Kathmandu, July 14: French alpinist Vadim Druelle set a record by climbing Nanga Parbat in an impressive time of 15 hours and 18 minutes from base camp to summit. This remarkable feat, achieved on June 10, 2024, smashes the previous record of 20 hours and 22 minutes set by Italian climber Francois Cazzanelli in 2022. He did it without supplemental oxygen, supported by Seven Summit Treks, a leading Nepal-based expedition operator.
Druelle, 22, has history of pushing himself to the limits. He achieved the fastest ascent of Manalsu in just 12 hours and 45 minutes without supplemental oxygen and Sherpa support in 2021. He achieved this feat at the age of 19.
His pursuit of speed climbing led him to attempt the south face of Lhotse, one of the greatest mountaineering challenges of the world in 2022, and climb Kanchenjunga one year later from the base camp to summit in a single push in 18 hours and 43 minutes without supplemental oxygen.
His unwavering commitments to the ethics and respect for the mountains reinforce his plan to climb all 82 summits above 4000 meters in the Alps, he is reported as saying.
