The Polar Race was inspired and organised by a team led by two of the best known British adventurers, Jock Wishart and David Hempleman-Adams.
In 1996 they organised the “expedition with a difference” when they successfully took ten novices selected from 500 applicants on the first ever televised trek to the Magnetic North Pole – ” The Ultimate Challenge”. Six years later, the two men joined forces again to recreate their historic trek, but this time as a race!
2003 saw the first ever race in these extreme conditions. It was a huge success – all nine competitors completed the course.
Polar Race 2005 was another great success and full of firsts: the first Italian woman to walk to any northern pole, the first Australian woman to walk to any northern pole, and the first South Africans to walk to the Magnetic North Pole.
The Polar Race starts from Resolute Bay in the former North West Territories of Canada. The route takes the contestants 350 miles, by ski or foot, to the 1996 certified position of the magnetic North pole.
2011 Updates
This year two teams with three members each are engaged in this extreme multiday race. Conditions have been very cold and very windy and at the moment both teams are holed up somewhere. They have sat phones and keep in touch with race organisers. The weather is expected to improve over the next few days.
Checkout the news at Polar Race.com
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