Girls will run for the first time in "Extreme" class!
For the first time in the whole history of International Elbrus Race not only men are declared in "Extreme" class: two girls have decided to risk to run up from Azau (2400 m) to the Western top of Elbrus. The moment is, frankly speaking, the historical. More than 3 km of altitude difference.
These courageous girls are Maria Khitrikova (Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine) and Alexandra Dzik (Poland). Both girls are high-altitude climbers.
Masha Khitrikova was the last year's champion among women on a classical line (Barrels - the Western top of Elbrus).
(photo: Elena Laletina)
She was born in 1990. when her father (Vladimir Khitrikov) passed a tough selection for the National Lhotse expedition - he was one of 50 masters of sport younger than 36 years with the mountaineering experience at least three seventhousanders, who had winter speed climb to Elbrus. The mother, Lena Khitrikova, ranked third in 1989 USSR mountaineering rank, had climbed two seventhousanders, and also Chatyn and several 5-B-grade peaks. In short Masha is a great fruit breeding. At 16 y.o. she climbed Lenin peak, in "alpine style", (It seems for her too boring to go up and down up and down for acclimatization!!) . He hobby is to make squatting on one leg betting for dessert. (Quote from an article by V. Khitrikov on www.Mountain.ru).
Alexandra Dzik was born in 1982. She has graduated from the university on a speciality the psychology and sociology. Now studies in postgraduate study.
Her high-altitude climbs:
Lenin peak 2006
Peak Korjenevskaya 2007
Communism peak 2008
Elbrus Winter climb 2009
Peak Pobeda West 2009
Khan Tengri 2009
Mont Blanc Winter traverse 2008
The champion of Poland on mountain skiing in a season 2006/2007
Member of Poland national team on mountain skiing in a season of 2006/2007 and 2007/2008.
The participant of adventure races (the Championship of Poland) in a season of 2008 ( Suunto Navigator team);
The participant of the championship of the Czech Republic on multiraces in 2005 (Davis Trezeta AT team);
The fourth place in Zamberlan Adventure Trophy - the European championship on multiraces in a season of 2008 (Suunto Navigator team).
This year Alexandra was a member of the Nanga Parbat Polish expedition. She had climbed till C4.