In April - June this year, the Challenge8000 Team will be the first Maltese team to attempt to climb Everest - the world's highest mountain. During the 10-week long ascent, the Team will experience temperatures of -45°C coupled with gale force winds near the summit, hours of strenuous climbing and long days of trekking in order to achieve their objective and place the Maltese flag on the highest point on earth.
The public is being invited to join Marco Cremona and Gregory Attard, two of the three members of the Challenge8000 Team in a weekend-long activity aimed at giving the Maltese public ‘ a taste of Everest'.
From this Friday to Sunday, participants can trek around Malta with the team, navigate a high-rope obstacle course, have a go at abseiling down a 6-storey high cliff face, and experience 10mins in -45°C in a blast freezer wearing the team's genuine expedition clothing. The activities are being organised by Challenge8000 in aid of Richmond Foundation. Participants will receive a Challenge8000 team shirt as a memento of the event with each donation.
The Everest 24/8000 event starts off from Freedom Square, Valletta, at 7 p.m. on Friday when Challenge8000 team members Marco Cremona and Gregory Attard will start their 24 hour 100km long trek around Malta.
Members of the public are invited to accompany the Challenge8000 climbers for the first leg of the trek to the Sliema Ferries. Transport back to Valletta will be provided. The team will proceed through Sliema to St Julians, then along the coast road all the way to Mellieha before heading to the BOV Adventure Park in Ta' Qali where they will rest for some hours.
The team will launch the Saturday activities at 9 am by having a go at the High Rope Course at the BOV Adventure Park. The activity will be open to the public until 4 pm. With every donation to the Richmond Foundation participants will be given a commemorative Challenge8000 t-shirt and more. Throughout the day the BOV Adventure Park will be animated by Ċikkurillu, the Bank of Valletta's Young Savers Mascot, and the Duracell Bunny who will be distributing freebies to children. Bank of Valletta and Duracell are the Platinum Sponsors of Challenge8000.
From The BOV Adventure Park the public is invited to accompany Marco and Greg on their way through Chadwick Lakes to Rabat from where the two will head to Ix-Xaqqa at Ghar Lapsi to abseil a 20 metre vertical wall.
Actress and presenter Claire Agius will be joining Marco and Greg in this abseiling adventure - an invite which is also being extended to the public.Those who wish to experience the thrill of abseiling will have the opportunity to do so on Saturday and Sunday afternoon under the guidance of experienced abseilers using certified equipment. This activity is intended for beginners and no previous experience is necessary. Participation will be against a donation towards Richmond Foundation.
From Ghar Lapsi the trekkers will proceed along the scenic coastal path to Hagar Qim in the company of members of the public who wish to accompany them on this interesting part of the route. Transport back to Ghar Lapsi will be provided.
The last leg of the trek open to the public, kicked off by TV personality Simone Cini, will be from B'Bugia to M'Xlokk later on in the afternoon. From M'Xlokk the team will walk on to the Dewfresh Blast Freezer in Albertown, Marsa, where they will spend the night in the freezer at -45°C, the temperature normally found at the summit of Everest. Throughout the weekend the public can experience this extreme temperature by donning the team's mountaineering clothing and spending 10 minutes in the freezer - certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Among the first to join Marco and Greg will be journalist Miriam Dalli.
The high ropes course at the Ta' Qali BOV Adventure Park will be available to the public on Saturday between 9.00am and 4.00pm and on Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Abseiling at ix-Xaqqa, Ghar Lapsi will be possible from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 1.00pm till 5.00pm on Sunday while the Blast Freezer experience is available between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday and again from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. on Sunday.
Registration for activities can be made at the Event 24/8000 stands in Valletta and Sliema on Friday and Saturday and at the on site registration desks prior to the start of each organised walk and activity on the day.
The full Everest 24/8000 programme can be viewed on www.challenge8000.net.