(UPDATE 2) First Hercules Inlet skiers set off to South Pole

Risto Hallikainen and the British Army team started the 1130 km on this Classic ski route UPDATE: plus Johanna Davidsson

UPDATE (2) Nov.16 14:30 am

Lou Rudd and team reported to have done 5.9 nm (10.9 km) in 4 hours yesterday.

They reported: “Conditions were great on the frozen ocean by the coastline of Antarctica, the sun was out, and very light winds, and we set off. Within a couple of miles we’d come off the frozen ice shelf and climbed back onto the continent of Antarctica, which was absolutely incredible. We did a short four-hour day today, finishing at our planned time of 7pm, and during that time, despite a very steep coming up from Hercules Inlet we managed 5.9 nautical miles, so we’re quite pleased with that. As we came up onto the continent, we were hit with quite a strong head wind, which stayed with us for the remainder of the day. We’ve now set up camp, and this is camp one. We’re just making up our drinks and food, and then we’ll be getting a good night’s sleep, and aiming for a full day back out on the ice tomorrow (Nov 16).”

UPDATE (1) Nov. 16, 09:30 am

Swedish Johanna Davidsson just reported that she has been dropped at Hercules Inlet. The snow is hard, the weather is beautiful and the sun is out. “I feel so excited and happy to be able to start. It has been a long wait, but now it is happening. To listen to the sound of the plane taking off, click here.”

Previous Nov. 16, 2016, 09:22 am:

The weather has improved at Hercules Inlet (80ºS) late afternoon, early evening, November 15, and the ALE Kenn Borek Twin Otter pilots could take the first return and traverse skiers to their start point.

At 20:15 UTC, the Finn, Risto Hallikainen was about to start, reported Vesa Luomala from his home team to Explorersweb/Pythom. Risto is pulling the heaviest sled of all the HI teams, 160-180 kg. He does not want to receive a resupply at the Pole like the others. This way he maintains his solo status for his complete return journey, as stated at the Polar Rules of Adventure.

Lou Rudd and his team, Oliver Stoten, Chris Brooke, Alex Brazier, Alun George and James Facer-Childs have also started last night. They planned to ski four hours and then set up camp to sleep. They have enough food and fuel cover the 1130 km to the South Pole. There they will receive a resupply to ski on to the bottom of the Shackleton Glacier.

The two solo South Pole ladies, Johanna Davidsson and Emma Kelty, has not sent out any reported that they have started yet.

Due to weather delays, the teams have started 10 days later than planned. This route can take anything between 25 days and 80 days to complete. The 2016-17 skiers plan to complete the route between 40 and 50 days to continue with their second phases, traveling North.

It is 24 hours daylight on Antarctica at the moment. The skiers use Chilean time to use the same time as ALE.

On the Novo side, Michele Pontrandolfo’s latest position on his tracker, Nov. 14, 10:09 PM is Lat: 70.911428 Lon: 011.344541Follow team blogs in the Dispatch stream on pythom.com

South Pole 2016-17 Interviews on Explorersweb/Pythom:

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

[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)

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

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

Exweb South Pole Interview with Johanna Davidsson: kite return attempt

Previous/Related:

Antarctica: The Waiting Game at Union Glacier

Interactive Map: Antarctica Skiing Routes

ALE and ALCI open Antarctica season

Michele Pontrandolfo to attempt solo Antarctic Traverse again

2016-17 Antarctica Ski Expedition List – updated

Antarctic Researcher died in the field (October 2016)

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

Explorers House map with interactive South Pole ski routes

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.

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.

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

Gateway port Punta Arenas, Chile, South America:

To ALE base camp, Union Glacier