Rab to Sponsor 'World First' 737 Challenge

22nd April 2010

Rab, the world-renowned climbing and mountaineering equipment manufacturer, today announced it is to become the ‘Equipment Sponsor’ of the world-first 737 Challenge, led by former international rugby player, Richard Parks.

Richard is bidding to climb The 7 Summits and venture the last 2 degrees to The South Pole and the last degree to The Geographic North Pole, all within 7 months. If Richard is successful he will become the first person to stand on The 3 Poles, being The South Pole, The Geographic North Pole and the summit of Everest, in the same calendar year.

Rab clothing is synonymous with polar exploration and high altitude mountaineering. The gear is designed to work in the most extreme conditions and is critical to preserving life and limb, making it the perfect equipment for Richard’s expedition.

Richard commented,

“I am really excited and proud to be working with Rab. I will have to perform in the world’s most hostile environments, where the technical performance of my clothing will ultimately keep me alive. Rab gear not only looks great, but has been proven to perform in these very environments time after time.”

“The team at Rab have been fantastic and the gear they provided for my recent polar training expedition to Greenland was awesome, it really performed in the bizarre mix of temperatures. I’ll be packing much the same for my next training expedition to Alaska, to climb Denali.”

Nikki Skinner, Marketing Manager at Rab, said,

“We are delighted to be sponsoring Richard. We were so impressed with his passion, tenacity and dedication, as well as amazed at what he was planning to undertake, and we wanted to provide him with equipment he could trust to ensure he can successfully complete the Challenge.”

“Richard is also planning to raise £1 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care through the Challenge, a big factor in why we chose to sponsor him. We hope we will be able to advise him through our in-depth knowledge of the environments he will face and we wish him much luck with his journey.”

Richard will be leaving the UK in December 2010, and is intending to start the clock on the South Pole on 1st January. His final ascent will be Mount Elbrus in July 2011, 7 months later.