Local to tackle challenge
Matamata policeman Mike Boston will help a mate tackle a world first.
Boston is heading to South America in January to climb its highest peak, Mt Aconcagua in Argentina, as part of Auckland school teacher Dave Williams’ ‘sea2summit7’ expedition.
Williams is aiming to be the first person in the world to climb the highest peak on each of the seven continents all the way from sea level. He will start at the nearest ocean and run a marathon each day for as many days as it takes to get to the mountain. He will then climb and summit its peak. Williams has already completed three of these: Kosciuszko in Australia, Elbrus in Russia and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The challenge is being undertaken in the hope $100,000 can be raised for male mental health.
Williams was at a crossroads in his life and found himself undertaking a sea2summit of Mt Taranaki. ‘‘I wasn’t that happy in my job and in my life and what I was doing. I was only going into the outdoors for work and not actually for personal stuff.’’
He said the Taranaki challenge provided the much-needed change in his mental state. On returning from this mission, Williams discovered one of his close friends had taken his life after battling depression. ‘‘He hadn’t talked about it much.’’
While doing the Taranaki challenge he imagined doing one of the sea2summit challenges on one of the highest summits in the world.
‘‘It was like a spark kicked off in my brain. Men need to talk about their problems,’’ Williams said.
‘‘It is also something we as cops deal with all too often,’’ Boston added.
really
Boston’s personal involvement has been helping Williams with behind the scenes administration work. But in January he will become Williams’ climbing partner on Mt Aconcagua, which reaches heights of 6,962m.
‘‘I will be the sole support person and cameraman documenting everything as we make our summit bid.’’