Garduce completes 'seventh' climb

MANILA, Philippines - Romi Garduce became the first Filipino to scale the “Seven Summits,” considered the world’s highest mountains spread through all seven continents.

A source from GMA 7, Garduce’s main backer, yesterday confirmed the 41-year-old UP mountain climber from Balanga, Bataan reached the peak of the 16,067-foot Vinson Massif located in the cold, ice barren of Antarctica.

“He (Garduce) just reached the summit now,” the source told The STAR yesterday afternoon.

Garduce’s conquest of Vinson Massif, the sixth highest and the coldest with temperature dipping to as low as -40 at any given time, thus completed his ascent of the Seven Summits. He was accompanied by fellow UP mountaineer Levi Nayahangan,

Garduce earlier conquered Mt. Kilimanjaro (South Africa in 2002), Mt. Aconcagua (South America in 2005), Mt. Everest (Asia in 2006), Mt. Elbrus (Europe in 2007), Denali Peak (North America in 2008), Mt. Kosciousko (Australia in 2008) and the Carstenz Pyramid (Oceana last July).