Europe South Asia Asia Pacific Americas Middle East Africa BBC Homepage World Service Education
BBC Homepagelow graphics version | feedback | help
BBC News Online
 You are in: World: South Asia
Front Page 
World 
Africa 
Americas 
Asia-Pacific 
Europe 
Middle East 
South Asia 
-------------
From Our Own Correspondent 
-------------
Letter From America 
UK 
UK Politics 
Business 
Sci/Tech 
Health 
Education 
Entertainment 
Talking Point 
In Depth 
AudioVideo 
Friday, 31 March, 2000, 12:35 GMT 13:35 UK
Sherpa's race to the top
Babu Chhiri waving
Sherpa Babu Chhiri: Just 16 hours to the top?
By Sushil Sharma in Kathmandu

A Nepalese sherpa climber is attempting two records on Everest during the current spring climbing season.

Babu Chhiri is attempting to become the fastest climber of the world's highest mountain.

He is also looking for a record eleventh climb of the 8,850 metre peak.


Mount Everest
More than 900 have climbed since 1953
The 34-year-old sherpa left the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, on Thursday for the Everest region to prepare for the first leg of the journey up to the peak.

He plans to reach the peak in 16 hours to become the fastest climber ever.

The current record of 20 hours 24 minutes is held by another sherpa climber, Kaji, who made it to the top two years ago.

Babu Chhiri is also aiming for his eleventh Everest ascent.

Sherpa records

If Babu succeeds in his plan to reach the summit twice this season, he will break the record of another sherpa climber, Ang Rita, who last year retired after getting to the top of Everest ten times.



Fear is always there but it is not going to keep me from going to Everest again and again

Babu Chhiri
If he succeeds, this will be Babu's third record-breaking Everest achievement.

Last year, he went into the Guinness Book of Records for the longest stay at the top of Everest. He spent a record 21 hours at the peak.

Climbers normally spend just a few minutes at the top because of the freezing temperatures, high winds and unpredictable weather.

About 900 climbers from more than 50 countries have climbed Everest since Tenzing Norgay of Nepal and Edmund Hillary of New Zealand first made it to the top in 1953.

More than 150 climbers have died in the Everest expedition.

Taking on risks

Babu Chhiri knows the mission involves risks.

But he exudes confidence.

"I am not afraid of the climbing or the death. Fear is always there but it is not going to keep me from going to Everest again and again."

Everest apart, Babu Chhiri has another mission.

Born to a poor sherpa family, Babu, who never went to a school, wants to build a school in his home village in the remote hill district, Solukhumbu.

Search BBC News Online

Advanced search options
Launch console
BBC RADIO NEWS
BBC ONE TV NEWS
WORLD NEWS SUMMARY
PROGRAMMES GUIDE
South Asia Contents

Country profiles
See also:

02 Feb 00 | South Asia
Everest's 'new height' disputed
12 Nov 99 | South Asia
Mount Everest reaches new heights
25 Oct 99 | South Asia
Legendary sherpa gives up mountains
25 May 99 | South Asia
Mallory's Everest climb disputed
Internet links:


The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Links to other South Asia stories are at the foot of the page.


E-mail this story to a friend

Links to more South Asia stories