Vanessa O'Brien Approaches The Geographic North Pole To Complete The Explorers Grand Slam Last Degree

The Explorer's Grand Slam is an adventurer goal to reach the North Pole and South Pole, as well as climb the Seven Summits ( Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro,

Elbrus Mount Elbrus ( rus, links=no, Эльбрус, r=Elbrus, p=ɪlʲˈbrus; kbd, Ӏуащхьэмахуэ, 'uaşhəmaxuə; krc, Минги тау, Mingi Taw) is the highest and most prominent peak in Russia and Europe. It is situated in the we ...

, Vinson, and Puncak Jaya or Kosciuszko). Purists also include a submarine expedition to the bottom of the Marianas Trench, but this is not necessary by most popular accounts.

History

The original concept involved the polar trips starting from accepted coastal points, involving long sledging journeys. Over time the significantly shorter, easier, and less serious "Last Degree" polar trips – from 89 degrees to the pole (at 90 degrees) – have been claimed as the Explorer's Grand Slam (''Last Degree''). Currently, the climbing community and other leading organizations including the American Alpine Club, The Explorers Club, climbing companies such as International Mountain Guides, and the popular press all define the Explorer's Grand Slam as having accomplished the Seven Summits plus (at a minimum – the last degree of) the North and South Poles. There is some consensus that a ''True Explorer's Grand Slam'' means one will also have summitted all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) (14 + 7 + 2). Likewise, there is some consensus that a ''True Adventurer's Grand Slam'' is achieved by also visiting the magnetic north and

south South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

poles. As of 2022, all terminology and guidelines regarding polar data records are being conducted under the Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme (PECS). In 1998,

David Hempleman-Adams Sir David Kim Hempleman-Adams, (born 10 October 1956 in Swindon, Wiltshire) is an English industrialist and adventurer. He is the first person to complete the Adventurers Grand Slam, by reaching the Geographic and Magnetic North and South Po ...

became the first person to complete an ''Explorer's Grand Slam''. In April 2005,

Park Young-seok Park Young-seok (: November 2, 1963 – October 2011 on Annapurna) was a South Korean mountaineer. In May 2005, he became the first person in the world to complete a True Explorers Grand Slam. He climbed the world's 14 eight-thousanders, the ...

became the first person to complete a ''True Explorer's Grand Slam''. In 2011, former Wales rugby union international Richard Parks became the first person ever to complete the (Last Degree) Grand Slam within a single calendar year, doing so within seven months. On April 16, 2013, Vanessa O'Brien became the first woman to complete the (Last Degree) Grand Slam under a single calendar year, doing so in eleven months. On April 22, 2013, Cheryl Bart became the first Australian woman and the 31st person worldwide to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam. In 2014, Jing Wang became the fastest woman to complete the (Last Degree) Grand Slam in 142 days. In 2014,

Ryan Waters Ryan Waters is an American mountaineer, mountaineering guide, and polar skiing guide. He runs the guide service Mountain Professionals based in Colorado, USA. In 2014, he became the first American to complete the Adventures Grand Slam, by climbin ...

became the first American to complete the ''True Adventurer's Grand Slam'' by skiing full-length, unsupported and unassisted North and South Pole expeditions and climbing the seven summits. On April 21, 2015, Tashi Malik and Nungshi Malik became world's first twins and siblings as well as the first South Asians to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam (Last Degree). On May 27, 2016, Colin O'Brady became the fastest person to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam (Last Degree), doing so in 139 days. He is the current world speed record holder for completing the Explorer's Grand Slam (Last Degree). On April 12, 2017, Marin Minamiya became the youngest person to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam (Last Degree) at 20 years old.

People who completed the quest

Full Grand Slam (both poles from an outer coastline/shore)

In chronological order: #

Erling Kagge Erling Kagge (born January 15, 1963) is a Norwegian explorer, publisher, author, lawyer, art collector, entrepreneur and politician. Three Poles Challenge Erling Kagge is the first person to reach the North Pole, South Pole and the summit of ...

# Fyodor Konyukhov # Heo Young-ho #

(first person to complete a '' True Explorers Grand Slam'') #

Bernard Voyer Bernard Voyer, (born March 7, 1953) is a French Canadian explorer and Mountaineering, mountaineer. Born in Rimouski, Quebec, he has skied across Ellesmere Island; travelled to the North Pole in 1994 and South Pole in 1996; climbed Mount Everest i ...

Cecilie Skog Cecilie Skog (born August 9, 1974) is a Norwegian adventurer. She studied and worked as a nurse, but since summiting Mount Everest in 2004, she has worked as a professional adventurer, guide and lecturer. In August 2008, she climbed K2. Her husb ...

