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The Polar Challenge was a competitive, 350
nautical mile
A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude. Today ...
(650 kilometer) team race taking place in the
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
, to the 1996 location of the
Magnetic North Pole
The north magnetic pole, also known as the magnetic north pole, is a point on the surface of Earth's Northern Hemisphere at which the planet's magnetic field points vertically downward (in other words, if a magnetic compass needle is allowed t ...
. The race ran between mid-April and mid-May each year, taking teams approximately 4 weeks to complete, including the training time. This event should not be confused with the
Polar Race
The Polar Race was a biennial race from Resolute on Resolute Bay, Nunavut in northern Canada to the North Magnetic Pole. Teams of two, three or four walk/ski pulling their food and equipment on sleds. Although not unsupported, there were strict ...
, which was a different event taking a different route, and run by a different organisation.
Background
Competitors raced in teams of 3, many joining as individuals and forming teams when they meet other individuals during the training that led up to the race. The competitors were from different walks of life (not necessarily explorers or people with mountaineering experience), sharing a quest for adventure and to achieve something that only a few others had done.
The race took place in one of the world's most extreme and hostile environments, with temperatures dropping as low as -35 °C, and where 80% of the world’s population of
polar bear
The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the largest extant bear specie ...
s live. Competitors raced on
ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partia ...
s, pulling their supplies in 120
lb pulka
A pulk (from fi, pulkka; sv, pulka; no, pulk; se, bulki) is a Nordic short, low-slung small sled used in sport or for transport, pulled by a dog or a skier, or in Sápmi pulled by reindeer.Polar Race
The Polar Race was a biennial race from Resolute on Resolute Bay, Nunavut in northern Canada to the North Magnetic Pole. Teams of two, three or four walk/ski pulling their food and equipment on sleds. Although not unsupported, there were strict ...
. On their return to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, they decided to set up and run an alternative challenge themselves, and forme
Polar Challenge Limited Since then, they have organised and run the Polar Challenge every year.
In 2004 the race was filmed for a
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
documentary series called ‘The Challenge’ which aired on worldwide television. Paul “Seamus” Hogan, a sales manager from
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England, with no experience of the outdoors whatsoever, was asked to enter the Challenge for the program. His team, Team Fujitsu led by Chris McLeod went on to win the race. In 2007, at the same time as the Challenge, the BBC's ''
Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'' programme presenters became the first people to drive to the 1996 location of the
magnetic north
The north magnetic pole, also known as the magnetic north pole, is a point on the surface of Earth's Northern Hemisphere at which the planet's magnetic field points vertically downward (in other words, if a magnetic compass needle is allowed t ...
pole in the
Hilux Arctic Challenge. It was later broadcast as the ''
Top Gear: Polar Special''.
The current race record holders ar
Team Hardware.com consisting of
Henry Cookson
Henry John R Cookson, FRGS (born 16 September 1975) is a British polar explorer and adventurer. On 19 January 2007 he, alongside fellow Britons Rory Sweet and Rupert Longsdon, and their Canadian polar guide Paul Landry, became the first team to r ...
, Rupert Longsdon & Rory Sweet who won the challenge in 2005, they then went on to enter the
Guinness Book of Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
by being the first people to reach the ''Southern
Pole of Inaccessibility
A pole of inaccessibility with respect to a geographical criterion of inaccessibility marks a location that is the most challenging to reach according to that criterion. Often it refers to the most distant point from the coastline, implying a ...
'' by foot & kite ski in 2007. They were guided here by veteran guide
Paul Landry
Paul Landry M.B. (born September 6, 1955) is a French-Canadian polar explorer, author, and adventurer who is the only paid man to ever reach three Geographical poles in a single year.
Biography
A Franco-Ontarian from Smooth Rock Falls in the ...
whom they met during training in Resolute Bay prior to the race starting.
Route
The Polar Challenge route covered . Competitors began by participating in a 4-day, training expedition in which they set off from
Resolute,
Nunavut
Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...
in northern
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
to
Polaris Mine
Polaris zinc mine was a former underground mining (hard rock), underground mine on Little Cornwallis Island in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian territory of Nunavut (Northwest Territories prior to Nunavut's official separation). ...
on
Little Cornwallis Island
Little Cornwallis Island is one of the Canadian Arctic islands in Nunavut, Canada. It is located at 75°30'N 96°30'W, between Cornwallis Island and Bathurst Island in McDougall Sound, and measures . It is uninhabited.
Little Cornwallis Island w ...
, the Polar Challenge starting point.
The race itself was from Polaris Mine to
Isachsen on
Ellef Ringnes Island
Ellef Ringnes Island is one of the Sverdrup Islands in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. A member of the Queen Elizabeth Islands and Arctic Archipelago, it is located in the Arctic Ocean, east of Borden Island, and west of Amund Ringne ...
through 3 checkpoints. The first two checkpoints were re-supply points where competitors rested for 12–24 hours and took on new food and fuel supplies, and the third was the 1996 position of the Magnetic North Pole. The finish line was a further 25 miles beyond the third checkpoint, near a disused airstrip where planes could land.
