Ivan Kristoff (born Ivan Hristov; June 6, 1968) is an aviator and rescue worker. He has helped improve the safety of vertical and aerial rope manoeuvres.
Early life
At the age of 15 Kristoff made his own improvised climbing tools and started
rock climbing
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...
and
rappelling
Abseiling ( ; ), also known as rappelling ( ; ), is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling the person descending controls their own movement down the rope, in contrast to low ...
. He later joined
caving
Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology i ...
clubs, including the Speleo Club. During caving activities in the western part of
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
, he discovered new extensions of the Cave "Goliamata Balabanova". The club mapped the new areas and extended the explored area of the cave by more than 4,500 metres.
He started
solo climbing
Solo climbing, or soloing, is a style of climbing in which the climber climbs alone, without the assistance of a belayer.
It is not to be confused with bouldering, a short ascent which by definition is done without the assistance of ropes, harn ...
and joined an alpine club with the goal of escaping the communist regime.
In 1987–1989, Kristoff was
conscripted
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
into the
Bulgarian Army
The Bulgarian Land Forces ( bg, Сухопътни войски на България, Sukhopŭtni voĭski na Bŭlgariya, lit=Ground Forces of Bulgaria) are the ground warfare branch of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The Land Forces were established ...
. Upon his discharge, he joined a national expedition and climbed
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus ( rus, links=no, Эльбрус, r=Elbrus, p=ɪlʲˈbrus; kbd, Ӏуащхьэмахуэ, 'uaşhəmaxuə; krc, Минги тау, Mingi Taw) is the highest and most prominent peak in Russia and Europe. It is situated in the we ...
in the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
.
Career
After the fall of communism in his homeland, Kristoff moved to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, where he attempted to join the
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service (TPS) is a municipal police force in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the primary agency responsible for providing law enforcement and policing services in Toronto. Established in 1834, it was the first local police ser ...
, but was rejected due to his poor English skills. In 1990 he started a business for vertical access on the exteriors of high-rise buildings in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. He has completed some challenging rope access projects in the high-rise environment. One was an exterior repair in 2003 of the
CN Tower
The CN Tower (french: Tour CN) is a concrete communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976. Its name "CN" referred to Canadian National, the railway c ...
antenna mast at , during extreme winter conditions with winds above .
Kristoff founded the first volunteer urban high angle rescue team – the Canadian Highrise Emergency Aerial Response Team (HEART), a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
whose aim is to "minimize the loss of life and to increase the safety of the public." HEART was created to address the needs of over 12,000 high-rises in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, to improve training procedures for rope workers, and to prevent accidents for which traditional emergency response teams would not be equipped.
In Bulgaria Kristoff founded the first volunteer Special Operations Services (SOS) Team. He organized and completed the first aerial video surveillance (from a helicopter) with the technology of
3G and
4G in real time. The event was documented with an expert from VIVACOM (a GSM operator in Bulgaria), a TV crew from BBT TV, and Krasimir Svrakov, Chief of Photography of ''
The Standart''. The project was developed by Ivan Kristoff and experts in
mobile computing
Mobile computing is human–computer interaction in which a computer is expected to be transported during normal usage, which allows for the transmission of data, voice, and video. Mobile computing involves mobile communication, mobile hardware ...
and IT communications. Over a one-year period, these experts, along with a representative from
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. HP developed and provided a wide variety of hardware components ...
Bulgaria, worked together with Kristoff to find the most advanced equipment and wireless video broadcast technology (including
IP camera
An Internet Protocol camera, or IP camera, is a type of digital video camera that receives control data and sends image data via an IP network. They are commonly used for surveillance, but, unlike analog closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, ...
s). These information systems can be used in remote areas during crisis situations.
In recognition for Kristoff's contribution to the emergency services community in Canada, the organizing committee of the Toronto Police invited him to be part of the first annual Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Appreciation Day. The event took place at the
Canadian National Exhibition
The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day, ...
. At the third Appreciation Day, Kristoff led the parade, along with members of the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
and other Canadian law enforcement agencies.
In 2001 Kristoff was chosen by the Toronto community as one of its "Unsung Heroes". The same year, he opened the CFL playoff game between the
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...
and
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...
by rappelling down from the roof of the
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it ...
.
Currently, Kristoff is working on creating an International Vertical Access Network called I.V.A.N., the main goal of which is to share new trends to the high altitude vertical and aerial industry.
Photography
While studying at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, Kristoff pursued his interest in photography and participated in a photography exhibition in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the c ...
, Bulgaria. His photographs document aerial and technical operations.
His projects have appeared in publications including the ''Toronto Computes'', ''Computer Player'', ''Quebec Micro'', ''The Athlete'', ''Bulgarian Army Newspaper'', ''
National Post
The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
'', ''
The Toronto Sun
The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid format, tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices is located at Pos ...
'', ''
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', ''
Town Crier
A town crier, also called a bellman, is an officer of a royal court or public authority who makes public pronouncements as required.
Duties and functions
The town crier was used to make public announcements in the streets. Criers often dress ...
'', ''
Mississauga News
''The Mississauga News'' is a local tabloid newspaper in Mississauga, Ontario. ''The Mississauga News'' is part of Metroland Media Group, a subsidiary of Torstar. In addition to the biweekly print edition, the newspaper also operates a website i ...
'', ''
Mississauga Business Times'', and others.
See also
*
Harry Gardiner
Harry H. Gardiner (1871 – perhaps 1933), better known as the Human Fly, was an American man famous for climbing buildings. He began climbing in 1905, and successfully climbed over 700 buildings in Europe and North America, usually wearing or ...
*
Dan Goodwin
Daniel Goodwin (born November 7, 1955 in Kennebunkport, Maine) is an American climber best known for performing gymnastic-like flag maneuvers and one arm flyoffs while free soloing difficult rock climbs on national TV and for scaling towering sk ...
*
Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit (; born 13 August 1949) is a French high-wire artist who gained fame for his unauthorized high-wire walks between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1971 and of Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973, as well as between the Twi ...
*
Owen Quinn
*
Alain Robert
Alain Robert (born as Robert Alain Philippe on 7 August 1962) is a French rock climber and urban climber. Known as "the French Spider-Man" (after the comic character Spider-Man) or "the Human Spider", Robert is famous for his free solo climbing ...
*
George Willig
George Willig (born June 11, 1949) (a.k.a. "The Human Fly" or "The Spiderman") is a mountain-climber from Queens, New York, United States, who climbed the South Tower (2 World Trade Center) of the World Trade Center on May 26, 1977, about two a ...
References
External links
Vertical RescueAerial RescueBulgarian National TV, ''Иван Кристоф показа уменията си във Велико Търново и Горна Оряховица''*
ttps://www.flickr.com/photos/ivankristoff Cover Pages of Canadian and Bulgarian Magazines and Newspapers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kristoff, Ivan
Living people
Canadian people of Bulgarian descent
Naturalized citizens of Canada
1968 births