Twins make history as youngest to climb Seven Summits in "celebration of sisterhood”

An inspirational pair of twin sisters went from never having even slept in a tent to breaking a record by climbing all of the world’s highest mountains and volcanoes.

Iulia Jaso and Delia Wookey (both Romania) now jointly hold the honour of being the youngest person to climb the Seven Summits and the Seven Volcanic Summits (female).

The team on Aconcagua

They were 33 years 216 days old when they reached their final summit on 29 May 2022.

And believe it or not, they had no idea when they climbed their first summit what they would go on to achieve.

Damavand

It all started back in October 2017, when they decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro during a trip to Tanzania.

The sisters (née. Zanoschi), now 36, told us: “We planned a safari with friends and included a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m; 19,341 ft) because we had heard a lot about it.

The Denali summit

“Neither of us had climbed a high-altitude mountain before - we’d never even slept in a tent! But once we got to the summit, something shifted. We felt joy, peace, and a deep sense of connection with nature.”

Then things really got interesting.

Climbing up Elbrus

They said: “The guide casually asked us if we were doing the Seven Summits, and it planted a seed. That evening we stayed up talking about what it would mean to climb the highest mountain on every continent together. It sounded impossible… which is probably why it excited us so much.”

Over the next few years, the ladies, both mums to young children and both working in technology (Iulia is currently Principal of Product at Google Cloud and Delia leads Global Corporate Finance at Icertis), also climbed:

The Elbrus summit

• Mount Everest, Asia - 8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft)
• Aconcagua, South America - 6,961 m (22,838 ft)
• Denali (formerly Mount McKinley), North America - 6,190 m (20,310 ft)
• Mount Elbrus, Europe - 5,642 m (18,510 ft)
• Mount Vinson, Antarctica - 4,892 m (16,050 ft)
• Mount Kosciuszko, Australia – 2,228 m (7,310 ft)
• Ojos del Salado, South America -6,893 m (22,615 ft)
• Damavand, Asia - 5,671 m (18,406 ft)
• Pico de Orizaba, North America - 5,636 m (18,491 ft)
• Mount Giluwe, Oceania - 4,368 m (14,331 ft)
• Mount Sidley, Antarctica - 4,285 m (14,058 ft)

Summiting Everest

Iulia and Delia say they came from a traditional background in Romania, and they had no exposure to mountaineering.

When their record-breaking journey began, the sisters were working in consulting and travelling a lot for work.

Pushing to the top of Everest

They started keeping their weekends free so they could train together and quickly began feeling like this was their “shared purpose”.

It became a way for them to both explore the world and push their limits together.

Posing on Giluwe

They said: “Balancing motherhood, demanding careers, and mountaineering has been one of our biggest challenges - and proudest accomplishments.”

Their world record was a bit of a happy coincidence.

Standing amongst trees on Giluwe

“In the beginning, it was just about the adventure and the challenge,” they said. “We didn’t even think a record was within reach. But as we kept going, we realized we were on track to do something that can be bigger and inspire others.

“That gave us extra motivation to push through the tougher climbs.”

The Kilimanjaro climb that started it all

And boy, were there some tough climbs.

Denali was the most difficult, thanks to its brutally cold temperatures, remote location and ability to leave the girls physically exhausted.

Standing on top of Kosciuszko

They explained: “We had to carry heavy sleds and gear for three weeks, deal with whiteout conditions, and climb technical sections roped together for safety. We were caught in a storm at high camp, and ended up being the only team to summit that day.

“The descent was terrifying - zero visibility, very strong winds, and the constant fear of falling into a crevasse. That mountain truly tested our mental and physical limits.”

Posing on top of Ojos de Salado

Everest, the world’s highest mountain, also proved to be a big challenge.

The pair climbed it in 2021, when two cyclones and COVID disruptions made the season especially dangerous.

Climbing Ojos de Salado

An avalanche wiped out some of the camps and only a few teams managed to reach the top.

It was worth it though.

Pico de Orizaba

“The feeling of sitting at the top of the world was incredible and life changing,” they said.

That very first summit of Kilimanjaro will always be the most special to them, though Mount Giluwe was one of their most “joyful” climbs.

The Sidley summit

They said: “The mountain was beautiful, but what truly made it special was the connection with the local team - many of whom climbed barefoot and still outpaced us with big smiles on their faces.

On the way to the Sidley summit

Of course, the girls had to overcome many challenges too.

On Elbrus, Delia’s feet became so bruised and swollen that she said every step felt like she was walking on needles.

Selfie with the group on Vinson

There were many surreal moments too.

The twins said: “In Papua New Guinea, we were stopped by men with machetes who turned out to be part of our guiding crew - they were just negotiating their fee.

On the way to the Vinson summit

“On Ojos del Salado, we spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve in the snow, wearing Christmas sweaters and exchanging tiny gifts with our team.

“And in Antarctica, we took a previously unused route up Mount Sidley and felt like early explorers - it was humbling and exhilarating.”

Vinson summit

The girls said completing this challenge and earning the record side-by-side means “everything” to them.

They said: “Climbing the world’s highest peaks is an accomplishment - but doing it with your twin, your best friend, the person who knows your fears and strengths better than anyone - that’s something else entirely.

“We hope our story encourages others - especially women and girls - to redefine what they think they’re capable of and take that first step.”