Lewis Clarke (16) became youngest person to ski from the coast to the South Pole
Posted: Jan 19, 2014 02:58 pm EST
(By Correne Coetzer) 16-year-old Lewis Clarke and his 30-year-old guide, Carl Alvey, arrived at the Geographic South Pole (90ºS), January 18th, after 48 days on the 1130 km Hercules Inlet route (80ºS). The team was assisted (three resupplies by air) and unsupported (no vehicle driving with or no kite support).
In the process Lewis became the youngest person (male or female) to ski from a coastal start point to the South Pole. According to his website, Lewis was born on November 18, 1997.
He broke Sarah McNair-Landry’s age record for youngest person in the world to ski from the coast to the South Pole, by two years. Sarah, at age 18, skied the 1130 km Hercules Inlet route, unassisted and unsupported during the 2004-05 season. At the Pole she and her team, picked up a resupply and kites, and kited back to Hercules Inlet.
Lewis also became the youngest Brit to ski to the South Pole by breaking Bryony Balen’s British record when she, then 21, skied from Hercules Inlet to the SP in the 2011-12 season. Her team had emergency evacuations and was also resupplied and unsupported.
As for ANI guide Carl Alvey, it was his first time on the Hercules Inlet route, although he is no stranger to Antarctica.
The wind-chill of -50 challenged Lewis and Carl till the last moment. At the South Pole they were greeted by one of Lewis’ mentors, Hannah McKeand, a polar world record holder herself. Hannah is ANI’s camp manager at the Pole.
The US South Pole Station management has offered the skiers a tour through the Station before they fly back to Union Glacier, weather permitting, today. Also at the Pole are Marty and Chris Fagan, who have also arrived on Jan. 18th.
ExWeb interview with Lewis Clarke (16): to ski 1130 km Hercules Inlet route
Carl Alvey to guide 16-year-old Lewis Clarke to the South Pole: ExWeb interview
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2013 South Pole teams
Unassisted, unsupported:
Vesa Luomala, FI, Hercules Inlet, solo
Antony Jinman, UK, Hercules Inlet, solo, completed
Marty and Chris Fagan, USA, Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf start, completed
Juan Menendez Granados, ES, Hercules Inlet, solo cycle, completed
Assisted, Unsupported
Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere, UK, UK/FR, Cape Evans return journey
Daniel Burton, USA, Hercules Inlet, cycle
Carl Alvey (ANI guide) and Lewis Clarke, UK, Hercules Inlet
Devon McDiarmid (CA, ANI guide), Joshua Hodgkinson (AU), and Wen Yuan (China), Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf [Update Jan. 02:50 EDT correction: Arabella Slinger, is not part of Devon’s team as previously stated. ANI reported to ExWeb that she suffered an injury prior and is not in the team guided by Devon.] completed
Other
ANSMET meteorite hunters 2013-14
Dronning Maud Land Project Facebook and Blog page
Aleksander Gamme, Espen Fadnes, Kjersti Eide, Jonas Langseth, Andy Kirkpatrick and Ingeborg Jakobsen.
Australian Mawson Centenary Expedition Spirit of Mawson website
AAE 2013-2014 Interpret Science website [Rescued]
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/ANI base camp, Union Glacier
79° 45'S, 083° 14'W
Hercules Inlet is located at 80°S near Union Glacier, 1130 km from the Geographic South Pole.
The bottom of the Leverett Glacier, at the Ross Ice Shelf, is located at about 85ºS, a distance of 550 km from the Geographic South Pole.
The Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf (Messner) start is 890 km in a straight line from the Pole.
1 nautical mile (nm) = 1.852 km
1 nm = 1.151 miles
1 knot = 1.852 km/h
1 degree of Latitude is 110 km / 60 nm / 70 miles
Sastrugi are hard snow bumps and can be as high as 10 feet
A nunatak is a top of a mountain visible above the snow surface.
South Pole of Inaccessibility 2011-12 position:
S82°06.696, E055°01.951
Geographic South Pole: 90 degrees South
A "solo" ski requires an unassisted status (therefore no supplies carried by pilots or car drivers, or anything received from any person).
Previous/Related:
Married couple, Chris and Marty Fagan, arrived at the South Pole
Juan Menendez Granados and his bicycle reached the South Pole
Antony Jinman and his drones at the South Pole
South Pole arrivals and False Record Claims
Gamme and team to climb, jump and ski in Dronning Maud Land
Antony Jinman with two drones to the South Pole, ExWeb interview
Carl Alvey to guide 16-year-old Lewis Clarke to the South Pole: ExWeb interview
China’s growing presence in Antarctica
ExWeb interview with Lewis Clarke (16): to ski 1130 km Hercules Inlet route
ExWeb interview with Vesa Luomala, "there is no room for underestimating a place like Antarctica"
ExWeb South Pole 2013 interview with Geoff Wilson, "my mind I feel will be the greatest maze of all"
Marty and Chris Fagan, married outdoor team for the past 15 years. ExWeb South Pole interview
ExWeb interview with Juan Menendez Granados: the greatest challenge
ExWeb South Pole 2013 interview with Geoff Wilson, "my mind I feel will be the greatest maze of all"
ExWeb South Pole kick-off interview: Daniel Burton, return cycle journey
ExWeb interview with Eric Philips, three decades of polar experience
Breaking news: Christian Eide bags the South Pole solo speed ski world record
AdventureStats and Rules of Adventure
Adventure Network International (ANI) / ALE
Antarctic Logistics Centre International (ALCI) / TAC
#polar #southpole2013 #southpole2013-14 #antarctica #lewisclarke #carlalvey #youngesttothesouthpole
SOURCE
courtesy Carl Alvey, SOURCE
courtesy ExplorersWeb, SOURCE