Monday, December 26, 2011
Youngest to climb 7 summits: Jordan Romero sets world record (Video)
BIG BEAR, CA, USA -- Jordan Romero, a 15-year-old American, reached the top of Mt Vinson Massif in Antarctica, after successful climbs of Kosciuszko (Australia), Elbrus (Europe), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), and Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania) - setting the new world record for the youngest person to successfully climb to the summit of the seven tallest mountains on Earth's seven continents, according to World Record Academy (www.worldrecordacademy.com).
Photo: Jordon Romero has become the youngest person to climb the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. ( enlarge photo
)
Romero beat the world record held by Britain's George Atkinson, who in May completed the seven ascents at the age of 16.
The Guinness world record for the Oldest female to climb the seven summit was set by Caroline (Kay) LeClaire (USA), who completed her last Seven Summit climb by ascending Mount Everest aged 60 years and 77 days.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the Fastest seven summit ascent (female), set by Joanne Gambi (UK), who climbed the highest peak on each continent in 799 days
.
On Christmas Eve, Jordan, along with father Paul and stepmother Karen, reached the top of the 16,050-foot Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, the last of the mountains on his list.
Weather conditions, as you would expect, were challenging, with high winds and sub-zero temperatures dogging them all the way.
But int he end, they topped out at about 1 PM local time. They then safely descended back down the mountain and skied back to Base Camp, where they enjoyed Christmas dinner.
Jordan first dreamed of climbing the Seven Summits after seeing a mural on the iconic peaks in his grade school. He was just ten years old at the time.
Romero, from Big Bear Lake, California, has been hooked on climbing from an early age. At 10, he become the youngest person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak at 5895 metres.
Later that year, he would bag his first summit, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa. He would follow that up with successful climbs of Kosciuszko (Australia), Elbrus (Europe), Aconcagua (South America), Denali (North America), and Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania).
But it was his successful summit of Mt. Everest
, the tallest mountain on the planet, that grabbed headlines around the globe.
At the time, Jordan was just 13 years old, and his bold expedition sparked debate in the mountaineering community over how young is too young to climb the world's biggest mountains.
Related world records:
Longest taxi journey: Three British adventurers sets world record (Video)
Fastest overland journey to the South Pole: KNGS (Video)
Youngest person to ski to the South Pole: Amelia Hempleman-Adams sets world record (Video)
First person to visit all UN member countries and Antarctica: Yili Liu
Oldest man to climb Mount Kilimanjaro: Richard Byerley sets world record (Video)
Fastest solo global circumnavigation by bicycle: Bruce Gordon sets world record (Video)
Longest distance on a mountain bike: Dave Buchanan set world record
Fastest time bicycling across Canada: Kevin Robins (Video)
First person to visit all Independent States: Kashi Samaddar (Video)
Longest bumper car marathon: Laura Byng
Longest journey by fire engine: charity firefighters (HD Video)
Longest Journey by Motorcycle in a Single Country: Canadian Brothers (Video)
Fastest Crossing of the Sahara Desert by Bicycle: Reza Pakravan (Video)
First person to visit solo all 194 UN member countries: Yili Liu
Fastest Time to visit 245 countries: Benny Prasad
Greatest distance on a scooter in 24 hours: Jason Chalmers and Tamlyn Locke
Longest distance travelled on a single tank of fuel: Volkswagen Passat
Fastest
circumnavigation by bicycle
: Vin Cox
Longest
rickshaw ride:
Tim Moss
Fastest
journey to the South Pole: Todd Carmichael
Greatest
Distance on Motorcycle in 24 Hours: Omar Al Mamari
Most
countries visited: Kashi Samaddar
Longest
Distance Skated on the Road:
Abhishek
Navale
First
Woman to Scale 14 Highest Peaks:
Oh Eun-Sun
First
to cycle the length of the Americas: Mark Beaumont
Fastest
cyclist to cross Southern
Australia: Guido
Kunze
Fastest
to cycle the Pan-American Highway: Scott Napier
Longest
journey on mini-bikes:
Ryan Galbraith and Chris Stinson
Longest
tea run: Rebecca Wass
Fastest
cyclist to circle the globe: James Bowthorpe
Longest
rickshaw ride: Simon Etkind and Lianna Hulbert
Longest
unsupported Arctic journey: Emirates NBD Greenland Quest
Bicycling
across Canada: Cornel Dobrin
Longest
distance travelled by train in 24 hours: Corey
Pedersen and Mike Kim
Longest
wheelbarrow journey: David Baird
Fastest
team travel to the South Pole: team impossible2Possible
Longest
Journey by Skateboard: Rob Thomson
Longest
journey around the world:
Rosie
Swale Pope
Monday, December 26, 2011