A team of South African adventurers will be embarking on the journey of a lifetime as they set out to climb and paraglide from the top of the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. If successful, the team will be the first to paraglide from all seven peaks. Setting off on Sunday July 11 to begin climbing Mt Elbrus in Russia, the group’s aim is to raise money for The Smile Foundation in partnership with corporate social responsibility initiative, The Trust.
Aptly named 7 Summits 7 Flights, the project is a joint venture undertaken by Pierre Carter, Marianne Schwankhart and Peter Friedmann. Documenting this epic journey, Schwankhart will ride tandem with Carter as he paraglides from each summit. This will enable her to capture aerial shots of the mountains from new angles. Remote video cameras attached to both the paraglide and one of paraglider’s helmets will shoot video images while a film crew will capture the duo’s take offs. The resulting footage will be used to compile a documentary covering all seven climbs and flights.
Carter, the driving force behind the project and whose lifelong dream it is to complete the challenge, is a three-time South African paragliding champion. He has also represented South Africa in the world paragliding championships for five consecutive years between 1991 and 1995. Climbing for almost 30 years, he has previously summited two of the seven mountains, Mt Elbrus in Russia and Mt Aconcagua in South America.
Schwankhart has been an avid climber since 1995 and has followed her passion, climbing mountains worldwide. Schwankhart became the first and only woman to have climbed the east face of the central tower of the Torres del Paine in Chile in 2003. She later returned to Chile in 2008 and became the first and only woman to climb all three of the Torres del Paine peaks.
The third member of the team, Friedmann, whose contribution to the project has been in setting up the expedition and partnership with The Trust, will join Carter and Schwankhart on their first climb and, weather dependant, will attempt the flight down on a single glider.
Carter and Schwankhart will tackle Mt Carstenzs Pyramid in Australasia (4884m), Mt Vinson in Antarctica (4897m), Mt Elbrus in Europe (5642m), Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa (5895m), Mt Denali in North America (6194m), Mt Aconcagua in South America (6959m) and Mt Everest in Asia (8850m) over a two-year period.
The project’s strong online presence will allow interested members of the public to follow the group’s progress on Facebook and Twitter. Images of the spectacular views will be posted and updated regularly on the project’s official website.
Taking advantage of their unique adventure, the team is using the initiative to raise awareness and funds for The Smile Foundation whose work it is to assist children with facial anomalies through expert surgical intervention.
“We admire the dedicated work of charitable organisations such as The Smile Foundation and hope to help provide them with the resources and funds they need to do their work and overcome their own challenges,” says Carter.
7 Summits 7 Flights is working in partnership with The Trust, an organisation which strives to aid as many South African charities as possible by making it easy for donors to pledge money through a single, global access point.
As one of its major fund-raising initiatives for the year, The Trust will be giving the team its full support. Inspired by the courage of the team managing trustee Tracey Cohen comments: “The Trust is thrilled to be working with a group of such exceptional people. The funds raised will go a long way to helping thousands of less fortunate South Africans.”
The Trust is also working to draw attention to the plight of human trafficking by selling anti human trafficking wrist bands at The Trust’s functions and events. The Trust is also running a series of TV adverts and a radio advert by R&B superstar Akon. The Trust’s anti-human trafficking efforts are sponsored by Cintron Africa. All proceeds of the anti-human trafficking wrist bands go to charities affiliated to The Trust.
The Trust currently has more than 100 audited charities on its books. Since it was founded, it has helped to raise millions of rand for a wide range of charities that work tirelessly to assist survivors of crime, vulnerable groups, abused animals, HIV & AIDS sufferers as well those that are helping to protect the environment.
To find out more about the 7 Summits 7 Flights project and to make a donation visit: www.7summits7flights.co.za . Be sure to read The Times newspaper and website for in depth articles on the team’s journey.
