Archive for the 'Veikka Gustafsson' Category

07
Aug
09

Radio Suomi, YLE on the edge

By Jukka Tammisuo Leave a Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
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Veikka Gustafsson, the first north European to climb all 14 over 8000m giant mountains in the world, 9th person to climb all of them without supplementary oxygen, 17th person over all to climb those biggest mountains in the world including those who have used bottled oxygen in the summit push.

Radio Suomi, YLE understood the historic meaning and magnitude of Veikka’s 8K project. The Mikael Jungner lead YLE and it’s Finnish National Radio Suomi covered the last year’s Gasherbrum II and Broad Peak summits and Gasherbrum I’s try out. … and the whole this year’s  project’s Grand Finale. Kirsi Väänänen and her team had their eyes open. Thank you.

The other Finnish media did not have a clue what was going on. If there is not a bouncing ball, puck or a set of squealing wheels included, of course the understanding of a reporter is challenged and knowledge is equivalent to sack of potatoes. Historic moments can pass you by unnoticed, pathetic.

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Veikka was a celebrated and honored quest at Radio Suomi, YLE. A mountain climber’s cake for starters. “There was a lot snow on G1, but I was never buried in it as this climber is”, laughed Veikka.

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Roses of course.

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Present from a fan. Warm husky socks hit the spot.

07
Aug
09

A few points from Veikka’s interview on YLE

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Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
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Veikka came to the YLE interview looking very slim, he had lost 8kg while climbing Gasherbrum 1 and also hiking  back from BC through Baltoro to Askole in 2½ days took it’s toll. They started hiking at 3 o’clock everyday and did 15h days.

veikka

Photo courtesy of Haglöfs

“It’s good to be back home. Somehow, after traveling and being abroad again, as I come back to home country I appreciate it more. Finland is cubby birds nest compared to some more or less unstable countries as Pakistan.”

“It feels good after the 8K project is done and finished. I feel as I was free, free to target and concentrate to something else. That does not mean that I leave climbing, but I want look other options, do other work. I really won’t miss and need the dangers and risks of  8K mountain climbing.”

VEIKKA´S 8000 METERS CLIMBING CV.

“Climbing the 8000ers was as it was my PhD”, Veikka @ YLE interview.

Notable ascents in the Himalayas:

  • Mount Everest (8846m), Spring 93 (with oxygen)
  • Pik Kommunisma (7495m) and Pik Korsenevskaja (7105m), Spring 93.
  • Dhaulagiri (8167m), Autumn 93.
  • K2 (8611m) Summer 94, Abruzzi ridge.
  • Lhotse (8501m), Spring 95,
  • Makalu (8483m), Spring 95, alpine.
  • Pik Korsenevskaja (7105m),Pik Kommunisma (7495m) 36 hours up and down, Autumn 95.
  • Mount Everest (8846m), Spring 96. Reached 8600 metres.
  • Mount Everest (8846m), Spring 97. First Finn to the summit without extra oxygen.
  • Broad Peak (8047m), Summer 97. To the false summit.
  • Dhaulagiri (8167m), Spring 98. Reached 7500 m.
  • Manaslu (8163 m), Spring 99.
  • Dhaulagiri (8167m), Spring 99.
  • Annapurna (8091 m), 2000. The top wasn´t reached.
  • Shishapangma (8046 m), Spring 2001
  • Nanga Parbat (8125 m), Spring 2001
  • Annapurna (8091 m), 2002. Reached 7300 m.
  • Kangchenjunga, spring 2003. Reached 7300m.
  • Mount Everest 2004. Universal filming project.
  • Cho Oyu and Annapurna, (8210 m, 8091 m) spring 2005
  • Kanchenjunga (8586 m) , spring 2006
  • Gasherbrum 2 (8035 m), summer 2008
  • Gasherbrum 1 (8068 m), summer 2008. Reached 50m from the top
  • Broad Peak (8047 m), summer 2008.
  • Gasherbrum 1 (8068 m), summer 2009.

Other notable ascents:

  • Mount Vinson (5140m) and Mount Shinn, Winter 96. Mount Vinson is the highest peak on Antarctica. “Not the highest, not the most difficult but the coldest”.
  • 4 first-time conquests in Antartica, Winter 97. Two of the peaks were previously unnamed. Ascent of Mount Gardner (4587m). One of the peaks was named Mount Sisu

CV courtesy of Häglöfs

06
Aug
09

Veikka has arrived to Finland

By Jukka Tammisuo 1 Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
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microphone

Kirsi Väänänen interviews Veikka in Finnish on Suomen Radio (Radio Suomi, YLE) on 07.08.2009 friday afternoon at 13.06-13.30.

06
Aug
09

Veikka and Kazuya in Islamabad

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Categories: MOUNTAIN CLIMBING and Veikka Gustafsson
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Veikka & Kazuya at Alpine Club of Pakistan headquarters in Islamabad (Photo courtesy of ExWeb/Pakistan’s Karrar Haidri)

Veikka and Kazuya saw ExWeb-Pakistan’s Karrar Hidri at ACP’s headquarters in Islamabad. Veikka told as heard before that he’ll return to Karakoram beautiful valleys and region as a trekker – not as a mountain climber.

