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From The Times
March 26, 2005

Sir Ranulph heads for Everest despite illness

By Stefanie Marsh

DISREGARDING medical advice and the pleas of his young fiancée, Sir Ranulph Fiennes sets off on his latest challenge today — to conquer Everest.

The 61-year-old explorer has yet to recover fully from bronchitis but is adamant that he is ready to climb the world’s highest mountain, ascending via the notoriously tricky North Ridge.

He will do so with Sibusiso Vilane, 35, a Swazi game-ranger and the first black man to have reached the top — although he did so on the first occasion from the South.

Sir Ranulph flies to Kathmandu today to begin the lengthy acclimatisation process, travelling first across the border to Tibet and then into the heart of the Himalayas.

At his side — until base camp at least — will be Louise Millington, 38, his wife to be. She fears that her partner’s chest infection will impair his chances of success.

Specialists at Brompton Hospital said this week that Sir Ranulph’s lungs were working at only 81 per cent capacity. “He thinks that doctors are all motivated purely by the blame-claim culture,” Ms Millington, a horse trainer, said. “But I have to point out that that isn’t actually quite true. There are risks.” Sir Ranulph has agreed to carry a steroid inhaler.

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