April 08, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

KATHMANDU: As teams set off from Nepal's capital to begin acclimatising for the main Everest climbing season in May, one group already knows they have what it takes to reach the top of the world.

The seven-member “Super Sherpa” team already have 47 successful summits of the world's tallest peak between them and are climbing to increase awareness of the role of Sherpas in mountaineering.

While the term Sherpa refers to an ethnic group, nowadays the term applies to all those who support Himalayan expeditions.

Appa Sherpa, one of the expedition's two leaders, has reached Mount Everest's 8,848 metre (29,198 feet) summit 16 times, and if successful again this year, will beat his own world record.—AFP