British Explorer Aims to Break North Pole Speed Record
GAYDON, UNITED KINGDOM – March 11, 2010: British explorer BenSaunders today announces his latest challenge to become the fastest ever toreach the North Pole. Leaving the UK next Monday, 15 March 2010, Ben willundertake this expedition alone, on foot, without air-drops of food, andwith the aim of setting a world speed record.
The expedition, supported by Land Rover, aims to break the current speedrecord of 36 days, 22 hours. It will also serve as a build-up toBen’s 2011-2012 Scott Antarctic Expedition, a 1,800-mile returnjourney to the South Pole on the centenary of Captain Scott’s Terra Novaexpedition that will be the longest unsupported polar journey inhistory.
Ben Saunders added: “I am thrilled to be returning to the ArcticOcean with the aim of breaking the North Pole speed record. I last skiedsolo to the North Pole in 2004 and since then no one else has managed italone – an indication of just how hostile an environment, and justhow tough a challenge this can be. I am excited and proud to have LandRover’s support in this expedition; to me the Land Rover brand issynonymous with adventure, and with pushing the limits, and they have beenon my dream sponsor list for nearly a decade. Success on this trip will beall about performance, innovation and resilience so I couldn’t askfor a better partner.
“The speed record attempt will be a unique stepping-stone to my2011/12 Scott Antarctic Expedition, which I hope will be a fitting way tomark the Centenary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s last expedition,and the completion of the last great unfinished journey of the Edwardiangolden age of exploration. In a world where you’d be forgiven forthinking it’s all been done, it fascinates me that Scott’s lastjourney has never been completed.”
Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover, said: “Ben is a modern-dayhero, who optimises Land Rover’s spirit of adventure. He’s an inspirationalcharacter who we are delighted to be supporting in this exciting recordbreaking expedition. We wish him all the luck in his aim to break thecurrent speed record of 36 days, 22 hours.”
Polar explorer Pen Hadow, added: “Travelling solo and on foot to theNorth Geographic Pole is an immense challenge; doing so with the aim ofsetting a speed record is tougher still, and demands a unique combinationof extensive Arctic experience and superlative physical fitness. Ben is oneof a handful of a people in the world with both these attributes, and ifanyone achieve this goal, it’s Ben.”
Ben will also be supported by two iconic British brands, the BremontWatch Company and Sunspel. As a watch of choice for Ben, Bremont will beworking with the explorer to help develop and test their mechanical watchesin extreme environments. And Sunspel, who has been making the finestEnglish underwear since 1860, are providing Ben with custom-made merinowool thermal underwear to keep him warm at temperatures as low as -50degrees centigrade.