Four Maltese Climbers Leave Malta this week for two-month expedition which will see them become the first Maltese to climb Mount Everest from the North East Ridge.
Douglas Barbaro Sant, Matthew Xerri, Gregory Attard and Raphael Fenech Adami will be climbing the North East ridge of Mount Everest to raise funds for Dar tal-Providenza in Siġġiewi.
“It is going to be a two-month emotional ride that will test the mind as well as the body. Away from our comfort zones and exposed to constant cold, we are prepared for an experience that will humble us in a way we've never experienced before,” was how they described it.
They recently visited Express Trailers’ Head Office where they were presented with a sponsorship in aid of their challenge. Their orange down suits are in fact being sponsored by Express Trailers and will feature the company’s logo embroidered on them. The team will also be carrying the Express Trailers flag on top of Mount Everest.
“Our interest in this challenge stems from two objectives presented to us by the team. We are in the business of ‘delivering’ many times against several odds and challenges. This team’s quest to deliver our flag to the summit of the Everest is a test of physical and mental fortitude, and a demonstration of near-perfect logistic and tact. The other objective to raise funds for charity is a noble gesture of altruism which resonates with our Emanuel Vella Charity Fund initiatives. I augur these four Maltese climbers the best of conditions and a safe return,” said said Franco Azzopardi, Chairman and CEO of Express Group.
Matthew Xerri, one of the team members explained “we have been training very hard mostly during the past six months in preparation for this gruelling task. Colder temperatures than other parts of the mountain that can reach as low as -45C, as well as prevailing winds, make the North East ridge more challenging. In fact, only one fourth of the climbers who visit Everest each year choose this route. The rest climb the mountain from the South. There is also no evacuation from the Northeast ridge as no helicopters can land on the mountain. Therefore we are going to be really put to our test!”