All-women mountaineering duo set 9 Peak Challenge record Posted on 2 September 2019 Tags:all-women, Drakensberg, Everest, hiking, nature reserve, Seweweekspoort South African mountaineers Alda Waddell and Tumi Mphahlele set a new record completing the South African 9 Peaks Challenge on Friday 30 August 2019, right in time for the closing of Women’s Month. The South African 9 Peaks Challenge involves 141km of hiking, 7,888m of vertical ascents and 5,298km of driving. Challengers must ascend the highest point of each province in South Africa, and the clock starts at the foot of the first peak and ends on the summit of the last. Tumi Mphahlele and Alda Waddell atop each peak. Image supplied. Joburgers Waddell and Mphahlele, who set out on 22 August, set the Challenge’s fastest known time for an all-female duo in a record 8 days, 19 hours and 12 minutes! The fastest known time by a mixed pair was set in October 2018 by Jurgens and Christel Hanekom (4 days, 18 hours, and 45 minutes). The pioneering duo form part of a bigger, all-female mountaineering team campaigning under Everest 2020, who’ve set their sights on climbing Mount Everest in Nepal next May. Their success with the 9 Peaks Challenge will stand them in good stead for the upcoming challenges on the world’s tallest mountain. These are the peaks this dynamic duo conquered: Iron Crown (2,126m) near Haenertsburg in Limpopo De Berg (2,331m) near Lydenburg in Mpumalanga Seweweekspoort Peak (2,325m) in Groot Swartberg Nature Reserve, Western Cape Nooigedacht (1,816m), the highest point of the Magaliesberg in North West Province Mafadi (3,451m) the highest peak in South Africa in the Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal Toringkop (1,913m) in Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Gauteng Kwaduma (3,019m) in the Drakensberg, Eastern Cape Namahadi (3,291m) in the Drakensberg, Free State Murch Point (2,156m) in the Karoo, Northern Cape Also read: Ramaphosa congratulates Madonsela and team on Kili summit Nepal bans single-use plastic on Mount Everest Related Posts Winter wanderlust: embrace adventure and beat the chill 29 May 2023 As winter approaches, many are already dreaming of cosy getaways or thrilling adventures to break... read more 8 amazing adrenaline activities to do in Zimbabwe and Zambia 23 May 2023 For thrill-seekers and adventure enthusiasts, Victoria Falls and Livingstone offer an abundance of adrenaline-pumping activities... read more Hello from the other side (of the Blyde River Canyon) 18 May 2023 Mariepskop’s story is as convoluted as its trails, as bumpy as its access roads and... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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