Crina ‘Coco’ Popescu

 Most Successful Young

Alpinist

*First woman that successfully ended the 7

Volcanoes Circuit.

*Romanian 20 years old Crina COCO Popescu is the youngest mountaineer worldwide and also the first woman that finishes the Volcanic 7 Summits Circuit – reaching the summits of the highest Volcanoes on 7 continents! The Romanian alpinist representing the Romanian Mountaineering and Climbing Federation finished on January 24, in Antarctica, the Circuit by climbing Mount Sidley – 4285 m– the highest Volcano in Antarctica. Coco is also the first woman to ever climb on Mount Sidley.

* Coco Popescu climbed Mt. Sidley in Antarctica as part of the first mountaineer expedition on this Arctic volcano, with Russian Alex Abramov, Italian Mario Trimeri and American Scott Woolams.

* “We knew we were the first team to climb this summit, and we felt this even better when we were searching the best way up”, Crina Coco Popescu said when she came back down. “We searched the ridge, eyes on the altimeter, to catch the highest point. We found two points, measuring approximately the same, and those were the highest. On the ridge we were tied by rope, so we would have reached the peak in a specific line. But we’ve stopped and waited one another so we can step in the same time on the summit, sharing the joy of the premiere”, she added.

* Romanian mountaineer’s objectives in this expedition have been climbing the highest Volcano of the continent – Mount Sidley and the highest mountain – Mount Vinson.

* Before finishing the 7 Volcanoes Circuit, on January 4, Romanian Crina Coco Popescu, stepped on Mount Vinson Summit. For Coco this meant reaching the sixth summit of the 7 Summits Circuit – the summits of the 7 continents – which she intends to finish before she turns 18. She is the youngest mountaineer to reach Mt. Vinson. On this summit she climbed with Russian mountaineers Alex Abramov and Max Bogatyrev from “7 Summits Club” and Italian Mario Trimeri.

* Coco establishes new World Records in Antarctica:

First woman to finish 7 Volcanoes;Youngest woman on Mt. Vinson;

* Born in Rasnov, Crina Popescu has been doing mountain escalations since she was 6, together with her father. She was named athlete of the year by the Romanian Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing. She is the youngest member of the ‘Altitudine’ mountain climb who takes part in expeditions on tall mountains.

* She climbed Dente Del Giante (the Alps), up to 4000 meters when she was 11. Olympus, Ararat and Mont Blanc followed;

* At 12 years old she climbed Kalapatar in Nepal;

* At 13 years old she reached some more summits: Kazbek in the Caucasus, Damavand and Alam Kuh in Iran;

* In late 2008 she climbed Ojos Del Salado in Atacama, the highest volcano in the world;

* In January 2009 she climbed Aconcagua – South America’s giant. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus followed;

* January 2010 she had the expedition in Oceania where she climbed Kosciuszko, Carstensz Pyramid and Giluwe, after that in North America Pico de Orizaba & McKinley;

*About COCO Popescu:

* At 16 years old, Coco Popescu already had six age records in alpinism, joined by the ones beat in Antarctica, and a title of Sport Master. She is a Nadia Comaneci of world alpinism!

* Crina "Coco" Popescu received the Medal of Honor awarded by WRA only to the ones achieving exceptional world records in sport; only 10 such medals are awarded annually.

* Crina Coco Popescu is the initiator and promoter of "7 Mountains in Carpathian Garden Circuit" aiming at reaching the highest peaks in Bucegi, Fagaras, Retezat, Metaliferi, Rodnei, Ceahlau and Piatra Craiului Mountains (Romania) in summer and winter climbing.

* In her expedition in Antarctica, Crina Coco Popescu did not go accompanied by her father and trainer, climber Ovidiu Popescu, as had happened before. How did she feel being separated from her family?

* “It was a special experience, but I have always known that, on the mountain, you are on your own, you help yourself, I’ve never counted on my dad’s or someone else’s help. I climbed Mount Vinson and Mount Sidley with Romania on my mind. Each expedition is a new dream for me, a new wish. There are many happy moments in an expedition, but the moment you reach the top is just fantastic, you feel that your hard work and efforts have paid off. Training is the hardest part, but in expeditions we try to enjoy every minute of the experience. “

* Crina Coco Popescu trains 3 hours a day: she runs, bikes and climbs rocks