Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov arrives in Queensland*s Sunshine Coast after solo voyage from Chile (ABC)

View Comments ABC Fedor Konyukhov rowing around 3km off the Mooloolaba on May 31, 2014.

Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov has arrived to cheering crowds at the completion of his 160-day rowing journey from Chile to Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

The 62-year-old professional adventurer and Russian orthodox priest rowed into the Mooloolaba Spit on Saturday afternoon just after 1:00pm.

He embarked from South America on his 16,000-kilometre solo voyage on December 23 last year.

Family, friends and a flotilla of local boats greeted the adventurer with cheers, tears and admiration upon his arrival.

"I'm sure most people will say that that's an amazing thing to do and I wish I could do half of it," Fr Gabriel Makarov, from St Nicholas Cathedral in Brisbane, said.

Through an interpreter, Konyukhov said the last few kilometres were tough.

He rowed up to 80 kilometres a day during his journey from Chile to Australia.

Konyukhov's son, Oscar, was on hand to greet him when he arrived in Mooloolaba.

He said his father was exhausted by the journey, but choosing to row rather than sail cut the journey time from around 300 days to 150 days.

Russian president Vladimir Putin also congratulated the adventurer through a letter delivered by the Russian ambassador.

Konyukhov lived on freeze-dried food and desalinated water while crossing the Pacific Ocean in a custom-built boat.

The Russian has now rowed the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, walked to both North and South Poles and climbed Mt Everest twice.

He has also completed the "7 Summits" challenge - climbing the highest mountains on seven continents.

However, some of his world-record attempts have failed. In 2005 Konyukhov had to abandon a round-the-world sailing voyage and make land in Hobart after rigging issues.

Australia has been a base for many of the sailor's voyages, and he sailed from Albany, Western Australia, when he circumnavigated Antarctica in 2008.

He is already considering his next adventure - to pilot a hot air balloon across the world, starting in the Australian desert.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/24019554/russian-adventurer-fedor-konyukhov-arrives-in-queenslands-sunshine-coast-after-solo-voyage-from-chile/