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Aussie now fastest man to scale highest peaks on seven continents

Australian Steve Plain has returned safely from Mount Everest after becoming the fastest to scale the highest peaks on all seven continents.

Record-breaking Sherpa, Aussie return from Everest

Australian climber Steve Plain, who became the fastest to scale the highest peaks on all seven continents, has returned safely from Mount Everest.

Steve Plain said he had no immediate plans for any new adventures and was looking forward to spending time with his family.

Plain, 36, scaled Mount Everest earlier in the week, completing his mission to scale the seven summits in 117 days.

He flew to Kathmandu from Everest on Saturday.

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"Go home and enjoy a bit of R and R at the moment, which I am looking forward to," Plain told reporters when asked about his plans. "It has been long a time on the road."

Plain, from Perth, began his mission by climbing Mount Vinson in Antarctica on January 16. He followed that with Mount Aconcagua in South America, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea, which covers Australia and Oceania, Mount Elbrus in Europe and Mount Denali in North America.

He said even though Everest is the world's highest peak, it was not the most difficult to climb because he had strong support from Sherpa guides. He said Denali was the hardest for him to scale.

A surfing accident in 2014 left Plain with multiple injuries, but he recovered to continue mountain climbing.

Polish climber Janusz Kochanski held the previous record for climbing the seven peaks, doing it in 126 days last year.


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