Norwegian record-holder Christian Eide calls out German Martin Szwed on polar speed claim

Posted: Feb 13, 2015 07:07 pm EST

(Newsdesk) Journalists may be gullible but it gets tougher to bullcrap your peers. The Polar community is up in arms about Martin Szwed’s alleged claim to have broken by ten days the 24 days 1 hour 13 minutes record set over 1130 km on the classic Hercules Inlet route.

Szwed told media and sponsors he did it in 14 days 18 hours 43 minutes, providing no evidence of his feat (aside some unconvincing pictures). The holder of this record, Norwegian Christian Eide, confronted Szwed on his Facebook Message and sent Explorersweb a copy of the conversation between the two of them in the early hours of this morning. Enjoy!

Date: 13.02.2015

Christian Eide 00:02

…14 days to the South Pole?

Martin Szwed 00:03

hello Chris

yes, 14 days

Christian Eide 00:04

..from where? it’s amazing !!!!

Martin Szwed 00:05

I am sorry I could not publish the GPS datas, but unfortunately I have some trouble with the German government

they didn’t allow me the expedition before and I went anyway

I started at Hercules Inlet

Christian Eide 00:06

by skis?

Martin Szwed 00:06

actually I wanted to walk from blue one, but it was not possible because I was to late in the season

yes

Christian Eide 00:07

..who supported you ?

Martin Szwed 00:10

the crossing was not supported, I was flown out from the south pole with a group of scientists from Austria and flew out over Novo to South Africa

before I was on Vinson with ALE

like I said, unfortunately I have some trouble with the german government, as soon as this is over I will publish my GPS data

Christian Eide 00:11

why are you telling me shit ?

Martin Szwed 00:11

sorry?

Christian Eide 00:13

you have not the record, and you did not ski to the South pole from Hercules

seen 00:14

Martin Szwed 00:19

Chris, sorry but I did. I couldn’t do it over ALE there fore I didn’t have the money. The way I did it brings me into some trouble now with the government. I didn’t do it for any records, just for me, therefor I’m also not claiming any of you records. 

Christian Eide 00:22

who can proof your record ?

Martin Szwed 00:23

my GPS data, but Chris, honestly I’m not claiming any of you records.I did it for me

I will publish the data as soon as the government calms down

I don’t have any reason to lie or something like this

Christian Eide 00:28

..somebody must have left you at Hercules Inlet, who?

seen 00:28

END

Note that Szwed took down his public Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/martinszwedsolo today.

Although Szwed says he is not claiming the record, several German news sources and some of his sponsors have published his record claim. Most of them were also taken down today.

As reported yesterday on Explorersweb: Checking with Antarctica logistics ANI/ALE, the outfitter told Explorersweb, "Based on our contact with other operators and German officials, we have received no indication that the expedition took place. Umweltbundesamt / Federal Environment Agency Germany did not issue a ski expedition permit for him to go the South Pole and TAC [the logistics operator in Cape Town] did not provide him transportation following his Vinson ascent."

Also, the NSF (National Science Foundation) said no one in the South Pole staff had seen or heard of Mr Szwed.

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