What is Antarctic Challenge?

The Expedition:

The Antarctic Challenge 2008-2010 is an extreme adventure to one of the most remote, cold and unforgiving places in the world. The Challenge offers a rare and unique opportunity for ten young people chosen from around the world from a rigorous selection process to participate in this adventure of a lifetime.

The Expedition begins at the end of 2009 when five teams each of five members will set off from different points of the compass – beginning at Latitude 80 S degrees South and ski 1,200 kms to the South Pole. The journey will take more than 2 ½ months with each team member hauling a sled with food, fuel, tents and communication gear.

The international expeditionary teams are made up of the most experienced adventurers from all over the world including, Germany, Australia, the UK and the United States. Many are climbing and trekking guides from the Alaskan Mountains, the North Pole and the Antarctic. They can expect to be challenged by storms, extreme cold, white out, crevassed terrain and sheer hard work. The ten young adventurers will be escorted through these extreme conditions by their experienced expedition partners.

1000 K Kids

Twenty potential young adventurers (between the ages of 16 and 23) will be finalised during a process of elimination from an initial 100 young people selected to attend several training camps run by experts. The final 20 will represent the expedition team and a standby team. Their selection will have been based on their performance at the camps and the ability demonstrated to undertake the Challenge.

At the beginning of the expedition season in late October 2009, 12 young adventurers (two are reserves), will be flown to a camp at the South Pole where they will learn further survival skills and team work. As a result of their intensive training, all team members will have acquired new insights into their strengths and weaknesses and will have learned personal achievement strategies to assist them during the journey.

In December 2009, the young adventurers will be flown directly with their teams to the starting points and will walk the entire distance as the experienced organisers have discovered that adventurers would rather participate in a complete event. Expeditionary support will carry out food drops, medical support and equipment checks throughout the trip to ensure the health and safety of all team members.