Team Anastasia Kim - Walk/Ski

Anastasia Kim

Born to a Russian mother and a Korean father in the mountains of USSR that very soon became an independent country of Kyrgyzstan, I grew up in Siberia (unfortunately, in a city flat not in an igloo). Always hated sport, until sustained a spine compression from a small fall due to a lack of fitness. After 6 months of recovery started snowboarding. From that picked up surfing. Windsurfing, snowkiting and kitesurfing followed. Left home at 16 to pursue a dream of becoming a fashion designer and since then live in London. At age 19 found myself trapped in a small tent with 8 other adventurers in the blinding raging snow storm on the East coast of Svalbard. 48 hours of almost non-stop digging and an encounter with a polar bear followed and I fell in love with the Arctic. Since then I use every opportunity to come back, and have been able to do so for 3 years in a row: as a photographer for Varanger Arctic Kite Enduro 2010 and 2011 (called 'the longest, hardest and most extreme snowkite race in the world'), as a snowkiter, or as a solo adventurer dragging the sled in the cold vast whiteness. In 2009 almost by an accident climbed the highest peak of Europe, Elbrus. Later that same year participated in scientific expedition in Amazon Jungles. In 2011 became interested in mountaineering, spent 24 days on Denali, climbed Kilimanjaro and several peaks in Alps. At the moment preparing for a Polar survival training this December and looking forward to the Adventure Academy 2012. Siberian Black Ice Race is a great chance to strengthen my survival skills and visit family. I find a constant inspiration in the examples of great people like Ranulph Fiennes, Johan Ernst Nilson and my grandmother (who does not at all approve of things that I do).