Slovak conqueror of Nanga Parbat died

Mountaineer and coach Ivan Fiala died at the age of 76 on Friday. Together with Michal Orolin, they were the first two Slovaks to conquer the world's ninth highest mountain, Nanga Parbat (8,126 metres), in 1971. In addition to Europe, Fiala also climbed mountains on five continents in 15 expeditions. Fiala and Orolin reached the summit of Nanga Parbat via Buhl's 1953 route. Born on August 25, 1941 in Bratislava, Fiala climbed hundreds of mountains, not only in Slovakia's Tatras. In the Alps, for example, he climbed Cima Ovest. Fiala also climbed in the Pamir Mountains, Norway, the Hindu Kush, Alaska (Mt. McKinley) and the Andes (Huascaran and Aconcagua). He received an honorary award from the International Fair Play Committee in 1982 for the rescue of a Mexican mountaineer. In November 2002, Ivan Fiala was elected the honorary chairman of the elite climbing Himalaya Club 8000. In 2003, he became the chairman of the Fair Play Club of the Slovak Olympic Committee.