Polar Challenge
Encyclopedia
The Polar Challenge is a competitive, 350 nautical mile
(650 kilometre) team race taking place in the Arctic
, to the 1996 location of the Magnetic North Pole. The race runs 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
, which is a different event taking a different route, and run by a different organisation.
The race takes 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
s live. Competitors race on ski
s, pulling their supplies in 120 lb
pulka
s, stopping on route at 3 manned checkpoints to re-supply.
. On their return to England
, they decided to set up and run an alternative challenge themselves, and formed Polar Challenge Limited. Since then, they have organised and run the Polar Challenge every year.
In 2004 the race was filmed for a BBC
documentary series called ‘The Challenge’ which aired on worldwide television. Paul “Seamus” Hogan, a sales manager from London
, 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
programme presenters became the first people to drive to the 1996 location of the magnetic north pole in the Hilux Arctic Challenge. It was later broadcast as the Top Gear: Polar Special
.
The current race record holders are Team Hardware.com, consisting of Henry Cookson
, Rupert Longsdon & Rory Sweet who won the challenge in 2005, they then went on to enter the Guinness Book of Records by being the first people to reach the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility
in 2007. They were guided here by veteran guide Paul Landry
who they met during training in Resolute Bay prior to the race starting.
, Nunavut
in northern Canada
to Polaris Mine on Little Cornwallis Island
, the Polar Challenge starting point.
The race itself is from Polaris Mine to Isachsen
on Ellef Ringnes Island
through 3 checkpoints. The first two checkpoints are re-supply points where competitors rest for 12–24 hours and take on new food and fuel supplies, and the third is the 1996 position of the Magnetic North Pole. The finish line is a further 25 miles beyond the third checkpoint, near a disused airstrip where planes are able to land.
In 2007 but not part of the main event; the route was filmed by a BBC Television
crew for Top Gear: Polar Special, undertaking the same journey with modified Toyota Hilux pickup trucks and a dog sled
.
Race standings
The 2010 polar challenge was the first time all competitors and teams successfully completed the entire race.
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
(650 kilometre) team race taking place in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
, to the 1996 location of the Magnetic North Pole. The race runs 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
Polar Race
The Polar Race is a biennial race from Resolute, Nunavut in northern Canada to the Magnetic North Pole. Teams of two, three or four walk/ski 350 miles pulling their food and equipment on sleds. Although not unsupported, there are strict rules on the carrying of equipment, with only food, fuel and...
, which is a different event taking a different route, and run by a different organisation.
Background
Competitors race in teams of 3, many joining as individuals and forming teams when they meet other individuals during the training that leads up to the race. The competitors are 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 have done.The race takes 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
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s live. Competitors race on ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
s, pulling their supplies in 120 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
pulka
Pulka
A pulk is a Scandinavian short, low-slung small toboggan used in sport or for transport, pulled by a dog or a skier. The name of the sport is pulka. The sled can be used to carry supplies such as a tent or food, or transport a child or other person...
s, stopping on route at 3 manned checkpoints to re-supply.
Race history
In 2003, Chris McLeod and Tony Martin captained the first and second place teams, respectively, in the first ever Polar RacePolar Race
The Polar Race is a biennial race from Resolute, Nunavut in northern Canada to the Magnetic North Pole. Teams of two, three or four walk/ski 350 miles pulling their food and equipment on sleds. Although not unsupported, there are strict rules on the carrying of equipment, with only food, fuel and...
. On their return to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, they decided to set up and run an alternative challenge themselves, and formed Polar Challenge Limited. Since then, they have organised and run the Polar Challenge every year.
In 2004 the race was filmed for a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary series called ‘The Challenge’ which aired on worldwide television. Paul “Seamus” Hogan, a sales manager from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 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 (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
programme presenters became the first people to drive to the 1996 location of the magnetic north pole in the Hilux Arctic Challenge. It was later broadcast as the Top Gear: Polar Special
Top Gear: Polar Special
Top Gear: Polar Special was an episode of the popular series Top Gear, first broadcast on 25 July 2007 on BBC Two. It was an attempt by the BBC's Top Gear crew to be the first to drive a motor vehicle to the 1996 location of the Magnetic North Pole....
.
The current race record holders are Team Hardware.com, consisting of Henry Cookson
Henry Cookson
Henry Cookson , FRGS, 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 reach the southern Pole of Inaccessibility since a Soviet-led expedition in...
