A Timaru-born woman has become the first New Zealand woman to climb the highest mountains of each of the seven continents.
Chris Burke is the third fastest woman in the world to complete the Seven Summits, out of the 30 women who have achieved the feat.
Her mission was completed when she reached the top of Europe's highest peak, Mt Elbrus in Russia.
The feat comes almost 22 years after the late Rob Hall became the first New Zealand man to complete the climbs in what was then a record time of just under seven months, with his climbing companion the late Gary Ball.
Ms Burke has more climbing planned over the next few months and will tackle Aoraki Mt Cook in December.
