27 July 2025 - A Historic Day for Armenian Endurance: Half Everesting Conquered!

 

A Historic Day for Armenian Endurance: Half Everesting Conquered!

On July 27, a milestone event took place — not only for Trialeti Vanadzor as a club, but for the entire history of endurance sports in Armenia.

The team organized its first official attempt at a Half Everesting — that means gaining 4424 meters of vertical elevation in a single trail running activity.
Just like during the Quarter Everesting challenge, the chosen peak was Mount Yeghjervasar, located in the stunning Dilijan National Park.

Early in the morning, Ivan Biryukov and Egor Smirnov set off on their first ascent. The weather was kind to them — the first two climbs were shaded by alternating clouds, making the effort more bearable.

During the second ascent, they were joined by Shushanik Saakyan, who brought amazing energy and support to the team.
In addition, a small group of three athletes from Yerevan joined the challenge — each completing one full ascent as part of the event.

After the third climb, Ivan decided to end his attempt — he had felt unwell the day before and chose not to push beyond reason. This left Egor alone for the final ascent. But anyone who knows him understands: this mountain was going to lose.

With his trademark determination, strength, and endurance, Egor Smirnov completed the full challenge — covering around 44 kilometers and gaining an incredible 4617 meters of elevation. 

He officially became the first person in Armenia to complete a Half Everesting on foot.

We are beyond proud of our teammate.
Congratulations, Egor! You’ve made history.

Here is link to strava activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/15254950023