Foreword of  Nick Shustrov:

Last winter I received a letter from an American Dan Howitt, with the application for participation in the Elbrus Race 2009. We started an active correspondence - he was very interested in all the details of the race.

February 6, he sent a letter with contacts of  5 leading "climbing"  media including the Boukreev Fund , with a proposal to send information about the Elbrus Race and a question if he would be the very first American going to participate in the race? Or someone from the U.S. was already running on Mount Elbrus in the past? Alex Lowe or Anatoly Boukreev' friend  Kevin Cooney?

I explained that since the 2-nd edition of the Elbrus Race since 2005, Americans have not yet participated in the Elbrus Race, but in the first races, organized by Vladimir Balyberdin, Americans have been for sure! There were two Americans in the 1990! I myself ran in the 1990 , and well remember those guys. We met still before the competition, when practiced boldering near the bridge, opposite the camp Elbrus! One of them presented me a nice green Boreal T-shirt - in response to the Uzbek knife brought from Asia I presented to him!

It seems to me, I answered to Dan Hovvitu that one of these guys's name was Kevin:   

"About the participants from the U.S. - not a single American climber in the time the new history of Elbrus races. But at a time when the races organized Vladimir Balyberdin (1989-1990) were 2 Americans! They participated in 1990, I do not remember their names, but one name you mentioned - Kaywin Cooney, seems very familiar to me! They sponsored NIKE - I remember they (at least, if one of them) have used specially designed jogging shoes with spikes, so you can walk on ice + I think they sponsored Boreal - I had Boreal climbing shoes and one of them gave me borealevkuyu cool t-shirt. That was the year when "Buka" (A. Boukreev) established its unbroken record climbing from refuge of 11 to the Eastern summit of Elbrus - 1 hour 47 minutes, 2 U.S. athletes shared 2 and 3 place, I do not remember who was the 4 th, I was 5 place with the result 2h12 minutes. I will write a letter Kevin and ask,  whether he was at the race of 1990 "

Said - done, and I'm have got a response from Kevin Cooney - "of course I remember!"

Started a correspondence and now  you can touch a nice piece of mountaineering history grace to Kevin Cooney

It was one more important consequence of this correspondence - Memorial Foundation Anatolia Bukreeva (a Kaywin one of its founders) has allocated $ 1000 as the prize for V international Elbrus Race winners!!

I take this opportunity to thank Dan Howitt - his letter was the beginning of a cycle of events and memories!! Unfortunately, he was unable to raise money for the trip, and withdrew from the contest, I hope he would have better luck next year!