Octogenarian mountaineers in battle to conquer Everest

80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura (R), accompanied by his son Gota (L), leaving Base Camp to begin his ascent of Mount Everest in Nepal. Photo: HANDOUT Japanese octogenarian Yuichiro Miura, 80, set off on his ascent of the world's highest peak on Thursday to wrest the world record from British Army Gurkha pensioner Min Bahadur Sherchan, 81, who pipped him to the prize in 2008.