, Rupert Longsdon & Rory Sweet who won the challenge in 2005, they then went on to enter the Guinness Book of Records by being the first people to reach the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility
Pole of inaccessibility
A pole of inaccessibility marks a location that is the most challenging to reach owing to its remoteness from geographical features that could provide access...
in 2007. They were guided here by veteran guide Paul Landry
Paul Landry
Paul Landry M.B. 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....
who they met during training in Resolute Bay prior to the race starting.
Route map
The Polar Challenge route covers 320 nautical miles (see route map). Competitors begin by participating in a 4 day, 65 miles (105 km) training expedition in which they set off from ResoluteResolute, Nunavut
Resolute or Resolute Bay is a small Inuit hamlet on Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, Canada. It is situated at the northern end of Resolute Bay and the Northwest Passage and is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region....
, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
in northern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Polaris Mine on Little Cornwallis Island
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....
, the Polar Challenge starting point.
The race itself is from Polaris Mine to Isachsen
Isachsen, Nunavut
Isachsen was a remote Arctic research-weather station named after the Norwegian explorer of the Arctic, Gunnar Isachsen. it is located on the western shore of Ellef Ringnes Island in the Sverdrup Islands, in the territory of Nunavut in Canada. Isachsen Station was established to participate in a...
on Ellef Ringnes Island
Ellef Ringnes Island
Ellef Ringnes Island is one of the Sverdrup Islands in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. Also a member of the Queen Elizabeth Islands and Canadian Arctic Archipelago, it is located in the Arctic Ocean, east of Borden Island, and west of Amund Ringnes Island...
through 3 checkpoints. The first two checkpoints are re-supply points where competitors rest for 12–24 hours and take on new food and fuel supplies, and the third is the 1996 position of the Magnetic North Pole. The finish line is a further 25 miles beyond the third checkpoint, near a disused airstrip where planes are able to land.
- Preliminary Stage: From Resolute to Polaris Mine area, just North of Cornwallis IslandCornwallis Island, NunavutCornwallis Island is one of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut in the Canadian Arctic. It lies to the west of Devon Island and at its greatest length is about . At ) in size, it is the 96th largest island in the world, and...
– Distance: 65 nautical miles (120 km) - Stage 1: From Polaris Mine area to a way point, just North West of Bathurst IslandBathurst IslandA member of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Bathurst Island is one of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in Nunavut Territory, Canada. The area of the island is estimated at , making it the 54th largest island in the world and Canada's 13th largest island. It is uninhabited.The island is low-lying with...
(Checkpoint 1 - 76°37’N 101°50’W) – Distance: 110 nautical miles (203.7 km) - Stage 2: Bathurst Island to a waypoint near King Christian IslandKing Christian IslandKing Christian Island is an uninhabited member of the Canadian 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 coast of Ellef Ringnes Island, separated by...
(Checkpoint 2 - 77°46’N 101°45’W) – Distance: 95 nautical miles (176 km) - Stage 3: King Christian Island to 1996 Magnetic North Pole position (Checkpoint 3 - 78°35.7'N 104°11.9’W) – Distance: 63 nautical miles (117 km)
- Stage 4: 1996 Magnetic North Pole position to Isachsen (Finish - 78°47’N 103°30’W) – Distance: 16 nautical miles (30 km)
Previous Polar Challenges
- The Fujitsu Polar Challenge – in 2004, was won by Team FujitsuFujitsuis a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
. - The Scott Dunn Polar Challenge – in 2005, was won by Team Hardware.com - who set the race record of 9 days, 11hours and 55 minutes, breaking the previous record of Team Fujitsu by 2 days.
- The Sony Polar Challenge – in 2006, was won by Team ATP.
- The 2007 Polar Challenge – in 2007, was won by http://www.Bearing360.comTeam Bearing 360 North.
- The Polar Challenge 2008 – in 2008, was won by Polar Warriors/Cold Beef.
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:- Bearing 360 North: Christopher Mike, James Cheshire, Jonny Black
- Girls on Top: Rachael Helanor, Tina Outlaw
- Artemis: Mark Bates, Ian Hunter, Jean Walker
- Polarity: Thom Fortunato, Gabrielle Finn, Gary Marshall
- Team Spirit: Adam Komrower, Malcolm Rich
- Team Star: Steve Jones, Nick Bevan, Richard Yorke
- Team Star/Spirit (Raced from CP1 to finish together): Adam Komrower, 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
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
crew for Top Gear: Polar Special, undertaking the same journey with modified Toyota Hilux pickup trucks and a dog sled
Dog sled
A dog sled 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.-History:...
.
Polar Challenge 2008 Teams
The 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 by 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.