Constant devaluations of the ruble, power surges, shortages of sugar and a bad water supply conspired to make this quite an ordeal--"like ten years in purgatory, " he recalls.

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To toughen the ordeal, competitors were provided with just their water supply and a tent to sleep in at night.

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They also learned that the captain and mate were rescued after spending nearly 23 hours in the water, noting that their relatives called and took care of them after the ordeal.

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He took the animals back to the shed, but by the next day realised that the mother did not have any milk following her two-week ordeal under the snow, which she had only survived by eating the bush and using the snow for water.

BBC: The miracle lamb