Riding high

KNYSNA NEWS - Co-owner of a local cycling shop, Tyrone van Rooyen, hopes to soon become only the fifth person on earth to look back from what amounts to a distance of over four times the height of Mount Everest after accepting what is termed the most difficult climbing challenge in the world.

The challenge that lies in wait for Van Rooyen is simply the latest in a series of what 'normal' people would see as borderline crazy challenges.

In 2016 he caught word of the Everesting Challenge - a cyclist must pick any hill anywhere in the world and ride repeats of it in a single activity until they have climbed 8 848m (the equivalent height of Mount Everest).

The Everesting Challenge was pioneered by George Mallory, grandson of the famous Everest climber by the same name who formed part of the first British ascent of Mount Everest in 1922 and died during his third attempt to conquer the peak. His body was found in 1999.

He was also responsible for the quote: "Because it's there".

In 2016 Van Rooyen completed the challenge on the Outeniqua Pass. In 2017 he went further and equalled an elevation of 10 000m up the Prince Alfred Pass.

Two years later he completed his biggest challenge yet - ascending 20 000m up Mount Ventoux in France. On each of these occasions he raised money for the Knysna Animal Welfare Society (Kaws).

However, this year Van Rooyen will be ascending the equivalent of four Everests as he sets out to ascend a total of 35 392m up the Outeniqua Pass. He will have to do roughly 67 ascents of the pass - for context, the pass is only 10km long and you gain roughly 525m ascent on each climb. There is also the chance of a new world record.

"So far only four people worldwide have accomplished this, with the elevation record sitting at 38 703 metres," Van Rooyen says.

Tyrone van Rooyen looks out ahead during one of his previous challenges.

"If I get to my goal and feel okay, I will attempt a new record."

There are some rules though. "The rules are two hours of sleep permitted after every Everest. So basically I will have six hours of sleep to get to

35 392m. My goal is to do this in about 72 hours."

This year the ascent challenge will be known as the Dok Wayne Ascent Challenge, after the George-based charity that will be his beneficiary this year.

Dok Wayne passed away last year and the foundation was established to carry on his legacy of assisting underprivileged children that have a disability in the Garden Route area.