All the three members of the challenge8000 team, Robert Gatt, Gregory Attard and Marco Cremona, have successfully climbed to the summit of Mount Cho Oyu at an elevation of 8,201metres. This is the first time ever that any Maltese climber has taken the Maltese flag on a mountain peak at that altitude.
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world and the Maltese team is being led by Victor Saunders, a British mountain guide with long years of experience who has summited Mount Everest 4 times.
The 18-hour trek towards the summit started late on Wednesday night from camp 2 at 7,100 metres, and they reached the summit early on Thursday morning.
The team members had reported being very tired before leaving camp 2 but were still very determined to reach the summit. The team are now back in camp one to rest. None of the Maltese climbers suffered from any serious altitude sickness.
In Spring 2010, under the guidance of Mr Saunders, the challenge8000 team will be the first Maltese team to attempt Mount Everest.
The challenge8000 project was launched back in March 2009 and the team is committed to raise awareness about Asthma in Malta and the importance of clean air in Malta.
