KATHMANDU: The dramatic landscapes of Nepal’s Manaslu region witnessed another remarkable feat this week as Hong Kong mountaineer Tsang Yin Hung—widely known as Ada—scaled the 8,163-metre peak in just 18 hours and 53 minutes.

Ada, 50, is no stranger to groundbreaking climbs. She became Hong Kong’s first woman to summit Everest in 2017, led the first all-women’s Chinese team to Everest in 2019, and set the Everest women’s speed record in 2021 (25 hours 50 minutes), breaking Nepal’s Phunjo Jhangmu Lama’s 2018 mark. Although, Phunjo Jangbo had again broken that record and setd the new record of 14 hours 31 minutes on Everest on 2024.

According to climber Dukpa Sherpa of Pioneer Adventure, Ada began her ascent at 6:03 p.m. on Monday, September 22, and reached the summit at 12:56 p.m. the following day. “We did not climb for the sake of records,” Ada said after returning to base camp. “Speed climbing helps me test and sharpen my abilities. Phurba and Nima are my Sherpa brothers—I simply wanted to take on something challenging with them.”

This Manaslu expedition was organized jointly by Dreamers Destination Treks & Expedition and Pioneer Adventure. 

Ada was accompanied by celebrated Rolwaling siblings Nima Gyalzen Sherpa and Phurba Tenjing Sherpa, along with Tenji Sherpa. Notably, Phurba Tenjing also completed the Manaslu climb without supplemental oxygen. Phurba has summited Everest 17 times, while Nima is the first climber from Rolwaling to scale all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks. Their family holds a Guinness World Record for having eight members climb Everest together.

Ada described battling nausea and stomach pain early in the climb: “I told myself, ‘Ada, you are getting stronger with every step,’ until we reached the summit.”

Weather reports for the team were provided by Davide Peluzzi (Italy) and Rojita Buddhacharya (UK).

Her feat comes amid Nepal’s bustling autumn climbing season, when Manaslu—already leading the permit tally with hundreds of international climbers—remains a prime 8,000-metre objective.

For visitors and climbers alike, Ada’s rapid rise on Manaslu is another vivid reminder that Nepal remains the ultimate proving ground for those chasing the limits of human endurance amid breathtaking Himalayan vistas.