Adv 223 Yumpu

frozen
Fernanda Maciel could have been forgiven for
never gracing the Matterhorn. She has known
personal tragedy on the mountain and feared she
had gone blind when her eyes were frozen shut
climbing it. But the Brazilian ultra-runner returned to
tackle it with Gran Paradiso in just one day earlier
this year.
"I froze my eyes and spent three days in
hospital. I couldn’t open my eyes and I
was alone for three days in this bed."
After achieving the feat, she talked about the
most emotional of challenges, her battles for the
environment and why the former gymnast Nadia
Comaneci is her ultimate sporting hero.
You recently tackled the Matterhorn in one day
after summiting Gran Paradiso. How much of
a challenge was that? For me, the Matterhorn
was a more emotional challenge. You need to
be very fit and it’s technical but that was ok. The
emotional challenge was the worst. I lost friends
on the mountain and I had to start to do therapy
and psychological work concerning the Matterhorn.
I lost Gonzalo [her flatmate] – we had dinner one
day before and I was leaving for a race in Austria.
I arrived there and a colleague said a big rock had
fallen and killed Gonzalo and his English client.
That had a big impact on me and I couldn’t race
well.
And you’ve had your own personal traumas on
the Matterhorn too? Yes, I had an accident when
I froze my eyes and spent three days in hospital.
I couldn’t open my eyes and I was alone for three
days in this bed. I was in this hospital where no
one spoke English. But the second day an Italian
nurse and I could speak and she got my mobile
to call a friend and explain that I was there. That
time I thought I was becoming blind – the scariest
moment of my life.
So, what made you go back to conquer it? It’s
a super dangerous mountain but I had to go back.
Three days before this project I tried to climb it to
see if was able to do it but I had to stop at 4,500
metres because of fears and I started to cry. I still
had fears in my mind and I needed to go down. But
I decided to go on with the project as I had to face
this story even though I was 90% sure I could not
climb the Matterhorn. It was important to try – very
personal. At the top, the liberation was amazing –
the best feeling ever, that freedom, that wonderful
flow.
I take it you’ll stay away from there now! I will
not come back, no not at all! I had been choosing
between the Thursday and the Friday and chose
Thursday. On the Friday, a helicopter had to rescue
20 alpinists because of a landslide. I had so much
luck on what’s a dangerous mountain. There’s so
many rock falls there with climate change.
Fernanda Maciel tackling the Matterhorn
Image compliments of Red Bull Photo Pool