Badger
Member
Pete Goss and Alan Chambers have announced their latest project. They will
walk to the South Pole and back using the same route as Scott. To date this
has never been completed.
Goss, the 41 year old West Country yachtsman and the polar explorer Alan
Chambers will attempt to close the last chapter of Antarctic exploration
later this year. In 1911, Robert Falcon Scott and his team attempted to be
the first men to reach the South Pole. His team of five reached the Pole
only to find that his rival Amundsen had planted the Danish flag just a few
weeks before. Their return journey is legendary ending in tragedy and the
loss of all lives just 11 miles from their last depot.
The expedition will raise money to take on another great human challenge -
that of helping some of the 12 million children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.
HopeHIV, the expedition's nominated charity, gives these children the
support and nurturing that a family would normally supply. It gives them
the foundation for a future by providing essential funds, education and
emotional support.
Goss said: "Scott's story has captivated millions with its honest and
pragmatic dignity in the face of unrelenting Antarctic odds. Ninety-two
years later his Challenge remains. We aim to complete his route and believe
that, out of respect, a team flying the Union Jack should be the one to do
so. During the arduous journey we pull our sledges with two main
motivations - to complete Scott's Challenge and to raise money for HopeHIV,
the project's charity."
Chambers is no stranger to the arctic environment having completed six major
expeditions in sub zero temperatures. Most recently, 34 year old Alan
planned and led the first successful British unassisted walk to the
Geographical North Pole from the Canadian coastline. The Taunton based
adventurer was awarded the MBE in 2001 for leadership and determination in
such adversity.
The two British, former Royal Marines will travel from McMurdo on the coast
of the Antarctic continent to the South Pole and back using a pulk (man
pulled sledge) and kite system. It is a trek of some 1,400 nautical miles
- further than from London to Rome and back. The team have a three month
weather window to complete the challenge which runs from the beginning of
November 2003 to the end of January 2004.
Training started in earnest with an expedition covering the last degree to
the North Pole in April 2003. In July they undertake a 17 day expedition to
cross the Greenland icecap. Later the team will go to the Alps to climb
Mont Blanc and to undertake crevasse training.
"This is a fantastic moment in history. Two very brave men, taking on one
of the oldest unconquered challenges of exploration, to confront one of our
world's newest challenges of desperation, in giving a future to some of the
millions of AIDS orphans of Africa. We are with them every step of the
way."
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walk to the South Pole and back using the same route as Scott. To date this
has never been completed.
Goss, the 41 year old West Country yachtsman and the polar explorer Alan
Chambers will attempt to close the last chapter of Antarctic exploration
later this year. In 1911, Robert Falcon Scott and his team attempted to be
the first men to reach the South Pole. His team of five reached the Pole
only to find that his rival Amundsen had planted the Danish flag just a few
weeks before. Their return journey is legendary ending in tragedy and the
loss of all lives just 11 miles from their last depot.
The expedition will raise money to take on another great human challenge -
that of helping some of the 12 million children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.
HopeHIV, the expedition's nominated charity, gives these children the
support and nurturing that a family would normally supply. It gives them
the foundation for a future by providing essential funds, education and
emotional support.
Goss said: "Scott's story has captivated millions with its honest and
pragmatic dignity in the face of unrelenting Antarctic odds. Ninety-two
years later his Challenge remains. We aim to complete his route and believe
that, out of respect, a team flying the Union Jack should be the one to do
so. During the arduous journey we pull our sledges with two main
motivations - to complete Scott's Challenge and to raise money for HopeHIV,
the project's charity."
Chambers is no stranger to the arctic environment having completed six major
expeditions in sub zero temperatures. Most recently, 34 year old Alan
planned and led the first successful British unassisted walk to the
Geographical North Pole from the Canadian coastline. The Taunton based
adventurer was awarded the MBE in 2001 for leadership and determination in
such adversity.
The two British, former Royal Marines will travel from McMurdo on the coast
of the Antarctic continent to the South Pole and back using a pulk (man
pulled sledge) and kite system. It is a trek of some 1,400 nautical miles
- further than from London to Rome and back. The team have a three month
weather window to complete the challenge which runs from the beginning of
November 2003 to the end of January 2004.
Training started in earnest with an expedition covering the last degree to
the North Pole in April 2003. In July they undertake a 17 day expedition to
cross the Greenland icecap. Later the team will go to the Alps to climb
Mont Blanc and to undertake crevasse training.
"This is a fantastic moment in history. Two very brave men, taking on one
of the oldest unconquered challenges of exploration, to confront one of our
world's newest challenges of desperation, in giving a future to some of the
millions of AIDS orphans of Africa. We are with them every step of the
way."
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