Teacher from Hong Kong becomes world’s fastest woman to climb Mount Everest
Scaling Mount Everest is a dream for many mountaineering and adventure enthusiasts, but summiting Mount Everest, considered the highest mountain in the world above sea level, takes that dream to literally greater heights.
Recently, Yin Hung Tsang also known as Ada, a teacher from Hong Kong, made a successful ascent on Mount Everest in record time, making her the fastest woman to do so since 2018 when Nepali mountain guide Phunjo Jhangmu Lama set the fastest record at 39 hours and six minutes.
The 44-year-old made her ascent from Mount Everest’s basecamp to its peak in 25 hours and 50 minutes, which is 13 hours faster than the previous record set by Lama.
“I climbed not for records but to test and explore my ability, to know myself more. I am happy we are able to do it,” says Ada via a Facebook post by Dreamers’ Destination Treks & Expedition.
“I am relaxed and happy because I set this target around four years before,” she told AFP.
With the team, Ada started the journey from the basecamp (5,300 meters) at 1:20 pm on May 22 and reached the summit (8,848.86 meters) at 3:10 p.m. on May 23. Given the arduous and potentially deadly feat, Ada only stopped twice on her ascent, reportedly to take a break and change clothes.
In photos posted by Dreamers’ Destination Treks & Expedition, Ada is seen with another mountaineer at the summit, waving the flag of Hong Kong amid the backdrop of the snow-carpeted mountain festooned with prayer flags.
Ada and the team first attempted to reach the summit on May 12 but due to extremely harsh weather, they had to abandon the ascent at 8,755 meters.
According to the New York Post, Ada credits luck for not encountering many climbers upon her ascent to the highest camp. She said, “For the summit, it is not just your ability, team work, I think luck is very important.”
An ultra runner, Ada started training to be a mountaineer 11 years ago. She told AFP that growing up, her family lived with “no resources” and sport became her source of joy.
Ada, who was born in China and moved to Hong Kong when she was 10 years old, said she used to run on the mountains and play sports.
She first climbed Mount Everest in 2017 and became the first Everest summiteer from Hong Kong.
With every mountaineer who dreamed of scaling the highest mountain in the world, there is always a team, including sherpas and mountain guides who make that dream into a reality.
In a Facebook post, Ada expressed her appreciation for sherpas Sirdar Pemba Dorje, Nima Gyalzen, Mingma Nuru and Padam Tamang, and expedition leader Phurba Tenjing who were beside her along the way. “To me, the sherpas are more than teachers, they are brothers, friends, family, and life saviors. I climb the mountains in Nepal to meet and remain in touch with them.”
In the same Facebook post, Ada shared, “People used to say ‘you are so strong,’ but I never thought I am so strong.” She added, “Mountains are strong.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mount Everest was closed to mountaineers last year. But this year’s climbing season (summiting takes place in May), Nepal has granted over 400 permits to mountaineers, 350 of them were able to summit the mountain.
In 2007, Janet Belarmino, Carina Dayondon and Noelle Wenceslao became the first Filipinas to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Photos from Dreamers Destination Treks’ Facebook page