Martina Navratilova suspends Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has suspended her first attempt to climb Tanzania's 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro after feeling unwell on the fourth day of the ascent.

Navratilova, 54, was assisted down the mountain by porters and driven to the nearby Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre for assessment. The statement released by Laureus, the sponsor of the climb, said Navratilova was in good spirits as she left the campsite at Horombo but disappointed to have to leave the mountain.

The nine-time Wimbledon champion, who was leading a team of 27 climbers to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation charity, had reached 14,763 feet during the day, the highest point of the climb so far.

The Laureus team has faced unseasonal weather of blizzards and mists during their ascent, which began Monday. The rest of the team, which includes German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber and British Olympic badminton star Gail Emms, are continuing with the climb and are expected to reach the summit on Saturday.

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Photo: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova, left, and German Paralympic cyclist Michael Teuber during their charity attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Navratilova suspended her climb after feeling unwell. Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images

Comments

[Team Kilimanjaro]

Climbers have indicated to us that they have been following Miss Navratilova's progress and may now be slightly demoralised to learn of her failure. We wish to reassure readers scheduled to climb with us that she did not climb with TK and that her experiences have little in common with our own climbs.

In short, Navratilova undertook measures that ensured her attempt incorporated as difficult a series of challenges as achievable. The following factors are noteworthy:

1. In a likely altruistic bid to subjugate the prioritisation of her personal summit prospects in favour of maximal exposure of her event, she elected to forego climbing with a specialist mountaineering operation; opting instead to climb with a group whose main focus was fundraising. In consequence, the route selected - the Traditional Rongai Route - incorporated virtually no exploitable topography with respect to established mountaineering methodology. Her route is especially difficult in that it requires climbers to attempt the summit with little or no significant acclimatisation having been gained. Operations that have a vague awareness of what is implied by the 'climb-high, sleep-low' principle of safe and thorough acclimatisation will often attempt a notional 'acclimatisation walk' from above Mawenzi Tarn on Day 4, however, even if this is achieved, it is a grossly inadequate measure in the context of the overall mission, and will usually still allow that only some 50% of climbers using this route will succeed in reaching the summit. Our own climbers should please bear in mind that Team Kilimanjaro uses a radically different method of approach and that it is our contention that in contrast to Miss Navratilova's self-imposed hardships of facing a summit bid with negligible physiological preparation, those climbing the TK Rongai Route will instead be optimally prepared and will have preserved maximal reserves for the summit bid, (which applies to TK Rongai Variants A & B).

2. Miss Navratilova was part of a mass charity event that necessitated that the chief guide and his deputies be responsible for simultaneously monitoring the health and morale, and individually optimising the pacing (if this enhanced service was offered) of each of 27 climbers. In spite of the fact that one of our own chief guides, the Tanzanian Guide of the Millennium, has previously been successful in guiding 48 out of 50 climbers to the summit simultaneously, during an extremely rare mass event, we do not expect even our own most experienced guides to be responsible for more than 8 climbers simultaneously, or - in very rare circumstances with carefully arranged mutual consent - a maximum of 12. Where we have mass event bookings we sub-divide the group into smaller, totally autonomous units of 8 climbers or fewer, that are capable of operating entirely independently from each other, but with the liberty to fraternise during the trek and to share meals. (This should please be noted by any members of the group of premier league English rubgy players and their friends who are currently preparing to climb with us next year).

3. Miss Navratilova chose to climb in early December when some of the most unforgiving weather is to be expected. While climbing during the two rainy seasons confers some special benefits, namely minimised crowding on all routes and aesthetically pleasing snow cover on the summit, the freezing fog, precipitation and high winds nonetheless make summitting during April, May, Novermber and early December generally much more difficult than at other times of year.