Old Oswestrian Scales Everest!

The OO Society is delighted to bring news of Andy Chapman OO (1981-1984) who summited Mount Everest at 6.20am on Monday 16th May 2011 (local times).

News of his tremendous achievement came via Allan Mitchell (former Physics and Maths teacher at School) who still lives in Oswestry and had originally taught Andy to climb at Pandy Rocks.  

Andy has been working in the outdoors since 1989 and has led Jagged Globe expeditions since 1998, when he was an assistant on their first Tien Shan Climber expedition. He returned two years later to summit on Marble Wall and Khan Tengri (6,995m). Andy then spent 2 1/2 years in Antarctica as a Field General Assistant for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). After two winters on the base, he decided it was time to return to the UK and since then has been a regular instructor on their Scottish Winter Courses and Rock Courses, as well as leading expeditions each year. Andy is a determined climber, who has led some very successful trips in the last few years including The North Col of Everest (2006), Alpamayo (2007), Huascaran (2007), Muztag Ata (2008), Ama Dablam (2009), Cho Oyu (2009) and Mera Peak (2009).

It has been Andy's great ambition to climb Everest since he was a 6 year old, so it must have been with great anticipation that he set off in March for Nepal as Assistant Leader for the Jagged Globe 2011 Everest Expedition.  

Andy's father Eddie Chapman OO (1944-1953) said "My wife and I are thrilled and extremely proud of his achievement which is a result of his determination and courage. We are very grateful to many people who have given him guidance, advice and support over the years.

"The last info we had was that the group were at Camp 2 (Advance Base Camp) in the Western Cwm on Tuesday (17th) so hopefully they have gone through the Icefall and are now at Base Camp. We await further news."

Read the report of the Expedition Leader David Hamilton here.

The OO Society would like to pass on their congratulations to Andy for this outstanding achievement.

Is Andy the first OO to summit Everest?  Let us know if there are other secret OO Everest Climbers.