Alpinist Alexandra Marcu to be awarded 2013 Explorer of the Year title

Photo credit (c): Dan MARCU / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Sixteen-year-old student Alexandra Marcu of Deva, western Romania, will be awarded the 2013 Explorer of the Year title by Romania's Geographic Society as the youngest recipient.

''It is a great honour to us for Alexandra to receive such a title from a prestigious organisation under the aegis of the Royal House. This is a very important title to Alexandra and recognises her merits,' the alpinist's father, Dan Marcu, told Agerpres on Tuesday.

The award will be presented to Alexandra Marcu at the 10th edition of the 'Geography in Schools' national symposium to be organised by the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca on June 14, at Baru Mare, Hunedoara County.

Marcu is renowned for having climbed the world's most important mountains, having so far conquered five of the highest: Mont Blanc (France), Uhuru-Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Kazbek (Georgia), Damavand (Iran) and Giluwe (Oceania and Australia).

She is also Europe's youngest alpinist to have climbed the Pico de Orizaba volcano of Mexico, and also the youngest Romanian climber to have climbed Massif Kazbek of Georgia.

Marcu's next objective will be conquering the Ojo de Salado (6,893 m) volcano of Chile, the world's highest active volcano. Her expedition will cost nearly 6,000 euros. Alexandra and his father will start a campaign to raise the money. AGERPRES

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