|
World Record Drive From The Coast
Of Antarctica To The South Pole
What is it? -
VIDEO:
Click to see The Ice Challenger in action!
A successful world record attempt as the fastest overland journey to drive to the
South Pole.
Shortly before 13.00 GMT on Monday 12th December, the Ice Challenger
crew completed their world record attempt of the fastest overland
crossing to the South Pole. They smashed the previous record of 24
days in just 69 hours!
The 1,200 km route saw the team negotiate
deep crevasses, climb steep ice slopes and cross rugged fields of
rubble ice to get to their goal of the South Pole. Constant driving
and no sleep pushed both man and
machine to the limit to achieve success.
The World Record
This expedition has been officially recognised by Guinness World
Records as a successful attempt and new world record. It beats the
previous record by the Japanese adventurer Shinji Kazama who travelled to the South Pole
from Patriot Hills near the Antarctic coastline on a specially
modified Yamaha motorcycle in 24 days from 10 December 1991 to 3
January 1992. He was supported by a snowmobile that carried
emergency supplies and offered occasional assistance over rough
terrain.
In addition, in 1958 there was an expedition led by Sir Edmund
Hillary using tractors with tracks and they took 82 days to get to
the Pole.
The Vehicle
VIDEO:
Click to see The Ice Challenger in action!
This vehicle is the only one of its kind in the UK, modified
uniquely for the challenge. It was first imported from Canada, and was originally an ordinary vehicle before it was shipped to Iceland
where a team of three engineers spent almost 2,000 hours to modify
it to its current form.
Iceland is perhaps the best place in the world to find someone with years of
experience of driving vehicles in deep snow and on huge glaciers, so
the Challenger crew wasted no time in searching for the perfect
person to do the truck modifications in this Nordic country. Of
course, there are no second chances on an attempt like this so it
was imperative that the truck performed to its full capacity night
and day. The lead engineer who modified the truck therefore became a
crucial addition to the Challenger crew on this epic
expedition.
Specification
-
6-wheel drive. All wheels can be independently driven
-
Low emission, Turbo-charged, fuel-injected, 7.3 litre, V8 diesel
engine
-
20 gears
-
44 tyres, 21 wide. Specially made and imported from America
-
6.5m long x 2.54m wide x 2.52m tall
-
Weight: 4.7 tonnes
-
Fully independent air suspension with 26 of travel on each wheel
-
High watt Solar panels for independent power supply
-
GPS & and satellite communications
The Route
1200 km, from base camp at Patriot Hills to the South
Pole.
|
|
