As reported earlier in Lucire, Pearl Going is attempting to tackle the world’s seven summits in record time, with the help of Adidas Outdoor and Sony New Zealand.
Currently back in New Zealand for rehab after a rock fall injured her on the Mt Aconcagua ascent, and training before she ventures on her next climb. Whilst back, Going has been testing and gathering up her gear.
Accompanying her has been a Sony Cybershot camera, which has recorded some of the earlier exclusive photographs. And Adidas Outdoor has supplied her with a number of items as she looks forward to climbing Mt Denali, the Carstensz Pyramid and other peaks.
In the shot above, Going is wearing the new Adidas Outdoor Terrex Gore Windstopper active shell jacket. She also has praise for other items in the range: ‘I’m looking forward to tackling Denali in the new Terrex down jacket in this funky green and yellow with these special wrist cuffs to keep it sealed. It is phenomenal and starts retailing in Europe [in] August. I have also fallen in love with Technopile, a textile they’re using for the hooded fleece jackets in this insane red–aqua. I’m loving the arm pocket which is perfect for stashing a GU gel or snack; and the Terrex Gore-Tex active shell with a hood in bright red with pockets further up the breast, which is going to be invaluable on Carstensz Pyramid and Mandala in West Papua next month as I will be in a harness.
‘I’m loving the colours this season: they are always very fashion-forward. I find other brands tend to trail a season behind. I’m also wearing a fair bit of the Stella [McCartney] range about to come out, which is absolutely beautiful.’
Her next mountain of the seven, after training on a smaller peak in Thailand, is Carstensz Pyramid in West Papua, after Mt Everest got pushed back to after the monsoon season due to her injury. Mt Denali follows, after which Going tackles the south face of Mt Elbrus.
Going is aware that she has gained a profile as a young female climber, but says that mentally, the challenge she faces is identical to what a male would. However, she says that climbing gear for women has to be different.
Black Diamond and Adidas have realized this, she says. ‘With Adidas it’s because they are essentially a sports brand who has already gone through that transition: they make clothes for athletes and they understand the science behind what is needed for men and women to perform individually. … Their willingness to back these women is what is going to make climbing appealing to younger generations … I think sport climbing has so many amazing young women coming through and dominating, [and] I would love to see the same happen in alpine.’
She chose Adidas after hearing that the jackets were the lightest in the world. ‘I got on the phone to Greg from [Adidas] Outdoor in the USA and told him I wanted to be the fastest woman in the world to climb the seven summits … He was just all for a teeny girl like myself smashing a huge record.
‘I’ve had amazing support from the Adidas Outdoor guys—Marc in Germany is another one that is fantastic. That’s the thing about a brand like Adidas Outdoor: they not only make gear second to none, but they employ people second to none. As an athlete, it makes all the difference knowing the team who made your jacket were thinking about you rocking out in it 7,000 m up before it even made it to your back.’
Adidas Outdoor is currently running a competition at www.terrex-experience.com, tying in to the campaign previewed earlier in Lucire. First through third prizes feature an experience at the Alpine Center in Zermatt for the winner and a friend, a complete autumn–winter 2012–13 Terrex outfit, and one exclusive product from its spring–summer 2013 collection.
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