Mount Cho Oyu challenge to be attempted next week

The three Maltese climbers who are attempting to climb Mount Everest next year leave Malta for Mount Cho Oyu in the Himalayas next Wednesday.

Marco Cremona, Greg Attard and Robert Gatt, who have formed challenge8000, plan to climb Mount Everest in May to promote awareness about asthma and better air quality in Malta through its association with the Society of Maltese Asthmatics and the Stop the Dust! campaign.

Mount Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world with its summit above 8,000 metres. The climb is considered to be technically and physically as challenging as Mount Everest.

This challenge would give the team a good idea of how prepared they are for Mount Everest.

The team are being assisted by Victor Saunders who climbed the Everest four times in past five years.

Their training has included climbing 39 peaks in the Lake District in three days and climbing in French Alps. They have been through a rigorous training programme both individually and collectively.

Mount Cho Oyu is 30 kilometres west of Mount Everest.

www.challenge8000.net