Karl Unterkircher Award 2018 nominees for 5th edition

On July 14, 2018 Selva di Val Gardena will host the fifth edition of the Karl Unterkircher Award in memory of the South Tyrolean alpinist who died ten years ago on Nanga Parbat. The alpinists nominated for the 2018 award are Simone Moro, Ali Sadpara and Alex Txikon for the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat, Ines Papert and Luka Lindič for their new route up Kyzyl Asker in Kyrgyzstan (China), and Simon Gietl and Marcel Schenk for the new mixed climb up Pizzo Badile in Switzerland. Special guest: Kurt Diemberger
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South Tyrolean mountaineer Karl Unterkircher
archivio Karl Unterkircher Award

Ten years after the tragic death of Karl Unterkircher, who perished during an attempt to establish a new route up the difficult and immense Rakhiot Face on Nanga Parbat (8125 m) in Pakistan, on 14 July 2018 Selva di Val Gardena will once again celebrate mountaineering excellence.

The biennial award is granted to three mountaineers or group of mountaineers who have demonstrated great climbing skills or carried out extreme expeditions in alpine style. It is intended not as competition but an award as fair play.

For the 2018 edition the candidates are: Simone Moro, Ali Sadpara and Alex Txikon for the summit and first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat (8126 m, Karakorum, Pakistan); Ines Papert and Luka Lindič for the summit and new ice climb up Kyzyl Asker (5842m) in Kyrgyzstan (China); Simon Gietl and Marcel Schenk for the first ascent of a new mixed climb up Pizzo Badile (3,308 m) in Switzerland.

During the evening the candidates will show photos and films of their ascents, after which the jury will announce the winners. The special guest of the fifth edition will be Kurt Diemberger, the only mountaineer still alive to have made the first ascent of two 8000ers.

The nominees for the 5th Karl Unterkircher Award on 14th July in Selva di Val Gardena are:
Simone Moro, Ali Sadpara and Alex Txikon who on Friday 26 February 2016 successfully carried out the historic first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat (8126m, Karakorum, Pakistan). Italy's Tamara Lunger stopped her bid on the ridge below the summit. 
Ines Papert and Luka Lindič who in October 2016 made the first ascent of 'Lost in China' (ED, WI 5+, M6, 1200m) up the SE Face of Kyzyl Asker (5842m), Kyrgyzstan.
Marcel Schenk and Simon Gietl who on 16/11/2016 made the first ascent of 'Amore di Vetro' (800m, M5, R) a new ice and mixed climb up the NE Face of Pizzo Badile.

Jury 2018
Silvio Mondinelli "Gnaro" (Italy) president, alpinist
Thomas Huber (Germany), alpinist
Carlo Caccia (Italy) journalist
Simon Kehrer (Italy) alpinist, former climbing partner of Karl Unterkircher on Nanga Parbat
Hubert Moroder (Italy) alpinist, member of Catores mountaineering club, mountain guide

Karl Unterkircher Award
2010: Ueli Steck. Candidates: Simone Moro & Denis Urubko; Samuel Anthamatten, Simon Anthamatten & Michael Lerjen; Robert Jasper & Roger Schäli; Marko Prezelj, Rok Blagus & Luka Lindic
2012: Marina Kopteva, Anna Yasinskaya & Galina Chibitok. Candidates: Simone Moro, Denis Urubko e Cory Richards; Nicolas Favresse, Olivier Favresse, Sean Villanueva & Ben Ditto
2014: Simon Anthamatten, Matthias Auer & Hansjörg Auer. Candidates: Adam Holzknecht & Hubert Moroder; Matteo Della Bordella & Luca Schiera
2016: Jon Griffith & Andy Houseman. Candidates: Marek Raganowicz & Marcin Tomaszewski; Giorgio Travaglia, Alex Walpoth, Martin Dejori & Titus Prinoth

Info: www.karlunterkircher.com




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