North Pole Speed Record. Amazing.

I accidentally found this and I think it is fascinating. Reach the North Pole in less than 36 days and with the latest technology, have real time tracking from his website so we can gauge Ben’s progress. This type of expedition, passion and commitment is what My Life at Speed is all about.

North Pole Speed Record Attempt – Ben Saunders – www.bensaunders.com

Here is what Ben wrote about how the Vimeo piece was shot and edited. The rest of the expedition info is listed below.

Thanks Billy. It was shot (wearing mittens, mostly below -35 degrees C), edited (on a laptop on a hotel room bunk bed, 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle) and uploaded (on a 0.05Mbps satellite connection) in the space of 24 hours, during which time Tem also composed and recorded the score (from scratch, on the same laptop) so I hope you can see why it perhaps wasn’t entirely polished! We were pretty pleased with it considering the circumstances.

About Ben

Ben Saunders is a professional endurance athlete and a pioneering polar explorer. He is one of three in history to ski solo to the North Pole (from the Russian side of the Arctic Ocean, in 2004), the youngest to do so by more than ten years, and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton (1,032km). Ben is an Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and a Patron of the British Schools Exploring Society, and is an acclaimed public speaker (the TED conference called him a ‘master storyteller’). He has been a global brand ambassador for Land Rover since 2009.

About the expedition

In March 2011 Ben Saunders sets out to reach the Geographic North Pole solo and unsupported, and aims to break the North Pole speed record in the process. In 2005 a guided team using dog sleds and several air-drops of food reached the Pole in 36 days, 22 hours, and in 2010 a Canadian team reached the Pole on foot in 41 days, 18 hours with one resupply flight. Ben is travelling solo and on foot, with no support en route.

He starts from Cape Discovery, on the north coast of Canada, and he will travel on skis and snowshoes, hauling a sled containing food, equipment, and a cutting-edge satellite tracking beacon that will enable real-time position updates as Ben heads north.

Key Stats

Start:
82°57’ 77°28’W
The map
Distance:
487 Miles (784KM)
Current Record:
36 Days, 22 hrs
Sled Weight:
75kg-22.5kg
Temperature:
-50°C to -5°C
Calorie Intake:
5,946 kcal/day

The Route

Ben’s 487-mile journey crosses the frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean, one of the harshest environments on the planet. There are no route maps as the pack ice is in a constant state of flux, melting, refreezing and drifting according to the competing forces of temperature, wind, current and tide. One of the biggest obstacles Ben expects to encounter are areas of open water; cracks in the ice known as leads. The Arctic Ocean is also home to the polar bear, and ambient temperatures can reach -50°C.

CNaz

My Life at Speed Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Chris Nazarenus, had a chance meeting with key executives at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1998. It would be the "Jerry McGuire" moment that would change her life forever. Although she knew nothing about motorsports at that time, the chance meeting would influence her passion for all things fast, great stories and interesting people. That's what you will find here at My Life at Speed.