Singapore Women Everest Team on top of the World

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Singapore women reach Everest Base Camp

Nepal: The team of Singapore women climbers have reached Everest Base Camp, bringing them closer in their attempt to scale Everest.

In an update emailed from the camp which stands at 5300 metres above sea-level the women said they were spending time getting acclimatised.

"After close to five years of preparation, we're finally here!" said a member of the NATAS SWET team in an email sent through a communication platform set up with support from Singapore telecommunications firm SingTel.

The six-member team ascended Everest Base Camp (EBC) from Lobuche high camp (5,200m) climbing over rocks and boulders in the darkness.

Although the team's EBC 'home' for the next two months is at a height of 5,300m which is higher than most mountains in the European Alps, it didn't prevent visitors from dropping by.

Giving the women a pleasant surprise were students and teachers from Singapore's Christ Church Secondary School. They had treked hills to pay the visit which saw the students leaving littles notes written on song sheets while the teens made their journey to meet the Everest team.

"This journey was meant to inspire and instill confidence in the students and as a gesture of encouragement to the team" said a member of Singapore's first women Everest team.

"We were immensely touched and inspired by their visit... We were very encouraged by this and impressed by the strength and perseverance they have displayed in making their way here.

They said that this was their little way of reminding us of Singapore, but to us, their presence have already brought 'home' to us, right here in the Himalayas."

The team of led by student development officer Jane Lee, 24; training facilitator Sim Yihui, 26; copywriter Esther Tan, 26; pharmaceutical-product specialist Lee Lihui, 27; business owner Joanne Soo, 38; and army officer Lee Peh Gee,32; embarked on their historic climb on March 21.

-CNA/sf

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Singapore Women Everest Team spend time speaking with family and friends at home

Before they conquer the world's highest peak, the Singapore Women Everest Team took some time off their rigorous schedule to say hi to family and friends back home.

Currently residing at the Everest base camp located at an altitude of 5,300 meters, the women managed to communicate with family and friends using satellite phone communication, and the Internet.

The six women said they experienced very little hiccups setting up the communication connection, despite the erratic weather.

The women added that hearing the voices of their loved ones provided a great deal of support as they try to complete this mammoth task.

The women Everest Team left Singapore last month for a three-month trip to scale the 8,800-metre Mount Everest.

To date, no Singapore woman has ever conquered the world's highest peak.

--938Live

HiAy3Captain SG

Sg pride.

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Everest team acclimatising well

SINGAPORE: The NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team (SWET) are acclimatising well to the conditions, as they prepare to summit the world's highest peak.

Having left for Mount Everest a month ago, the women are now 5,400 metres above sea level at Base Camp.

They underwent their first acclimatisation cycle on Monday, which was a 700-metre climb to Camp 1, and then a further 400 metres to Camp 2.

SWET Team Leader Jane Lee said that progress could not have been better. "Yeah, everyone's feeling great because we had a very good climb up there. We were actually away from Base Camp for six days and everyone's condition is very good.

"I think our acclimatisation is very good, you know, like no one's sick or no one's having AMS, so I think that's very, very good. And everyone's very healthy, so that's a good sign.

"So far, the climb has been fantastic and I'll also say that the team is very strong, so I guess now everyone's very confident. Everyone's acclimatised, so things are great."

The team will rest at Everest Base Camp for the next four to five days, before embarking on their second acclimatisation cycle to Camp 3, 7,400 metres above sea level. They expect to attain the 8,850-metre summit in three weeks.

- 938LIVE

skythewood SG

Any PRs in the group? I remember the last team that went got people complain one of the members is not singaporean…

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Singapore's Everest Team to ascend mountain in two groups

SINGAPORE: The NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team has decided to push for the summit in two separate teams – a strategy that could give them a higher chance of success.

Scaling Mount Everest is no easy feat and reaching the summit requires a fool-proof strategy.

Ascending the mountain in two separate groups may help them reach the top, said Edwin Siew, a member of the first Singapore team to summit Everest in 1998.

"It is a wise strategy to have two teams tackle Everest. Just in case, for whatever reason... the first wave can withdraw and the second team will back it up as a support and continue to summit the mountain," said Mr Siew.

He said it is likely that the women will be reaching the highest camps soon where the air is so thin that they would have to don oxygen masks even when they sleep, in order to stay alive.

An oxygen mask is just one of the many pieces of equipment that the women's lives depend on in their bid to conquer the mountain.

The team is expected to summit Mount Everest on Tuesday.

- CNA/so

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Singapore women team's first bid to summit Everest foiled by weather

SINGAPORE: The NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team's first attempt to reach the summit has been foiled by strong winds.

The mountaineers will have to wait until the end of the month for another window to summit. They had hoped to summit the mountain on Tuesday.

Although the mountaineers are disappointed, they said they are not giving up.

The team's strategy of reaching the summit includes making the ascent in two separate teams – a strategy that could give them a higher chance of success.

