Zed "Zeddy" Al-Refai is the first Arab to summit Mt Everest and the first to complete the Seven Summits as well.

Update 1/10/2005: Zeddy has summited Mt. Kosciusko on 5th January 2005. So both versions of the 7 summits are now completed.

Born to Summit!

One of the things that fascinates us about Everest is who accomplishes things first, who they are and where they're from. Who was first up the mountain? That'd be Sir Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay (or maybe George Mallory and Sandy Irvine - you never know). Who was the first American? That'd be Jim Whittaker.

Thirty-eight year old Zed "Zeddy" Al-Refai is the first Arab to summit Everest and the first to complete the Seven Summits as well. Zed, a Kuwaiti National born on October 28th, 1966, was educated in Finland and attended university in the US. He spent his holidays trekking in New England, the Rockies and in the North Pacific states. It's there that the passion for mountaineering really hit him.

Moving to Switzerland, with its climbing history and rugged Alps, in 1992 kicked his climbing career into high gear. He traveled to Nepal in the mid 90's where he was captivated by Mt. Everest and the Himalayas.

The man who was once reported dead on Everest by "reporters" who don't check their facts, has done the 7!

In his words, "I'll try to go to Kosciuszko soon for a good measure. (We came a long way George). I'm after my good friend Kim Chung on the 7 summits list. Thanks for everything. Zeddy!!

For more on Zeddy check the links below:

Zeddy Al Refai reports from Everest the first time...

Dead men don't make phone calls

 

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