Melissa Arnot and Maddie Miller Summit 50 Peaks in 41 Days to Break World Record
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Duo Supported by Zamst become the First Female Team to Complete Challenge with Nine Days to Spare
(Irvine, CA, August 9, 2016) – No stranger to challenges and record breaking attempts, 6x Everest Summiter Melissa Arnot, alongside protégé Maddie Miller, became the first female team to complete the 50 Peaks Challenge, summiting all 50 high points in the United States within 50 days. Their official time was 41 days, 16 hours and 10 minutes, breaking the previous world record of 43 days, 2 hours, and 8 minutes. Arnot and Miller began the attempt on June 27th, with Miller’s successful summit of Denali, and celebrated the completion of the challenge atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii on August 7th.
Over the course of their 41-day adventure, the two hiked 268 miles and ascended over 84,000 feet while summiting the highest point in every state. The team, accompanied by a van driver and cook, traveled over 19,594 miles across the United States. The team was set back by several mechanicals as well as a painstaking reroute last minute due to forest fires in Wyoming. As the wildfire spread, it seemed that their goal might not be attainable with only 10 days left. Fatigue, aches, and pain set in. Miller turned to the Zamst team and used the lightweight EK-3 knee support to stabilize her knee and reduce pain to get her through the remaining peaks.
“The Fifty Peaks Challenge tested not only our mental fortitude and ability to overcome logistical challenges, but it was also a test of our strength and endurance as athletes,” said Arnot. “We are so thankful for the support from the Zamst team, and we could not have made it through this grueling challenge without their high-tech, lightweight bracing support products.”
Arnot, an avid mountaineer, has relied on Zamst for years in her training and mountaineering. During the course of the challenge, Melissa utilized the LC-1, the JK-1 Knee Band and the award-winning Filmista products from Zamst to provide support and help prevent injury.
“The team at Zamst is in awe of the accomplishment of these two mountain pioneers,” says Bryan Smeltzer, General Manager for Zamst US. “It has been an exciting journey for our team and we are proud to have supported them and made this adventure possible. Melissa and Maddie have demonstrated that any challenge can be overcome with the right mindset, crew, and equipment.”
Find out more about Zamst’s newest product, the Filmista, that enabled Arnot and Miller to complete the 50 Peaks Challenge here: https://youtu.be/uRuVUWb1LQs.
ABOUT ZAMST
ZAMST is a market leading brand of sports protective equipment, and used by professionals athletes worldwide. ZAMST offers a full line of premium injury prevention and protection sports bracing and supports products, featuring anatomically correct designs, high performance materials and superior construction. ZAMST is a division of the NIPPON SIGMAX Co., Ltd (Tokyo, JAPAN) with privately-held, wholly owned subsidiary corporations, SIGMAX AMERICA (Irvine, CALIFORNIA), SIGMAX EUROPE (Annecy, FRANCE) and SIGMAX CHINA (Shanghai, PRC). For more information, call toll free 877-ZAMST-US (877-926-7887) or visit http://www.ZAMST.us.
Media Contact:
Elisette Carlson
SMACK! Media
858-735-2711
