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Tuesday, May 22, 2007

SE ASIA GOIN' GAGA OVER EVEREST (Again)

My cable operator gets me ALL telly channels in our region. I got TV3 from KL, GMA7 from Manila, TVLao and just about every single telly channel a blogger can dream of. *eyes rolling* Just now, I saw another news that a Malaysian woman named Marina Ahmad has just reached the summit of Everest this morning.


What’s with Everest nowadays anyway?

Wasn’t it just last year when we heard about the highly dramatic Filipino race to the top? – there were more than 1 Filipino climbing Everest on the day of 15 May last year and both of them had telly station sponsors (was it ABC and GMA?—correct me if I’m wrong). It was more of a telly channel race than climbing, really. Both station trying to outwit the other to announce that their “manok” (bet) made it first to the top. Oh was it broadcasting at its best or what? Lovely!

And just the other day, I saw an announcement that they are sending the first Filipino women to Everest. Any other contestants from other telly channel?

I could swear I heard one of the stations announced that Dale Abenojar (PHI) was the first Asian OR Southeast Asian to reach the summit of Everest. Of course this is not true. He was the first Filipino, but not the first Southeast Asian. Must be one of those nitwit reporters stirring things up yeah? Anyway, Dale climbed Everest as a member of a 15-man group. The other 2 Filipinos (with another group) reached the summit 2 days later. Hmmm…where they’ve been?

And whatever happened to Singapore's Khoo Swee Chiow who announced his attempt in 2004 to climb the Everest WITHOUT oxygen? No news on that? And I'm pretty sure a Thai dude announced to the media that he's going to attempt the same last year. Hmmm... lack of sponsors?

Who was really the FIRST SOUTHEAST ASIAN to reach the summit of the highly hoolaballooed-frozen-gigantic-piece-of-rock called Mount Everest anyway?

Malaysia’s M. Magendran and N. Mohandas reached the summit on 23 May 1997. Oh wait -- 23 May???... I see! – The first Malaysian woman who reached the top today was a celebration!!! After 10 years of Malaysia’s success, here’s an ode! Wow! That’s cool. But why they waited for 10 years? They could've sent the first woman the next day, yeah? Oh well. She reached the top day early...*sigh*

Marina Ahmad is the 11th Malaysian on record to reach the top of Everest. The Philippines has 4 and Singapore, 1.

Hmmm...Everest, Everest, Everest. What about a list of the first Thais to summit Mt. Apo? Or the first Malaysians on top of Doi Suthep? Or the first Singaporeans in Puncak Jaya? The first Filipinos to summit Mt. Kinabalu? Nobody interested? Ha!

****

I'm sure somewhere out there, is a Southeast Asian who has reached the summit of Everest long before the telly stations made it a big circus deal. I'm sure there are lots of them, actually. Summitters who conquered Everest for personal triumph above publicities and corporate sponsorships or monetary rewards. -- Now these, I can really call... the TRUE EVEREST CONQUERORS.

And moi, climbing Mt. Everest? -- in my next life maybe.
Take that!

9 Comments:

Misterhubs said...

Yeah, there was quite a bit of controversy here over who's the first Filipino to climb Mt. Everest. Romeo Garduce claimed he was first but later on, the sherpa he was with said he never reached the summit. Turns out his claim was just a hoax.

Pisanu for BISEAN said...

No, Romeo Roberto Garduce reached the summit on the 19th of May 2006. He was the fourth Filipino in a span of 4 days. But he's certainly not the FIRST! Hello to him. LOL.

I got the list of Everest Summitters from 1953 to May 2004 which was only released last 31 March. You want a copy? :-)

p said...

the last time i peaked was this morning.

Misterhubs said...

Sure. Please email it to me if you have time. :)

conan_cat said...

well, males go high faster than femals.

agree??? XD

ahem... anyway i don't get what's so facinating about climbing mount everest until they have to report everytime anyone goes there. i agree with you that there must be some true climbers who conquered the mountain ages ago yet left unknown. yes it is a difficult mountain to climb, but hey getting to the north pole or going to the moon is a difficult task too. the excitement just passes out over time.

Unknown said...

The first Southeast Asian to conquer the Everest is a woman, an Indonesian named Clara Sumarwati. She also became the fourth Asian woman and the the 39th woman in the world to summit. She summited Sept. 26 1996.

Asmujiono also from Indonesia followed next in April 26, 1997.

Magendran Munisamy (Malaysia) summited May 26, 1997 along with Mohandas Nagapan also a Malaysian.

Swee-Chiow Khoo and Cheok-Wai Siew (both Malaysians) reached the peak at May 25,1998.

Malaysians are on a roll when Muhammad Muqharabbin Mokhtarrudin and Ahmad Reduan Rozali reached the peak at May 16,2004.

E-Fung Chow of Malaysia summited June 2,2005 at about the same date as Yen-Kai Teo of Singapore summited as well.

Ravichandran Tharumalingam (Malaysia) summited May 15, 2006.

Dale Abenojar became the first Filipino to reach the summit via the Tibetan route at May 15, 2006. Filipino Leo Oracion followed a day later, Erwin Emata (Philippines) May 18, 2006 and Romeo Roberto Garduce on May 19th.


Swee-Chioe Khoo returned to the Everest not as a Malaysian but as a Singaporean on May 23, 2006. A former countryman (Malaysian) Khee-Lian Loh summited on the same date.

This year, saw three Filipinas summiting - Noelle Wenceslao, Karina Dayondon and Janet Belarmino.

Next year, Filipinos will attempt a group summit that will come from both routes - the Tibetan and the Nepali routes. This attempt was never done by anyone in the world.

-----------------------------------

Why do mountaineers climb mountains? Because the mountain is there to be climbed.

Anonymous said...

i'm glad that my kababayan, ms.karina dayondon has made it to the top of the world. she made all the people of don carlos, bukidnon, my beloved hometown, very proud of her! sad to say, i did'nt saw the parade and the hero's welcome event for her!

nayr....

Anonymous said...

hahaha
u gonna climb the everest on ur next life..wait for me ya!

moris

Anonymous said...

It was ABS-CBN -the leading Network (Not ABC) and the far second -GMA-7...

ABS-CBN won, their bid Leo Oracion was the first to reach the summit...

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