Posted: Jan 27, 2008 06:26 pm EST
(ThePoles.com) The Norwegian women have beaten the clock. Congratulations to Rita Glenne and Ine-Lill Gabrielsen who have reached the South Pole unsupported, via a new route from Vinson, on Friday - the last day for the ALE pick-up.

Congratulations also to John, Cameron and Sumiyo with reaching the South Pole on Thursday after their race against the clock.

Unsupported teams

Sub-zero expedition
Position: Home

ANI South Pole Quest expedition
Reached the South Pole on 28 December 2007.

Hvitserk expedition
Reached the South Pole on 31 December 2007.

South Africans
Reached the South Pole on 17 January 2008.

Unsupported new routes/Vinson

Shackleton Filchner Ice Shelf new route
Doug Stoup and Richard Dunwoody reached the South Pole on 18 January.

Norwegian women new route, Vinson to South Pole
Position 90°S on 25 January.

This season the Norwegian flag has flown many times at the South Pole. Well done to the two Norwegian women, Rita and Ine-Lill, with reaching the Pole! They have opened a new route from Mount Vinson and have travelled 1289 km in 53 days – after summiting Mount Vinson on 2 December.

Last days

Their home team reported during the last days that they “are suffering from lack of sleep, and they are both terribly thin. - But we eat as much as we can, and we feel fine. The conditions are quite light, so we are going for it!”

“We have seen traces from other skiers, possibly from last degree-trips. This means we are on the right track,” Rita said.

They got up before 06h00 in the mornings and went to bed after 23h00. The last 3 days they skied 39.1 km, 41.2 km and 40.2 km

At the Pole

An elated Rita and Ine-Lill arrived at the Pole at about 21h00 Chilean time. Rita reports, “We are happy, but don’t quite think we have realised we are here. We thought we would get very emotional, but actually it feels a bit absurd to be here.”

Their home team reports, “The weather there [at Patriot Hills] is rather poor for flying, so we don’t know when we will get out of the continent, Rita explained. Meanwhile we hope they get to relax and eat a lot, and enjoy their amazing achievement.”

27 January: Rita and Ine-Lill are at Patriot Hills.

Supported teams

Irish Beyond Endurance
Reached the South Pole on 8 January 2008.

ANI Messner Route
Reached the South Pole on 12 January 2008

John Huston (Northwind guide), Cameron Hudson and Sumiyo Tsuzuki
Position 90°S on 24 January, after starting at Hercules Inlet.
Well done to John, Cameron and Sumiyo!

Last 12 nm

"The big day has finally arrived! The conditions remained favourable today for us to make the final 12nm push to the Pole. We took our time to collect the last pieces of footage on ski and savour the final hours on the ice," reports the team.

At the Pole

"We were greeted at the Pole by an American News Crew who threw microphones and cameras in our faces as if we were film stars. At the Pole itself is an impressive new science base run by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). It is home to 244 scientists and labourers who work in and around the base. The base manager came out to welcome us on the ice and after pitching our tent we were given a comprehensive tour of the base. The tour was followed by complimentary hot drinks and cake which we lapped up in record time. The rest of the day has been spent relaxing and chatting to people interested to know about our journey."

14 months of planning and preparation

"It has been quite an overwhelming day, which for all of us represents the culmination of over 14 months of planning and preparation. The people I need to thank will be named and shamed in the next dispatch. For now I must retire for a few hours rest. In the words of Roald Amundsen it was "a great day for skiing"."

Last two degrees

The groups reported bad weather with strong winds at Patriot Hills, with temperatures dropping to –40°C. The forecast was that it would last for 3 days, but on 27 January Mike Thornewill reports that they are back in Punta. The Ilyushin must have taken an opportunity of a good weather window.

Links to Antarctic teams' websites:

Crossings
Peter Valusiak's Solo crossing (postponed to 2008)
Irish Beyond Endurance - and Beyond the Pole
Irish Jonathon Bradshaw's blog

Unsupported to the Pole
Sub-Zero Expedition- Jason De Carteret and Todd Carmichael
Evelyn Binsack's bike ride from Switzerland
Adrian Hayes third pole
Max Chaya's second pole
Hans Foss
Hvitserk expedition
Sibu and Alex

Unsupported new routes/Vinson
Norwegian women for Vinson and South Pole via new route
Doug Stoup, James Fox and Richard Dunwoody new route from the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf.
Stangl Vinson/ski return PH
Tomsky Vinson/ski return PH

Supported SP
Eric Philips partial repetition of Messner/Fuchs from Ronne Ice shelf. Dutch Bernice Notenboom is among clients.
Bernice's website
Alison Levine's website
John Huston & Northwind, Sumiyo Tsuzuki, Peter Blaikie (70 y), Cameron and John
Cameron Hudson and John Huston for glaucoma website

Climbing
Pou brothers

Last degree
Kevin Dempsey, last degree

Last two degrees
Borge Ousland, last two degrees
Shackleton's Unfinished Journey

Scientific
Teachers on ice
American-Norwegian expedition in the East Antarctic

Sailing
Euronav Belgica: Dixie Dansercoer's retrace of Adrien de Gerlache
SP solo, speed record holder Hannah McKeand roaming the Southern Ocean with David Pryce
All-star explorer Fedor Konyukhov benchmark record attempt on Antarctica Cup Race track in Southern Ocean.

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