Romanian alpinist Horia Colibasanu receives official recognition from the Minister of Sports and Youth

The first Romanian to reach the summits of K2 (8611 m, 2004), Manaslu (8163 m, 2006), Dhaulagiri (8167 m, 2007), Shishapangma Central Summit (8.013 m, 2009), Annapurna (8091 m, first Romanian ascent, 2010), Makalu (8.481 m, 2011) and Lhotse (8516 m, first Romanian ascent, 2013) without bottled oxygen, Horia Colibasanu, was publically appreciated in a press conference organized especially by Nicolae Banicioiu, the Minister of Sports and Youth for his achievements and for the dedication of promoting the Romanian climbing beyond borders.

In 2009 Horia received the “Spirit of Mountaineering” award for his role in the rescue operation of Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, who died in 2008 while attempting to climb the 8091 m Nepalese mountain, Annapurna. Also, the Romanian alpinist was part of a documentary made after this tragedy, called “Pura Vida”. The film that presented the detailed reconstruction of a rescue operation lasting for four days that involved some of the best mountain climbers in the world, won the Serbitzu Saria Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival in 2012.

Oana Vasiliu