*Preliminary Stage: From Resolute to
Polaris Mine
Polaris zinc mine was a former underground mining (hard rock), underground mine on Little Cornwallis Island in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian territory of Nunavut (Northwest Territories prior to Nunavut's official separation). ...
area, just north of
Cornwallis Island – Distance:
*Stage 1: From Polaris Mine area to a way point, just North West of
Bathurst Island (Checkpoint 1 - 76°37’N 101°50’W) – Distance:
*Stage 2: Bathurst Island to a waypoint near
King Christian Island
King Christian Island is an uninhabited member of the Arctic Archipelago in the Sverdrup Islands, a part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands archipelago, in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It lies in the Arctic Ocean, from the southwestern ...
(Checkpoint 2 - 77°46’N 101°45’W) – Distance:
*Stage 3: King Christian Island to 1996 Magnetic North Pole position (Checkpoint 3 - 78°35.7'N 104°11.9’W) – Distance:
*Stage 4: 1996 Magnetic North Pole position to Isachsen (Finish - 78°47’N 103°30’W) – Distance: {{convert, 16, nmi, km, 0
2004 - 2006 polar challenges
The Fujitsu Polar Challenge– in 2004, was won by Team
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information and communications technology equipment and services corporation, established in 1935 and headquartered in Tokyo. Fujitsu is the world's sixth-largest IT services provider by annual revenue, and the la ...
.
*The Scott Dunn Polar Challenge – in 2005, was won by Team Hardware.com - who set the race record of 9 days, 11 hours and 55 minutes, breaking the previous record of Team Fujitsu by 2 days.
The Sony Polar Challenge– in 2006, was won by Team ATP.
2007 Polar Challenge teams
The 2007 challenge took place in April/May 2007 and was won by team Bearing 360 North and saw the following teams compete:
*Arctic Virgins: Alex Zawadzki, Laura Jones, Kirsty Bamber (Stewart)
*'
Bearing 360 North''
Christopher Mike James Cheshire, Jonny Black
*Girls on Top: Rachael Helanor, Tina Outlaw
*Artemis:''
Mark BatesIan Hunter
Jean Walker
*Polarity: Thom Fortunato
Gabrielle Finn
Gary Marshall
*Team Spirit: Adam Komrower, Malcolm Rich
*'
Team Star
Steve Jones, Nick Bevan, Richard Yorke
*The Polar Bears: Martin Palethorpe, Miles Welch, Stuart Lotherington
In 2007 but not part of the main event; the route was filmed by a BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
crew for ''Top Gear: Polar Special'', undertaking the same journey with modified Toyota Hilux pickup trucks and a dog sled
A dog sled or dog sleigh is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing. Traditionally in Greenland and the e ...
.
Polar Challenge 2008 teams
Th
Polar Challenge 2008
took place in April/May 2008 and saw the following teams compete:
*Polar Warriors/Cold Beef: Paul Moxham, Jamie Wood, Angus King
*Team Gamania Foundation: Jason Chen, Kevin Lin, Albert Liu
*Lost Penguins: Mike Woolliscroft, Connie Potter, Richard Wall-Morris
*Best Served Chilled: Steve Napier, Barney Franklin, Giles Greenslade
*The Silver Foxes: Jim Vale, Graham Walters
*Polar Flame: Leslie Dang Ngoc, Thomas Carrier, Da Liang
*Cold Front: Mark Priest, Mark Jurgens, Sam Long
*British Sea Power: Gareth Ellis, Yoyo Schepers, Alistair Leiper,
*The Holiday Club: Paul Craig, Oliver Corbett, Ross Maxwell
Polar Challenge 2010
The 2010 Polar Challenge was won b
Team Avilton
(formerly Team Dark Horse) who completed the race in 9 days 14 hours and 15 minutes, missing out on the race record by just 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Race standings
*Team Avilton: Tom Williams, Rupert Nicholson, Stephanie Brimacombe
*Team 1010: Andrew Peak, Michael Sugden
*Bear Babe: Leane Franklin Smith, Chris
* Team coin: James, Mark
*Team Schroder: (Solo) James Hooley
*Team Sheppard and the Cheese Rollers: Kevin Shepard, Jo Maddocks, Claire Stringer
*Global Village: Dwayne Fields, Ali, Lynda
*Team Wired: Dell Weingarten, Debora Halbert Ellen Piangerelli
The 2010 polar challenge was the first time all competitors and teams successfully completed the entire race.
External links
Team Dark Horse Website
Qikiqtaaluk Region
Arctic challenges
Sport in the Arctic