Polar Route.American Ann Bancroft For the actress, see . Ann Bancroft (born 29 September 1955 in Mendota Heights, Minnesota) is a United States author, teacher, and adventurer. She was the first woman to successfully finish a number of arduous expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. and Norwegian Liv Arnesen Liv Ragnheim Arnesen (born June 1, 1953 in Bærum, Norway) is a Norwegian cross-country skier, adventurer, guide, and motivational speaker. In 1994, she became the first woman to ski alone and unassisted to the South pole. The 1200km trek took fifty days. share an extraordinary dream. They want to be the first all-women team to ski across Antarctica. "Ann and I have dreamed all our lives of the Antarctic," Arnesen said. They planned to begin November 1 on the coast of Queen Maud Land Queen Maud Land, region: see Antarctica. (see map). From there, they will ski to the South Pole South Pole, southern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90° S. It is distinguished from the south magnetic pole. The South Pole was reached by Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, in 1911. See Antarctica. and end up on the Ross Ice Shelf Ross Ice Shelf World's largest body of floating ice. It lies at the head of the Ross Sea, which forms an enormous indentation in Antarctica. Its area is estimated to be about the size of France. Along the way, they'll pull 250-pound sleds loaded with food and supplies. Even though it will soon be summer in Antarctica, the two will have to battle -30[degrees]F (-34[degrees]C) temperatures and winds of up to 100 miles an hour. They hope to catch some of that wind with sails attached to their waists so they can ski faster. But the journey isn't just about adventure. Bancroft and Arnesen want to use their experience to educate and inspire young people. "The ultimate message is that there are no barriers," said Bancroft. They will bring a solar-powered laptop computer and satellite phones so they can talk online with students. Updates of their progress will be posted on their Web site. If you would like to ask them questions or learn more about at www.yourexpedition.com. |
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