Maxime Sorel the sailor who climbs Everest for cystic fibrosis patients – Corriere.it

Maxime Sorel he could reach the summit of Everest in a few days, perhaps as early as Thursday. He is 36 years old and, first of all, an offshore sailor who finished 10th at the Vende Globe 2021. Not a simple feat to climb the 8,848 meters of the Roof of the World. He first spent a month acclimatizing to certain temperaturesthen with two traveling companions – Guillaume Vallot and Julien Fernandez – and four Sherpas, he decided to attempt the feat to prove that nothing is impossible. It took a month for the body to familiarize itself with the temperatures at high altitudes. There was the ascent to the advanced base camp of Pumori (5,750m) and the tour of Kalapatar (5,644m), as well as another five days spent at 6,400m in extreme conditions, between strong and icy winds, temperature ranges up to minus 30 degrees.

I had not imagined that it would be so intense for my body to acclimate to this altitude – he told the magazine before attempting the climb Voiles et Voiliers –. a very strange feeling because every expedition is a slow walk, not necessarily a muscular one. But due to the altitude my body is deteriorating. I’m a long way from the shape I was in at the beginning. I feel like I’m in a flu-like state: sore throat that doesn’t heal, great tiredness. Acclimatization is a constant struggle to be able to evolve at altitude. I had a lot of fun climbing Lobuche, Kalapatar, Pumori advanced base camp. Because, even if the efforts are intense, I know how to find the motivation to reach my goal. That also the discovery of an entire universe around the base camp, with the Sherpas in particular. I fully consider the word shipping, with all the logistics that this requires.

Maxime and his travel companions are also surrounded by marvelous landscapes, such as the Khumbu waterfalls, the icefall is located in Nepal, on the side of Mount Everest not far from the base camp, used precisely for climbing the highest mountain in the world and west of the its peak. The icefall really impressed me a lot, it’s constantly moving, it lives under our feet and big blocks of ice often fall. Nowhere else in the world do climbers attempt to walk on a glacier as chaotic as this one. Danger everywhere and above all unpredictable. charming, but a huge risk. The moment of departure for the Everest climb was eagerly awaited, with great emotions and the training was tough.

A well-planned itinerary: departure towards Camp 2 and from here towards Camp 3, at more than 7,100 meters above sea level. Up to camp 4, where oxygen becomes less and less. Then the departure for the summit and the arrival which should take place on Thursday. What do I want from this challenge? At the top of Everest, even with oxygen, I would only have 30% of my breathing capacity. This is where we take the measure of what patients with cystic fibrosis may experience. In essence, Maxime intends to simulate the conditions of those suffering from mucoviscidosis, a hereditary pancreatic disease that affects the respiratory tract. he always been involved in this cause and that is also why he ready to conquer Everest.