Scaling Mount Everest is no easy feat and reaching the summit requires a fool-proof strategy.

Ascending the mountain in two separate groups may help them reach the top, said Edwin Siew, a member of the first Singapore team to summit Everest in 1998.

"It is a wise strategy to have two teams tackle Everest. Just in case, for whatever reason... the first wave can withdraw and the second team will back it up as a support and continue to summit the mountain," said Mr Siew.

He said that when the women reach the highest camps at 7,000 metres and above, the air is so thin they will have to don oxygen masks even when they sleep in order to stay alive.

An oxygen mask is just one of the many pieces of equipment that the women's lives depend on in their bid to conquer the mountain.

- CNA/so/ir

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Team to Everest

The Singapore Women's Everest Team, which is at the Base Camp, is ready to make an attempt for the Everest peak once the weather permits.

During the weekend, the team of 6 was forced to turn back because of harsh weather conditions combined with strong winds.

The team is planning its second attempt on the summit at the end of this month, but co-team leader Jane Lee says it may set out much earlier.

"It could be as soon as 3 days from now, or 10 days from now. Essentially everybody's just monitoring the weather reports at the moment because things can change very very quickly here. I can;t actually tell you it's 2 weeks from now. It could really be like just within the next 4 or 5 days."

Jane said the team is taking the weather conditions in its stride and they have not affected its morale.

"We're actually pretty much used to this climbing up, climbing down. It's really part and parcel of mountaineering. And on previous climbs we have had times that we were prepared to go for the summit, but then right at the last minute we had to come down because of the weather. And I think for now, we are actually pretty fortunate because it's only the first half of May. It's still very early. Traditionally the weather window will stay open till the last week of May. So it's still very very early on."

The team left Singapore in March to scale the 8,800-metre Mount Everest.

If it succeeds, it will become the first ever women's team from the republic to reach the summit.

--938Live

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Women Everest Team on top of the World

The NATAS Singapore Everest Women's team has made it!

They've reached the summit of the world's tallest mountain, 8,850 metres above sea level.

Lee Li Hui stepped on the top of the world at 3.45am Nepal time, followed closely by Esther Tan and Jane Lee.

This makes them the first Singaporean women to reach the world's tallest mountain.

When informed of the news, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, said the women climbers' success is a historic achievement for Singapore.

Dr Balakrishnan, the patron of the team’s expedition, says he’s very proud of what the team has accomplished.

He said it took courage, determination and excellent leadership and teamwork to scale the world's highest peak.

He adds that the team has once again demonstrated what Singaporeans can do against all odds when they set their minds to it.

Dr Balakrishnan hoped the achievement will inspire many more Singaporeans to go forth and pursue their passions and achieve their goals.

And fellow Singaporeans have hailed the team’s ascent to the summit as a "great achievement".

Sharing in the proud moment, Singaporeans 938LIVE spoke to, applauded the team's effort and tenacity.

“I think I read that they went through quite a bit, they had a lot of tough times on the way up. So to finally reach there, to reach the destination, is quite a great achievement itself. Congrats to the whole team.”

“It's comforting to hear this kind of good news, in the midst of all the H1N1 scare that we have been receiving lately. Three cheers to our women's team!”

“Wow, what a great achievement! We're very glad for the Singapore team.”

While the team's ascent has been lauded by many, some Singaporeans felt that more coverage was needed.

“Congratulations to the team for women and for Singapore. Although it's unfortunate there haven't really been much media updates that I was aware of, regarding the progress of the team.”

The second three-member Women Everest team is currently on the way from camp 2 to camp 3.

They plan to go for the summit on Friday.

--938Live

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Everest attempt by second Singapore women team

Singapore: The second NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team will attempt to scale the summit of Mount Everest on Friday 22 May, but without one team-mate.

Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee will make their summit attempt as planned, while a third member Sim Yihui, will remain behind after experiencing chest pains at the Khumbu Ice Fall.

The team had to trek from camp 2 to camp 3 to prepare for the ascent, but Sim who was forced to turn back, returned to basecamp where she is reported to be well.

The second attempt by the NATAS-SWET climbers comes after the first team of Lee Li Hui, Esther Tan and Jane Lee became the first Singaporean women to conquer Everest.

This was on Wednesday 20 May where the trio reached the summit between 3.45am and 4.43am Nepal time.

News of the first team's success was greeted with delight in Singapore both by the general public as well as family and friends of the climbers who had set off for their mission some two months earlier.

The women who are mostly in their 20s had spent many weeks on the slopes of Everest training and acclimatising with the thin air and altitude, which is essential in attempting Everest, the world's highest peak at 8,848 metres.

On Wednesday, a Czech climber died attempting to scale Mount Everest without
oxygen.

According to the climber's club, the 47 year old apparently died from altitude sickness.

The man who was an experienced climber who had scaled Tibet's Shisha Pangma
at 8,013 metres, and Mount McKinley (6,193 metres) in Canada, was said to've died in his sleep after climbing to a lower altitude of 7,027 metres on becoming ill on his climb up Everest.

