Dodo KOPOLD

Climber
This 32 year old mountaineer opened up some extremely difficult big mixed routes in Pakistan, before launching himself these last few years into climbing six summits over 8000m in alpine style and without oxygen.

Doug SCOTT

Climber and explorer, and the first Englishman to climb Everest in 1975 with a remarkable first ascent of the south-West Face.  Apart from this ascent with oxygen, Doug Scott is one of the pioneers of the light style in the Himalayas.  He has carried out 45 expeditions on the highest mountains in the world and reached 40 summits of which half were by new routes or climbed for the first time in alpine style.  In his exploits, as well as his style, Doug Scott embodies the spirit of modern alpinism in its quest for innovative routes.  Doug Scott  is the 17th President of the jury of the Piolets d’Or.

The 2009 Jury

Yong IMDUCK

Journalist
An independent journalist, Yong ImDuck, a spokesman for Asian alpine culture, keeps the world informed of projects in Asia and for the last 3 years has been involved in the organisation of the Asian Piolet d’Or.

Peter HABELER

Peter started climbing in 1969, at the side of Reinhold Messner, considered by many to be one of the greatest climbers of the 20th century.  With him, he succeeded in making the first ascent of Everest without oxygen in 1978, even though such a challenge was considered, up until then, to be impossibility.  He was one of the first Europeans to climb the Big Walls in Yosemite National Park in the United States.  Among the other 8 000 metre peaks in his repertoire are Cho Oyu, Nanga Parbat, Kanghenjunga and Gasherbrum 1.  Today, Peter Habeler runs a skiing and climbing school in his home town of Mayrhofen in Austria.

Jim DONINI

Climber
Jim specialises in grand alpine ascents in “Big Wall” style, opening up new routes particularly in Patagonia and Alaska, notably the Terro Egger and more recently the Avellano Tower in Chile.  In the Himalayas in 1978, he attained the highest point on the north arête of Latok I with Jeff Lowe, a route never repeated, despite numerous attempts.  Jim Donini is the out-going President of the American Alpine Club.