Maxime Chaya Maxime Chaya ( ar, مكسيم شعيا) (born December 16, 1961) is a Lebanese sportsman, mountaineer and explorer. On May 15, 2006, he was the first Lebanese to climb Mount Everest, completing the Seven Summits challenge. On December 28, 2007, ...

# Stuart Smith #

Johan Ernst Nilson Johan Ernst Nilson (born 4 August 1969 is a Swedish explorer, known as an "environmental explorer" because of his interest in environment and climate-related issues. Life and career Nilson was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He has completed 28 exp ...

# Wilco van Rooijen

Grand Slam (one pole from an inner coastline/shore and one pole from an outer coastline/shore or last degree)

In chronological order: # Haraldur Ólafsson (SP non-Coastal) # Khoo Swee Chiow (SP non-Coastal) # Alison Levine (NP non-Coastal) #

Mostafa Salameh Mostafa Salameh, (born June25, 1970) is a Jordanian - Palestinian mountaineer who has completed the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest in 2008. Biography Mostafa Salameh is one of only 20 people to ever climb the Seven Summits and conqu ...

(NP non-Coastal) # Newall Hunter (NP non-Coastal) # Zhang Liang (SP non-Coastal) # Grazyna Machnik (NP non-Coastal) # Jaco Ottink (NP non-Coastal) # Jérôme Brisebourg (NP non-Coastal) # Mark Shuttleworth (NP non-Coastal)

Last Degree Grand Slam (both poles from 89 degrees)

In chronological order: # Sean Disney # Vaughan de la Harpe #

Sibusiso Vilane Sibusiso Vilane OIB (born 5 December 1970, Shongwe Mission in Mpumalanga) is a South African adventurer, motivational speaker, and the author of the book ''To the Top from Nowhere''. An adventurer, marathon runner, mountaineer, and expedition le ...

# Arthur Marsden # Andrew Van Der Velde # Vernon Tejas # Will Cross # Lei Wang # Neil Laughton # Jo Gambi # Rob Gambi # Randall Peeters # Wang Yongfeng # Ci Luo # Liu Jian # Wang Shi # Zhong Jianmin #

Jin Feibao Jin Feibao (, born November 23, 1963) is a People's Republic of China, Chinese Mountaineering, mountain climber. He has been described as "arguably modern China's greatest adventurer." A native from Kunming, Feibao has completed the Explorers Gr ...

# Wang Qiuyang # Suzanne K Nance # Richard Parks #

Andrea Cardona Andrea Cardona (born June 19, 1982) is a Guatemalan mountaineer, the first Central American woman and the Caribbean to reach the world's highest peak on Mount Everest, above sea level, and the first Latin American to complete the Adventurers Gr ...

# John Dahlem # Matthew Holt # Arnold Witzig # Len Stanmore #

Cheryl Bart Cheryl Sarah Bart Order of Australia, AO is an Australian lawyer and company director. She is also the first Australian female and the 31st person worldwide to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam. Early life and education Bart was educated at Mor ...

# Vanessa O'Brien # Sebastian Merriman # Jing Wang #

Tashi Malik Tashi and Nungshi Malik (born 21 June 1991) are the first siblings and twins to climb the Seven Summits and reach the North and South Poles and complete the Adventurers Grand Slam and Three Poles Challenge. Personal life The Malik twins (T ...

Nungshi Malik Tashi and Nungshi Malik (born 21 June 1991) are the first siblings and twins to climb the Seven Summits and reach the North and South Poles and complete the Adventurers Grand Slam and Three Poles Challenge. Personal life The Malik twins (T ...

# Omar Samra #

Maria (Masha) Gordon Masha Gordon (born 13 February 1974) is a British businesswoman, explorer and mountain climber. Gordon spent 16 years working in finance and capital markets. She was managing director of Goldman Sachs and most recently led the emerging markets po ...

# Colin O'Brady # John Moorhouse # Victor Vescovo # Sean Swarner # Marin Minamiya # Michael W. Grigsby # Julia Elinor Schultz # Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtarrudin # Mike Gibbons # Nikolaos Mangitsis # Josu Feijoo # James Holliday # Joel Schauer # Alexander Pancoe # Leifur Svavarsson # Khai Nguyen # Taylor Sweitzer

References

External links

* * {{Official website, http://www.adaptivegrandslam.com/, Adaptive Grand Slam official website
Origins of the Explorers Grand Slam With Vanessa O'Brien
Seven Summits Grand Slam Competitions