In January 2015, Bill Wilkinson asked me to make a list of people who had completed, or nearly completed, the Abels. We agreed that ’20 or fewer to go’ was the male cut off point. I have decided that making it to 75 gave a good representation of the top female Abelists, so that is the female cut-off; he agreed we did not want “Abelling” to look as if it was a game only for the boys. He was going to publish the List in his book.
Since his request, a certain faction has done some campaigning, and now the presence of such a list in his book was cancelled. I have done a lot of work on his behalf getting the list together, and encouraging people to climb, so do not want my requested homework wasted. Here is the List as it now stands. If any information there is incorrect, please let me know, and if anyone has made it onto the list, please let me know so I can add them. Thanks so much to those on the List who have encouraged me in my stats keeping. Well done all on the List for knowing our beautiful mountains in such variety and for undertaking the expeditions that are required if one is to be here. You are all great bush people who deserve respect.
Completed all Abels, in order of completion:
07 John Carswell Record: longest time to complete: 54 years.
08 Brian O’Byrne Aged 68 on completion.
09 Martin Doran
11 Dale Lisson
12 Maureen Martin Record: First woman
13 David Walker
15 Shelly Napier Second female. Second fastest female to complete. (7 yrs, 5 months, 18 days). Record: Youngest female completer; second youngest completer overall. Age at completion: 36 yrs.
16 Geoff O’Hara
17 Graeme Pennicott
18 Terry Brain First Supervet. 73 yrs 10 months and 6 days old on completion.
19 David Griffiths Record for oldest completer. Aged 76 (2021). No exact data for a record supplied.
20 Louise Fairfax Third woman to complete. Record: First person to climb all the English Wainwrights as well as the Tasmanian Abels. 10 years to complete.
21 Stuart Bowling Aged 50. 15 yrs to complete.
22 Lewi Taylor Record: fastest completer. 158 days.
=23 Emma-Jane Budarick Emma and William are the first couple to complete the Abels together, having done them all together. Bravo you two! (Done in 4.6 years). Emma 35, Will 37.
=23 William Gregory. (See above)
25 Becca Lunnon Aged 36. 11 years to complete. 5th woman.
26 John Whiteley
27 Steve Griffin
= 28 Nitya Malhotra Second Couple to complete all Abels together. Nitya and Alex are the first couple to take their baby to their final summit: The Needles no less. Adi is 9 months old. He climbed Feder in utero.
= 28 Alex Willows (See above.)
30 Kathy Cotton
=31 Ben Wells
=31 Tracey Orr
33 Jacqui Taylor. Record: Fastest female completer 2 yrs 3 months. Third fastest overall. Age on completion: 1 day before 42nd birthday.
34 Nick Morgan
Steve Jacobs (1)
Nick Morgan (1)
Lee Evans (F) (2) Abelling 50 years so far (2022). Aged 63 (2022)
Harris, Dave (2)
Mark Hallam (3) Aged 45 (2022)
David Tongs (4)
11-20 left:
Rohan Hutchinson (18)
David Seaton (19)
Brendan Young (19)
Gregory Eade (20)
Female completers.
1 Maureen Martin
2 Shelly Napier Youngest, fastest female to complete. (35)
3 Louise Fairfax
4 Emma-Jane Budarick
5 Becca Lunnon 36 on completion. 2nd youngest female to complete
6 Nitya Malhotra
7 Kathy Cotton
8 Tracey Orr
9 Jacqui Taylor
Females with 75 or more Abels:
Lee Evans (156)
Carolyn Farrar (144)
Helen Thyne (124)
Sally Coltheart (118)
Jess McDonald (115)
Suellen Jones (107) Aged 72 (2021).
Vonda Kerrison (100)
Amanda Lennard (88)
Tess Kendrick (83) Aged 15. Go Tess. A Junior record.
Sue McKinnon (83)
Sally-Anne Richter (83)
Pamela Tabor (75)