Singapore's first women Everest team is safely back at the mountain's base camp and is making their way back to Kathmandu, Nepal. --PHOTO: SINGAPORE WOMEN'S EVEREST TEAM
AFTER scaling the world's highest peak last week, Singapore's first women Everest team is safely back at the mountain's base camp and is making their way back to Kathmandu, Nepal.
After five years of gruelling training, preparation and fundraising, the Natas Singapore Women's Everest Team (Natas-Swet) made history on May 20, when the first summit team - comprising members Lee Lihui, Esther Tan, and team leader Jane Lee - reached the peak of the 8,850m-high Mt Everest.
Two days later, team members Joanne Soo and Lee Peh Gee also made it to the top. Team co-leader Sim Yihui was unable to ascend due to recurring chest pains.
In a statement to the media on Monday, the team said: 'The Natas Singapore Women's Everest Team would like to thank our Patron, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, and our generous sponsors and supporters, without whom this journey and resounding summit success would not be possible.
'We would also like to thank individual sponsors who contributed to our journey.
'Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to our coach and Base Camp manager, Mr Lim Kim Boon, who was a constant source of guidance and encouragement throughout our journey.
'We look forward to returning to Singapore at the soonest!'