CNA/AFP - sf

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Two more Singaporeans made it up Everest

Two more members of the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team have reached the summit of Mt Everest, 8,850 metres above sea level.

Joanne Soo reached the top of the world at 7.41 am Singapore time.

Lee Peh Gee followed at 8.11 am.

The two girls are making their way back to camp 4.

Jane Lee and Lee Lihui, who were part of the first team to summit, arrived back at Everest Base Camp yesterday afternoon.

Esther Tan, the third member of the 1st team is scheduled to be back later today.

Speaking to TODAY via satellite phone last night, Jane says the work spent in the last 5 years in preparation had truly paid off.

"I'm extremely proud of the team. because the whole team have worked really well in the environment. we are Singaporeans we live in a flat land and no mountains. and here we're are doing extremely well on everest. so I'm extremely proud of the team and we're very glad that we're the first singaporean women team climbing everest.

Another member, Sim Yihui, who was part of the second team, was forced to return to Base camp, after experiencing chest pains.

The 27-year-old suffered an inflammation of her sternum and ribs which was brought about by heavy breathing at high altitudes.

But Yihui says, she was touched by the overall support from her team-mates.

" We've been climbing together for the past several years. so I'm very happy for them that the got to the summit. all of them through their walkie talkie they said you know this summit is for me as well. I cried when I heard that its very nice of them to think of me when they're at the summit wishing I could be there with them. So I was quite emotional. as a team we have come so far. the success as a team and not an individual success. We all understood that."

--938Live

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SWET family members relieved and joyful

Family members of the two girls who conquered Mount Everest this morning (22/05) are relieved that they made it there safely.

However, their fears have not been fully allayed yet.

Lee Peh Gee's mother, Foo Siew Leong, explained.

"So when I had the SMS from one of her friend at around 12 noon that finally she had reached, it's more a sense of relief, then followed by joy and happiness of course. I know I still worry. You know the journey back, it's a tough journey. It's the decending part, it's not easy. I know there is still danger lying ahead."

Mrs Foo said she had always been worried ever since her daughter told her of her desire to scale the mountain.

But she reluctantly let her daughter achieve her dream.

"That was her dream, and she worked so hard. I saw how hard she trained in the five years. Sometimes, she back from work, then she'd pack up again for more training. Sometimes come home with a big blister. I mean her feet was so swollen but she still carry on. That's the price she had to pay, so I'm glad she finally achieved what she want to do, and she succeeded."

Peh Gee's determination is something that her teammate Joanne Soh also shares.

Joanne's sister Jessica also spoke to 938LIVE.

"I said, are you sure? It would take up a lot of time, and then you need to train and all that stuff. She said ya ya ya, she said I'll be able to manage it myself. Of course on one hand, definitely it's worry, especially my mum lah. But to us, we find that this is all along what she wanted to do and wanted to achieve. So of course we give her the support lah."

Peh Gee and Joanne are now in the process of climbing back to base camp.

This will take two to three days.

--938Live

charlize SG

Any PRs in the group? I remember the last team that went got people complain one of the members is not singaporean…

Aiyo, there are so many foreigners and PRs in singapore that almost 1 out of every 2 local news event will feature them.

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Singapore Women's Everest team in Kathmandu, home soon

SINGAPORE : The NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team has left the Everest Base Camp after a three-day trek.

The team said they "braved erratic domestic flights", before having arrived at their current destination - Kathmandu.

The team is now packing up their gear, sorting out the logistics, before returning to Singapore soon.

- CNA /ls

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Singapore Women’s Everest Team returns to rousing welcome

SINGAPORE: The NATAS Singapore Women’s Everest Team is back on home ground.

The women touched down at Changi Airport Monday evening to a rousing heroes’ welcome. Tired but triumphant, they told Channel NewsAsia they were happy to be home.

Team leader Jane Lee said: "It is great to be home. We’ve been away for two and a half months. We didn’t expect the reception to be so huge and warm. It’s fantastic to be back. Everyone has turned up, our friends, families, our colleagues and most especially sponsors and patron Dr Vivian Balakrishnan."

The team’s feat makes them the first Singapore women to stand on the world’s highest peak at 8,850 metres.

The team’s two—pronged strategy paid off when the first summit team made up of Lee Lihui, Esther Tan and Jane Lee reached the top on May 20, followed by Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee two days later.

Team co—leader Sim Yihui did not make the ascent due to recurring chest pains.

A visibly proud Dr Balakrishnan said the team had scaled new heights.

The Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports said: "I think this is part of our own Mount Everest for sports in a way. But we’ve still got a long way to go. But this team is quite an important station up this mountain."

The team has also entered the Singapore Guinness Book of Records for climbing beyond the infamous "Death Zone", which lies above 8,000 metres.

— CNA/yt

lianamaster SG

Inspiring... a job well done.