Author Topic: RIP Greatest Kiwi ever (Read 283 times)

Vulcan · « **on:** January 10, 2008, 10:49:26 PM »

and one of the true greats of the 20th century

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State funeral for Sir Ed
By KIM RUSCOE - Fairfax Media | Friday, 11 January 2008

NEW ZEALAND'S GREATEST HERO: Sir Edmund Hillary, who has died at the age of 88, seen in 2005 preparing for an Antarctica trip.

Hillary, who was born in Auckland on July 20, 1919, died of a heart attack aged 88 at Auckland hospital at 9am today.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4351997a10.html

~~Sir Ed, you're a legend.~~

Ripsnort · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2008, 10:51:36 PM »

Sears named a bunch of their tents after him.

Indeed, one of the 20th centuries greatest explorers. RIP.

Too bad the summit is a garbage dump these days.

lazs2 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2008, 08:25:38 AM »

I still think that the guy who made the worlds fastest indian was the greatest kiwi ever.. he didn't even have money or a guide.

lazs

Vulcan · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2008, 08:43:20 AM »

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Originally posted by lazs2
I still think that the guy who made the worlds fastest indian was the greatest kiwi ever.. he didn't even have money or a guide.

lazs

Burt Munro, yes another great kiwi but Sir Ed went on to do some very great things especially around charities in Nepal (he was even a navigator on flying boats in ww2).

Boroda · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2008, 06:28:41 PM »

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Originally posted by lazs2
he didn't even have money or a guide.

Sorry, do you mean that Norgey Tencing (sp?) was just a guide?!

Hillary was one of the people who made a recon of the South-Eastern circus back in 1950, and made 1953 success possible.

Tencing almost reached the summit with Swiss team in Autumn/Winter (!!!) 1952, he was one of the most experienced climbers in sir John Hunt's team.

Hillary was the last of that heroic generation who went into the unknown. Like George Mallory and other great alpinists who did it just "because it's there".