Mike Horn, Sébastien Lapierre and Reedy Team at the South Pole

From three different routes, arrivals at the Pole: solo 2215 km, solo 1130 km, and group 550 km. One solo lady still on her way to the Pole; plus the return and traverse skiers heading north.

UPDATE: Jan. 10, 2017 8:15 PM: News about Risto, see below.

Rerun – AdventureStats Special: What is Solo?

The men arrived from three different directions.

Mike Horn started at S70.1015 W009.8249 (20 degrees of latitude), relatively not far from Novolazarevskaya.

Mike covered a distance of 2,215 km, in a straight line, from where he stepped off his boat onto the continent. He used kites to manage this distance, plus the rest of his traverse, in one season.

Mike had no resupplies to the Pole and started off with a 210 kg sled with provisions for 3 months. He covered the distance in 28 days (January 9, 2017).

Horn was born in South Africa and resides in Switzerland, when he is not on his boat, Pangea. It is his second time at the Pole, this time he became the first South African to complete a solo expedition to the South Pole.

Sébastien Lapierre has also carried all he needed in his sled and received no outside help (unassisted). Therefore he became the first Canadian to ski solo to the South Pole.

Sébastien covered the 1130 km from Hercules Inlet in 43 days (November 28, 2016, to January 9, 2017). He didn’t use kites (unsupported). Explorersweb/Pythom Interview with Sébastien.

In a straight line, Eric Philips (AU, guide), Rob Smith (UK) and Keith Tuffley (US), covered 550 km in 34 days reported Eric (January 10, 2017).

The men started at the Reedy Glacier 85ºS, on the Ross Ice Shelf, and were also unassisted and unsupported. The Reedy Glacier is a new start point. Rob apparently cycled about half the route on his fatbike. Interview with Eric Philips.

Interactive Map: Antarctica Skiing Routes

2016-17 Antarctica Ski Expedition List – updated

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS – The 4th Shackleton Award

Hercules Inlet 80ºS return Journey, Risto Hallikainen (FI): The Fin is returning to Hercules Inlet man-hauling only. Location Jan 10, 2017, 12:09:30 PM UTS Elevation: 1,844.08 m Lat: -86.457488 Lon: -81.730085.

UPDATE: Jan. 10, 2017, 8:15 PM: News about Risto sent over to Exweb/Pythom by Vesa Luomala: “Risto has now crossed largest sastrugi-field again and says “he won’t miss it”. Risto says that he now notices the benefits of tailwind much better. It is warmer now and it gives better glide for the sledge, also breathing is easier. Looks good at the moment. Some 700 km to go and 16 days left. I’m still confident he can make it!”

Hercules Inlet 80ºS return Journey, Johanna Davidson (SE): The record-breaking Swedish lady is kilometers away from completing her return journey to Hercules Inlet. Check her map by Explorers House to see the progress, 100 to 200 kilometers per day. “It’s crazy how much faster it goes with wind in my back and kite!” she stated.

Lou Rudd (leader), Oliver Stoten, Chris Brooke, Alex Brazier, and James Facer-Childs (ALL UK) traverse to Shackleton Glacier: On Latest, Day 56 the men woke up in strong blowing winds and windchill going down to -45 to -50C. They are on the other side of Titan Dome and are descending towards the Shackleton Glacier. The sleds are lighter and gliding better.

Hercules Inlet 80ºS unassisted unsupported to the Pole, Małgorzata Wojtaczka (PL) solo: No new news, but see the position of her tracker in the images.

Follow team blogs in the Dispatch stream on pythom.com

South Pole 2016-17 Interviews on Explorersweb/Pythom:

Exweb South Pole Interview with Johanna Davidsson: kite return attempt

Interview with Pata Degerman: Longest Snowmobile attempt on Antarctica

[UPDATE 2] Risto Hallikainen, solo South Pole return ski attempt (Interview)

1989: Arved Fuchs traversed Antarctica, with Messner (Interview)

Ryan Waters to guide Fuchs-Messner route (Antarctica 2016-17 interview)

Canadian Sébastien Lapierre to attempt solo ski to South Pole (Interview)

Cycle Antarctica: Hank van Weelden Pole to Coast attempt (Interview)

Emma Kelty: speed ski and return attempt (Exweb South Pole interview)

Eric Philips, South Pole 2016-17 New Start Point attempt (Interview)

Previous/Related on Explorersweb/Pythom:

Several teams near South Pole; Emma arrived; First Ascent in Queen Maud Land

Exweb/Pythom Best of 2016: Girard’s Flight of the Century… and more

Johanna Davidsson set New Solo Female Speed Record

Editorial: Might is The Answer to Why (Updated)

Antarctica Current: Polar How-To-Guide Heads-Up

HumanEdgeTech Expedition Technology (e.g.CONTACT software)

AdventureStats.com for Polar Statistics and Rules. Note that a solo claim has to be unassisted,

therefore no supplies carried by pilots or car drivers, or anything (food, fuel, etc) received from any person along the way. A solo person may be wind supported (kites/sails). Claiming to have ‘skied to the Pole’, a full route (from a coastal start point) has to be completed, without flying part of the route.

1 nautical mile = 1,852 km

Hercules Inlet is located at 80°S near Union Glacier, 1130 km from the Geographic South Pole.

The Fuchs-Messner start is 890 km in a straight line from the Pole.

Novo to GSP is 2,140 km in a straight line

Novolazarevskaya to South Pole of Inaccessibility (POI) is 1610 km in a straight line.

South Pole of Inaccessibility (POI):

2011-12 position: S82°06.696, E055°01.951 (Copeland/McNair-Landry)

On Dec. 14, 2014 Frédéric Dion reported the position the POI (at Lenin’s bust) as S82º 06.702′ E55º 2.087′ at an elevation of 3741 m.

Geographic South Pole (GSP): 90 degrees South

Gateway port Cape Town, South Africa:

To ALCI /TAC base camp Novolazarevskaya / Novo

70° 46’37”S, 011° 49’26”E