Kiwi aims for Seven Summits record

BY WARWICK RASMUSSEN

Former Feilding woman Hazel Nash certainly knows how to aim high.

The 61-year-old, who now lives in England and works at the elite Eton College, has taken on a massive challenge. She wants to become the oldest person to climb the Seven Summits – the highest peaks on all seven continents, including the daunting Mt Everest.

She has already conquered three of them; Aconcagua (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa) and Kosciuszko (Australasia).

"It's good to have a go at things, no matter what your age," she told the Manawatu Standard from England last night.

Apart from the sense of personal accomplishment, she aims to raise at least £100,000 (NZ$227,736) for educational charities along the way. She has raised about £11,000 (NZ$25,000)so far.

Suffering frostbitten fingers during a failed attempt to climb Antarctica's 4892-metre Vinson Massif in December was not enough to put her off.

"I only lost some flesh off my fingers," she said nonchalantly. "It's not too bad. I have baby pink fingers at the moment."

Mrs Nash said that when she announced her plans, there were a few raised eyebrows.

"I think over in England, women don't tend to do these kind of things when they're older. They are rather quite taken aback when they hear about it. New Zealand women tend to be a lot more adventurous.

"If I can be some kind of role model for older women to get out there and take on these goals, then that would be great."

The energetic woman, who grew up in Feilding, has certainly taken on her share of challenges in the past, describing herself as a bit of a "jack of all trades". She was a teacher in Feilding and a policewoman in Palmerston North before shifting to Nelson, where she eventually set up and ran an outdoor pursuits centre. With her second husband, Frederick Kahl, she went to England in 2001 to spend time with his ailing mother. They have lived there since.

But it was in Manawatu where Mrs Nash caught the climbing bug.

"I joined the alpine club at Massey, and every spare weekend we spent out climbing."

Mt Ruapehu and Aoraki-Mt Cook were ticked off her list early on. She has had a passion for climbing for most of her adult life, and aims to complete her mission by May 2012, when she will be 63.

"I've registered with the Guinness Book of Records, and hopefully I'll be the oldest woman to do it."

For more information, visit www.hazelnash.com.

- © Fairfax NZ News