Richard McGregor – Arbuthnot Latham
“As a financial specialist, I have seen what many families go through, adjusting to a new brain, a new personality, and challenges with communication, mobility and day to day living. I have seen the essential support that the Child Brain Injury Trust provides, and the great difference it makes”
Richard took on 23mm wide wheels for around 7 hours, with 3072 metres of climb, which is the equivalent of going from sea level to Courchevel’s highest ski lift, over 107 miles!!! He raised an incredible total of £630 for the charity, and his children are incredibly proud!!
Gregory Perdon – Arbuthnot Latham
On 23rd July 2018, Gregory Perdon and Christophe Bressand summited the Lagginhorn 4,010m via the South Ridge raising over £9k for the Child Brain Injury Trust! But the journey did not begin there. For the previous three months (6 days a week) the training regime was intense comprising of long distance runs (with backpack), spin classes at the Altitude Centre (oxygen levels are reduced to simulate an altitude of 2,700m), dynamic yoga classes for flexibility and of course time at the rock climbing wall in Fulham.
Gregory shared his experience –
The Climb
“After the 3:00 am wake-up call we had a simple breakfast, put on our gear and began the monotonous climb up the rock scree under the light of our 
head torches. We then ascended the snow covered glacier to the col (the lowest point where two ridges meet), roped up after a quick cup of tea and at sunrise carefully began to climb the ridge taking turns going first on lead with the second managing the ropes.
Although it was tempting to move left or right around the difficult passages for an easier and less athletic climb, we were fiercely married to taking the purest approach forming the perfect line to the summit. After a 7hr 35min effort we arrived at the top, shook hands, ate a ham and cheese sandwich, snapped a photo with the Arbuthnot Latham flag and then began the knee breaking descent down to the valley 2,500 meters below.”
The Challenges
“The project got off to a poor start when I waited two days in a high altitude hut for the weather to clear so that we could attempt our original target which was the east ridge of the Weisshorn. Regrettably it was called off as the conditions were not safe enough and our guide Christophe advised against it. It was a frustrating and lonely hike down to the village of Randa to retrieve the car. But as is often the case in the mountains, each valley has its own micro climate and the weather looked favourable around Saas-Grund and so we changed our target to climb the Lagginhorn via the south ridge. The normal route is a relatively straightforward snow climb but the south ridge is a rock climb which is much more technical, requires experience and a comfort with heights!
The ascent demanded concentration as ridge climbing involves switching between faces, as the other climber manages the ropes or moves simultaneously on the opposite side to protect in the unlikely event of a fall. In this instance one of the challenges was that the east face was sporadically sun lit whilst the west face remained in the ‘dark’, and a thin sheet of invisible ice covered the west facing blocks of rock making them slippery and difficult to negotiate.”
