Rugby Star Climbs Into History Books With 737 Challenge Success

13th July 2011

Parks on the summit of Kilimanjaro Former international rugby star, Richard Parks, climbed into the history books on Tuesday (12th July 2011) when he conquered the last of the Seven Summits on his 737 Challenge.

His ascent of Mount Elbrus in Russia was the final leg of this epic seven month expedition which has seen the ex-Barbarians player, who was forced out of the game by a shoulder injury, set a world record as the only person to stand on all continental summits and all three ‘poles’ in seven months.

After spending 16 months in training, Parks and his team embarked on the extraordinary challenge for Marie Curie Cancer Care and have so far raised over £1m for the charity.

Their quest began with the South Pole last December and was followed by the ascent of Antarctica’s highest peak Mount Vinson; Aconcagua in South America; Kilimanjaro in Africa; the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia; the North Pole; Everest; Denali (Mt McKinley) in Alaska and finally, Elbrus.

Speaking from the top of Europe’s highest mountain Parks said: “It hasn’t sunken in yet. Physically my body has just about held up, I am not sure I have another mountain in me for a couple of months! The final hour of the summit climb I had to dig pretty deep; my legs were quite tired and mentally it was quite tough.”

To date, about only 170 people have completed the Seven Summits; fewer than 20 people have stood on all three ‘poles’, only a handful claiming all the Seven Summits as well. Parks is the first to do it in the same calendar year.

Exodus offers a wide selection of peak bagging trips and mountain trekking holidays; stand on the roof of Africa on one of our Kilimanjaro climb trips, trek to the iconic Everest Base Camp or you even embark on the tough ascent of South America’s pinnacle, Aconcagua. You can even venture to the North Pole on a polar expedition cruise.