Russian hot on Going's ambitious heels

Pearl Going has had a few setbacks but is pressing on with enthusiasm. Photo / Janna Dixon

From social climber to mountain climber - this petite and unlikely sportswoman is going places her critics would find hard to believe.

Pearl Going, a former publicist and girl-about-town, has conquered three peaks in her quest to climb seven summits in 333 days. But she faces an uphill battle to meet her goal after being injured in a rock fall on Mt Aconcagua and missing an expedition to Everest.

However, Going, 27, has apparently fired the imagination of Russian rival Lyudmila Korobeshko, 37, who is trying to complete seven summits in a mere 300 days.

The Northlander said she decided to fulfil her lifelong ambition last year, after her 26th birthday.

"I told my parents, and then the Christchurch earthquake happened. So I thought, life is so short you might as well do what you really want to do.

"I tracked down Guy Cotter, one of the world's greatest mountaineers and coaches of the world."

Already, with the help of Cotter's Adventure Consultants, Going has "knocked off" Mt Elbrus in Russia and Mt Aconcagua in the Andes and Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The mountains are a long way from the red carpets of Auckland, where Going was an oft-controversial character. She riled Fashion Week organisers by trying to set up a near-duplicate rival event. And she called in police to investigate blogger Cameron Slater when he questioned the veracity of her professional and academic credentials - only to have police dismiss her complaint as "school yard stuff".

Now she's making a new start. Suze Kelly, general manager of Adventure Consultants, said Going may be one of the youngest New Zealanders to climb the difficult northern side of Mt Elbrus. "She throws everything at it. She really has a great wee motor for going up hills."

Going said she didn't know much about the Russian climber. "I know she is competing against me but she is climbing different mountains."

Her mother, Maxine, said she worried about her daughter but knew she was getting good support. "She has always been quite gutsy. I am happy she is with Guy Cotter, her trainer. She is in very safe hands."

Going said climbing had made her a better person. "When you go to a place in the middle of nowhere you only have yourself to rely on. "It is hard slog. No matter what anyone says to you, you make it to the top. No one can take that away from you."

- Staff reporter