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Valery Babanov won the most prestigious mountaineering award – Piolet d’Or (2001) for his solo first ascent of the North face of Meru Central peak (6310 m) in Garhwal Himalayas (India). Experienced climbing experts headed by world-famous climber Sir Chris Bonington have acclaimed his ascent as the best climbing achievement of 2001. This time prize-giving ceremony was organized by “Montagne” magazine and, as usual, by the French Group de haute montagne (GHM). Besides Valery for Piolet d’Or were pretending:
1. The team of 12 Russian climbers, who have first climbed Lhotse Central (8414m).
2. Jim Bridwell and Spencer Pfingsten (first ascent of the `beast’ on the East Face of Dent Moose),
3. Marko Prezelj and Stephen Koch (first ascent of `Luna’ on the SW Face of Denali),
4. Mauro Bole with his team (the first ascent of `Woman and chalk’ in the East face of Shipton Spire),
5. Patrick Berhault (alpine traverse).
Let us recall that the previous year Piolet d’Or was awarded to Vania Furlan, Tomas Humar (Slovenia) and Thomas Huber (Germany). Russians won Piolet d’Or for the second time. First time it was awarded to Ekaterinburg team for climbing the West Face of Makalu (8463m) in 1997.
We wish our climbers not to leave hold of the Piolet!
21.05.2002
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