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CHINA has stepped up preparations for the Olympic flame's ascent of Mount Qomolangma (Everest) with the 36-strong squad to carry the flame to the top announced yesterday.
Zhang Zhijian, spokesman for the Chinese Mountaineering Team, named the 36-member team that includes 24 ethnic Tibetans, 10 Han Chinese, one from the Tu ethnic group and one from the Tujia ethnic group.
"This well-organized team consists of experienced mountaineers and some university students who have climbing experience, so I believe they will augment each other in every respect of the ascent," Zhang said.
The original Qomolangma mountaineering team was formed in November 2006 when more than 70 climbers gathered separately in Beijing and Tibet Autonomous Region. To qualify, recruits must have climbed mountains with an altitude of at least 6,500 meters.
The two squads joined together in March 2007 for further training and selection. In May 2007, 17 of the climbers scaled Mt Qomolangma in a test run that finished with the high-tech lighting of the lantern and torch.
The Chinese Mountaineering Team was then cut to a 36-man squad.
"The final 36-man squad was picked on the basis of the climbers' performance in training and test runs," said Zhang.
"They must be physically strong, passionate, and willing to make contribution to the Olympic movement."
Zhang said the team would be headed by well-known alpinist Wang Yongfeng. Wang would be assisted by two Tibetan coaches, one Han Chinese coach and one ethnic Tu coach.
The team, with an average age of 30, includes three women climbers - two Tibetans and one Han Chinese.
"The snowfall in the past couple of days had some impact upon our schedule but everything is under control," said Zhang. "The trails and some of the tents have been destroyed, so the main job the torch climbers are doing now is fixing those damaged facilities."
After two days of snowstorms, weather conditions in the Himalayas look favorable for the next two days. Climbers need only four or five days to reach the top of the world's tallest peak if everything is in place. The date of the ascent has not yet been confirmed.
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