“Veikka had appraisal words for his expedition outfitter ATP and BC crew, while he showed concernes about increasing pollution in the Baltoro area.” (ExWeb)

Kazuya Hiraide met Veikka first time as they teamed up to climb GII and Broad Peak last year. Kazuya visited Veikka in Finland before this year’s Gasherbrum expedition. His objective is not to climb the 14×8000ers.

05
Aug
09

Veikka’s first interview after G1 summit?

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Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
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VEIKKA AND KAZUYA ON THE SUMMIT OF GASHERBRUM 1

Summit video of Bulgarian G1 2009 Expedition

There is a very happy man on the summit of G1

Courtesy of climbingguidebg.com

02
Aug
09

Some of the Veikka & 14×8000ers News

By Jukka Tammisuo Leave a Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
Tags:
  1. http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/viesturs_partner_gustafsson_climbs_14th_8000er/
  2. http://planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?keyid=36878
  3. http://ikoka.tv/index.php/the-news/2009-05-29-06-07-30/80-g
  4. http://planetfear.com/news/Veikka_Gustafsson_Completes_17_Year_Endeavour_2351.htm
  5. http://mounteverest.net/news.php?id=18539
  6. http://k2climb.net/news.php?id=18539
  7. http://himalman.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/veikka-gustafsson-completes-the-14×8000ers-list/
  8. http://www.lezec.cz/clanek.php?key=8020
  9. http://mountainworld.typepad.com/
  10. http://climbingguidebg.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3154
  11. http://www.scandinavianoutdoorstore.com/uutiset/veikka-saavutti-14n-kasitonnisen
  12. http://themountaincompany.blogspot.com/2009/07/congratulations-to-veikka-gustafsson.html
  13. http://montanismo.org/articulos.php?id_sec=15&id_art=2754
  14. …
31
Jul
09

The Return of the King

By Jukka Tammisuo Leave a Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
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Veikka is on his way to home

Veikka’s homecoming is a major event.  Veikka, on the other hand, might have an idea of a quiet entry, which is very understandable.  He has kept it very quiet and is being very secretive when he is coming back. I think there might be people and friends who would like to honor  and show respect to his work by coming to Helsinki Airport to meet him.

Arrival schedule

Let’s presume Veikka keeps his usual ways and schedule and wants to come back as soon as possible. Hypothetically he could have left BC on Wednesday and hiked Baltoro valley in few days down to Askole. If I remember correctly he walked Baltoro in two days last year. The porters who bring the gear is only limiting factor when time is concerned. The earliest possible scene could be: By now on Friday, he could already be on his way in a Jeep to Skardu, on Saturday he could be flying out Skardu to Islamabad and on Sunday on to Helsinki. Or if someone would be in an extreme hurry and luckily relay the flights one could step on Finnish soil on Saturday.

I never bet, but if I would I would put my money on Monday, just hypothetically.

30
Jul
09

Time to move on

By Jukka Tammisuo Leave a Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson

The 8K project has been playing a major role and has been in the center of Veikka’s life for all his adulthood, for 17 years. Sounds as the 14 8000ers have been climbed, it’s a really a relief for him. That also shows how much just one 8000m mountain takes effort, time, energy and preparation to climb, but 14 of them is a huge project.
Now it time to let go and move on. Again it sounds that Veikka is very excited to aim for new targets, where ever they’ll be. Africa perhaps? Yesterdays dinner party at BC and also many other rituals will be parts of the process a person must go through to leave something behind and plan for new ones.

28
Jul
09

A Base Camp dinner for Veikka

By Jukka Tammisuo 1 Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson

The chefs of the team are preparing a celebration dinner for Veikka. The other expedition teams at Base Camp are invited.

27
Jul
09

Finally BC, – now it’s done and over

By Jukka Tammisuo 1 Comment
Categories: Veikka Gustafsson
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Veikka’s dispatch on 27.7.2009

Veikka and Kazuya have safely descented to Gasherbrum Base Camp. “Just said to Kazuya, that now this mountain has been climbed, it’s done and over,” Veikka told in the dispatch. “17 years of freezing wind and glacier conditions, -now that’s done and finished. It’s time to move on.”

Veikka and Kazuya just got back to BC. They brought everything back on one load. Backpacks were like apartment buildings. Naturally they want to go home asap. Veikka called and ordered 15 porters, they should arrive in 3-4 days.

Veikka keeps dispatching daily all that time he spends in Pakistan.

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Abseiling down Japanese Couloir (Photo courtesy of Veikka Gustafsson).

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Jukka Tammisuo

Teaching wellness counseling, focusing on:
- Healthy living
- Nutrition | Diet
- Stress reduction
- Group dynamics | Relationships
- Endurance physiology
- Outdoor activities | Climbing, Running, Cycling, Kayaking

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M.Sc., M.Ed.
Tanhuvaara Sports Institute
Tanhuvaaran Urheiluopisto
Savonlinna, Finland
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5000m FIN National Champion, 13:46.53, 1992

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