Climbing the tallest mountains in the world, overcoming a colleague's death, and fighting forward with climbing legend Tamara Lunger.
Tamara Lunger Is a dreamer in love with the mountains“ Bio Tamara Lunger “Every moment spent in the mountains makes me more aware of who I am and more thankful to life.” Since she was a child, she has practiced a lot of different sports, even athletics - she was twice vice Italian national champion -, but her true passion for the mountains remained untouched! This is why, in 2002, she started with ski mountaineering racing. She became a member of the Italian National Team and won many important races: twice Italian National Champion in 2006 and 2008, vice champion in 2007, she won the Pierra Menta in 2007 and 2008 and achieved the World Champion title on the long distance in 2008. Born in Bozen in 1986, she is the daughter of a famous Italian ski mountaineer, and has lived all her life in the mountains. This is probably why it was inevitable that the mountains went onto have such a strong influence in her life, becoming her passion. In 2014 she reached the summit of K2 becoming the second Italian woman to do so. After the ski mountaineering experience she was looking for new, extreme challenges in the high mountains. Since she was 14 years old, she dreamt of climbing an 8000m peak and through the years she always had had a certain idea of how she would have felt being there. And then in 2009, her first big mountaineering experience in Nepal, she could say that her expectations were satisfied. Since this first experience, things are clear to Tamara: “this is the life I want, and nothing else!” Achievements Sky Mountaineering Races since 2003: 2 times Italian Champion 2008 - World Champion (under 23) 2 times winner of Pierra Menta (FRA) High Altitude Mountaineering since 2009: 2009 - Island Peak (6189 m) 2010 - youngest woman on Lhotse (23 years old) with oxygen 2010 - Cho Oyu (8210 m) no summit 2011 - 2012 - 2012 - 2013 - 2012 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - Khan Tengri (7010 m) Muztgah Ata (7546 m) Broad Peak (8047 m) no summit Pik Lenin (7134 m) Broad Peak (8047 m) no summit K2 (8611 m) without oxygen Manaslu Winter Expedition with Simone Moro (without success) Nanga Parbat Winter Expedition with Simone Moro (stopped 70 m below the summit). It was the first time a woman was above 8000m in first winter ascent on a 8000m peak. 2017 - 2018 - 2019/2020 - Gasherbrum Winterexpedition with Simone Moro (no success due to crevasse accident) 2020/2021- K2 Winterexpedition with Alex Gavan/ JP Mohr. I reached camp3 (7300m) and we lost 5 friends (also JP Mohr). Ultra Trail Running Races since 2013: 2013 2° place at the Transalpinerun with Annemarie Gross Kanchenjunga Skylie Expedition with Simone Moro (no success) Pik Pobeda, Siberia, with Simone Moro. First Winter ascent. 2014 1° place at the Transalpinerun with Annemarie Gross 2015 1° place at the Südtirol Ultrarace (team) Special Project 2013 - 2020 - 2021 - 2021 - „The great crossing“ - ski mountaineering traverse in Pakistan with the summit of 2 unclimbed & nameless peaks (6345 m & 6489 m) „Tamara Tour Italia“ - A multi sport road trip (mountaineering, climbing, running, biking, paragliding, kayaking). I traveled all over Italy with the camper van, climbing the highest peak of every region. „Climbing for a reason“ - social project in northern Pakistan, Shigar Valley. We reached to climb muslim girls from 5 to 17 years. Furthermore we built an artificial climbing wall and set up a climbing spot with 19 routes on the rocks of Shigar Fort. „Tamara Tour Spain“ - A multi sport road trip (mountaineering, climbing, running, biking, paragliding, kayaking). I traveled all over Spain with the camper van, climbing the 18 highest and most important 3000m peaks of Spain. “In women sports there are still many opportunities for me because there are just a few women in the world who dare facing up the awkward demands of an expedition to the highest peaks of the world. Though, it’s not about the competition or measuring with other athletes, it is all about proving myself – to myself! What will I be able to achieve? How difficult can things become? Which levels of mental and physical demands will I be able to cope with?”
