|
SA ADVENTURERS THE FIRST TO CLIMB AND FLY
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN ON EACH CONTINENT
 A
team of South African adventurers will be
embarking on the journey of a lifetime as
they set out to climb and paraglide from the
top of the highest mountain on each of the
seven continents. If successful, the team
will be the first to paraglide from all
seven peaks. Setting off on Sunday July 11
to begin climbing Mt Elbrus in Russia, the
group’s aim is to raise money for The Smile
Foundation in partnership with corporate
social responsibility initiative, The Trust.
Aptly named 7 Summits 7 Flights, the project
is a joint venture undertaken by Pierre
Carter, Marianne Schwankhart and Peter
Friedman. Documenting this epic journey,
Schwankhart, will ride tandem with Carter as
he paraglides from each summit. This will
enable her to capture aerial shots of the
mountains from all new angles. Remote video
cameras attached to both the paraglide and
one of paraglider’s helmets will shoot
video images while a film crew will capture
the duo’s take offs. The resulting footage
will be used to compile a documentary
covering all seven climbs and flights.
Carter, the driving force behind the project
and whose lifelong dream it is to complete
the challenge, is a three-time South African
paragliding champion. He has also
represented South Africa in the world
paragliding championships for five
consecutive years between 1991 and 1995.
Climbing for almost 30 years, he has
previously summated two of the seven
mountains, Mt Elbrus in Russia and Mt
Aconcagua in South America.
Schwankhart has been an avid climber since
1995 and has followed her passion, climbing
mountains worldwide. Schwankhart became the
first and only woman to have climbed the
east face of the central tower of the Torres
del Paine in Chile in 2003. She later
returned to Chile in 2008 and became the
first and only woman to climb all three of
the Torres del Paine peaks.
The third member of the team, Friedman,
whose contribution to the project has been
in setting up the expedition and partnership
with The Trust, will join Carter and
Schwankhart on their first climb and,
weather dependant, will attempt the flight
down on a single glider.
Carter and Schwankhart will tackle Mt
Carstenzs Pyramid in Australasia (4884m), Mt
Vinson in Antarctica (4897m), Mt Elbrus in
Europe (5642m), Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa
(5895m), Mt Denali in North America (6194m),
Mt Aconcagua in South America (6959m) and Mt
Everest in Asia (8850m) over a two-year
period.
The project’s strong online presence will
allow interested members of the public to
follow the group’s progress on Facebook and
Twitter. Images of the spectacular views
will be posted and updated regularly on the
project’s official website.
Taking advantage of their unique adventure,
the team is using the initiative to raise
awareness and funds for The Smile Foundation
whose work it is to assist children with
facial anomalies through expert surgical
intervention.
“We admire the dedicated work of charitable
organisations such as The Smile Foundation
and hope to help provide them with the
resources and funds they need to do their
work and overcome their own challenges,”
says Carter.
7 Summits 7 Flights is working in
partnership with The Trust, an organisation
which strives to aid as many South African
charities as possible by making it easy for
donors to pledge money through a single,
global access point.
 As
one of its major fund-raising initiatives
for the year, The Trust will be giving the
team its full support. Inspired by the
courage of the team managing trustee Tracey
Cohen comments: “The Trust is thrilled to be
working with a group of such exceptional
people. The funds raised will go a long way
to helping thousands of less fortunate South
Africans.”
The Trust is also working to draw attention
to the plight of human trafficking by
selling anti human trafficking wrist bands
at The Trust's functions and events. The
Trust is also running a series of TV adverts
and a radio advert by R&B superstar Akon.
The Trust's human trafficking efforts are
sponsored by Cintron Africa. All proceeds of
the anti human trafficking wrist bands go to
charities affiliated to The Trust.
The Trust currently has more than 100
audited charities on its books. Since it was
founded, it has helped to raise millions of
rand for a wide range of charities that work
tirelessly to assist survivors of crime,
vulnerable groups, abused animals, HIV &
AIDS sufferers as well those that are
helping to protect the environment.
To find out more about the 7 Summits 7
Flights project and to make a donation
visit:
www.7summits7flights.co.za. Be sure to
read The Times newspaper and website for in
depth articles on the team’s journey.
About The Trust
Launched in November 2008, The Trust is a
corporate social responsibility initiative
with the goal of assisting every South
African charity that passes its stringent
auditing and accountability checks. The
benefit to the charities that participate is
that they are able to consolidate marketing
efforts under one umbrella and boost their
fundraising ability. The Trust brings sound
business principles and business marketing
know-how to the non-profit sector. Donors,
meanwhile, have the assurance that the
charities that qualify for the initiative
live up the promise of giving to those who
need it most. For more information, please
visit:
http://www.thetrust.org.za.
|
|
 Lance
Metz, aged 26 is the youngest South African
to climb both Carstenz Pyramid (Highest
point in Oceania) and Mount Vinson (HIghest
point in Antarctica), He has also climbed
Mount Killimanjaro (Highest point in Africa)
twice, including one ascent up the now
closed Arrow Glacier route. He has also
climbed Mount Aconcagua (Highest point in
South America) as well as Mount Elbrus
(Highest point i n
Europe). Lance will be attempting Mount
Everest (Highest point in Asia and the
world) in 2010. Once he completes Mount
Denali (Highest point in North America) he
will become the youngest African to complete
the prestigeous 7 summits - the highest
point on each continent of which fewer than
140 people in the history have ever
completed.
On numerous expeditions Lance has taken with
him an Iridium satellite phone which he has
rented from Sat 4 Rent and has been able to
keep in contact with his loved ones at home,
keeping them updated on his progress and
thereby ensuring their peace of mind that
all is well.
|
