr. Rezvoy on his dangerous journey is called Ukraine. It has a length of 23 feet, a width of 6 feet, and a weight of 2,000 pounds when loaded with provisions.

As Kenneth Crutchlow, director of the Ocean Rowing Society and Mr. Rezvoy's stepfather, explained at the press conference, ocean rowing technology has come a long way since the days of Harbo and Samuelsen. Whereas the Fox was an open vessel, Ukraine is covered. Also, Ukraine is self-righting, weighted in such a way that it rights itself immediately after flipping. According to Mr. Rezvoy, the boat likely will flip at some point in the journey. Additionally, the boat holds an impressive array of technological equipment, including tracking devices and satellite phones.

The ocean row of the type that Mr. Rezvoy is undertaking can be quite arduous. Mr. Rezvoy's boat will not be accompanied by other boats during the journey, which he expects to last approximately 80 days. At the press conference, Mr. Rezvoy explained that he is not able to sleep for long stretches of time on such journeys, but rather must content himself with naps. There are several reasons for this. First of all, the rocking of the boat makes it difficult to relax. Second, even during the night, Mr. Rezvoy must wake up every two to three hours to check the horizon and his course. Third, it is helpful to row at night. Plus, at night, other boats cannot easily see Mr. Rezvoy's boat, so his being awake helps him avoid disaster.

Mr. Rezvoy noted that he cannot even go swimming to refresh himself on his trip. If he tried to go for a swim in the water, the boat would become too difficult to control, he would be open to attack by jellyfish and other dangerous creatures of the sea, and it would be difficult to wash the salt off his skin after the swim.

On the journey, Mr. Rezvoy said he will subsist mostly on dried and vacuum-sealed food products. He also catches fish, and noted that fish often jump directly into the boat. However, one needs to be careful with large fish, since they can pull the fisher from the boat or break whatever they are tethered to. Mr. Rezvoy managed to bring beer, salami and whiskey on board with him for the trip from Spain to Barbados. He also uses a water de-salinizer.

When asked what he would do in case of a storm at sea, Mr. Rezvoy commented that all a rower can do is get inside the boat, batten down the hatches and pray.

For much of his life, Mr. Rezvoy has exhibited an affinity for physically demanding activities. He was born in Odesa in 1968 and took up both horseback riding and rowing at the age of 3. He used to accompany his father on geological expeditions to the Pamir Mountains in the Himalayas. He also took up mountaineering, skiing, martial arts, archery, tennis and volleyball, and holds a diploma in advanced sailing courses. He also served in the Soviet air force for two years.

Mr. Rezvoy worked as an actor at the age of 7 at the Odesa Film Studio. He later attended the Education Institute of Fine Arts in Odesa. Afterwards, he designed sets and did commercial computer design at the Odesa Film Studio. Before he decided to embark on the trans-Atlantic journey, Mr. Rezvoy was the webmaster for the Ocean Rowing Society.

At the press conference, Mr. Crutchlow commented on an encounter during which he asked Mr. Rezvoy why he wanted to row across the Atlantic. Mr. Rezvoy had replied, "I want my son to be proud of me," referring to 6-year-old Dimitriy. He also said he hoped that Ukraine would garner some publicity from his trip.

Mr. Rezvoy also signaled his intention to dedicate his voyage to the firemen who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The journey is funded by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers as well as private donors.

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