A 14-year-old boy from the city of Kirov in Russia’s Urals region has been included in an expedition to the North Pole and may become the youngest polar explorer on Earth, local media reported.
Alexander Petrov, a high-school student from Kirov, has been allowed to join a group of young men and women aged 16-18 whose goal is to reach the North Pole by ski.
According to director of the regional sports center Igor Obukhov, Petrov’s father called the center and asked the organizers of the expedition to help the boy realize his dream – to visit the North Pole.
“Despite the fact that the participants must be older than 16, we decided to help the boy and supported his candidature,” Obukhov said.
The expedition, slated for spring 2012, is the fifth in a series of similar events organized by Russia’s well-known polar explorer Dmitry Shparo and his charitable foundation Priklyuchenie Club (Adventure Club).
Last year, a group of seven young men and women, along with their adult guides Matvei Shparo and Boris Smolin, reached the North Pole after covering more than 100 kilometers on skis in seven days.
It is not known whether Petrov is planning to claim a record with the Guinness World Records if he completes the voyage.
It is also unlikely that the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of world records would accept his bid as the organization is trying to avoid encouraging dangerous exploration attempts made by younger and younger people.
