Archive For 'October, 2011'
24 October 2011 at 10:45
A huge Congratulations to Caterina who has been selected to join the EWR Team as the Extreme Driver in the 100th Anniversary Race to the South Pole.
Caterina won the once-in-a-lifetime competition worth over £125,000 to be part of the EWR Safety and Logistics Support Team driving the specially adapted Toyota Arctic Hilux 6x6 trucks in temperates as low as -56C, winds of over 80mph and at altitude of over 3000 metres above sea level and will need to negotiate the extraordinary Antarctic landscape.
Born in Dusseldorf, Caterina grew up in Germany and has been, lived and studied all over the world including England, Hong Kong and Germany and worked until recently in Real Estate in Paris. However, it was not her "serious office job" that drove her but her passion of travelling and discovering the world. She meticulously planned a 'World Car Adventure' in 2010 which would see her visit over 100 countries in just an old VW Beetle but was let down at the last minute by her partner and was devastated not to be able to do it. Although it felt like her dream was shattered in an instant she was motivated by her passion of adventure and took a leap of faith and quit her job in June to work in a volunteering project in Montebello, Colombia.
It is not just activities on land that interest her but also sailing her father's KER 53 Racing Cruiser and has competed in races all over the world, including the Rolex Middle Sea Race around Sicily, Lampedusa and Malta which alone is over 600 miles.
Caterina can't wait to take on the next challenge and planned on travelling the Trans-Siberian Express Train through Russia and Mongolia to China until she saw the Polar Elite Foundation Driver Competition advertised and was so excited to apply and is delighted to be selected.
"To be a part of the EWR team and be challenged by extreme weather conditions, assist in mapping out the best route keeping safety as the highest priority and following the route of Sir Robert Falcon Scott and his epic voyage is a great honour for me".
We would like to give a huge welcome to Caterina as a new member of the Extreme World Races Staff and really look forward to working with her.
Tags: Polar Elite Foundation | Centenary Race | Driver Competition
Posted in 2011. Race to the Pole. Scott v Amundsen Centenary | Polar Elite Foundation | 5 Comments »
20 October 2011 at 16:26
EWR Extend Special Offer for the 'Ultimate Siberian Black Ice Race Travel Package’ and Trans-Siberian Express Finale
Race the world’s oldest and deepest lake in Siberia
A world’s first, the multi-discipline ‘Siberian Black Ice Race’ - the ultimate winter endurance event from EWR, is available to all would be adventurers at an all inclusive price of £1999 - now extended until further notice following phenomenal demand (terms and conditions apply).
Taking place on the world’s oldest and deepest ice lake in March 2012 and billed as ‘the world’s most terrifying race’, over the course of 3 weeks you will have the opportunity to conquer this unique tormented lake…
To compete, you must be self-sufficient on the ice with temperatures as low as -40degrees C and winds of up to 200km/h and can choose between either the 155 mile ‘Sprint’ or 379 mile ‘Marathon’ by bike, ski, foot, kite-ski and kite buggy.
Starting your journey in the ancient Cossack city of Irkutsk and competing in one of the world’s most beautiful wildernesses, this is an entirely new category of endurance racing and your chance to experience the unique challenge of racing on ice in Siberia.
Once finished, you will complete your Siberian experience with a memorable journey on the legendary trans-Siberian express. As the longest and most iconic rail journey in the world, the Trans-Siberian is one of the great adventures in travel. Taking competitors from the finishing line through vast wildernesses, magical landmarks and a myriad of cultures, there will be no better way to cap what is set to be one of the most terrifying endurance races on the planet.
Summary of Race Dates and Information
· Dates: 16th March 2012: Pre-race enrolment, kit inspection, race rules and registration. 17th March 2012: Race Start
· Start Time: 09.00 tbc
· Duration: Siberian Black Ice Race Marathon: 14 days cut off/Siberian Black Ice Sprint: 7 days cut off
· Distances: Siberian Black Ice Race Marathon: 379 miles/Siberian Black Ice Sprint: 155 miles
· Open Class: Male, Female
- Designed For: Experienced adventurers looking to push their limits
· No. of Places: 100 at the special all inclusive price of £1,999 (subject to availability)
· Disciplines: Walk, Cycle, Run, Ski, skate, kite ski and kite buggy
What’s Included for £1,999:
· Economy Class Return Flights from London Heathrow to Irkutsk
· Race Entry to the Siberian Black Ice Race
· Journey on the legendary Trans Siberian Express
· Transfers to and from the start and finish lines
· 2 nights hotel accommodation (1 night before the start in Irkutsk and 1 night at the finish of the race (accommodation during the race will be camping for all competitors)
· Russian Visa
· Services of a dedicated travel agency, ‘Perfect Travel’
The offer applies to both race formats. Prices are subject to change and availability is strictly limited. For further information and terms, please call +44 (0) 1285 860 440
Notes to Editors: Extreme World Races
· Founded by ex-soldier, adventurer and entrepreneur, Tony Martin, Extreme World Races is famous around the world for organising races at the extremes of human performance, in the most hostile environments of sea, air and land on the planet.
· With seminal forthcoming races in 2011 including the EWR Centenary Race to the South Pole, the Polar Challenge to the North Pole and the world’s first ever multi-discipline race across the infamous Lake Baikal in Siberia, Extreme World Races has pioneered the recent phenomenal growth in ultra-extreme adventure sports.
· Founded in 2003, the company has grown rapidly to become a major international phenomenon. From the first ever organized race to the South Pole, to facilitating BBC Top Gear’s legendary Polar Challenge, Extreme World Races are now transmitted into 90 million homes worldwide, with plans for even more ambitions challenges in 2011/12.
· With a proven record of successful races at the extremes of environment and of human achievement, Extreme World Races provides arguably the world's most complete Polar training and support programme. Competitors are provided with fully qualified experts and support team in the field, including doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, extreme condition logistical experts, engineers, drivers and expert physiological and psychological training teams.
· Now attracting thousands of race applications from every year from all over the globe and providing unprecedented sponsorship and affiliation opportunities for a vast range of brands, Extreme World Racing is recognised as the definitive extreme racing challenge.
For media enquiries and interview requests: dan@extremeworldraces.com 020 7225 6420, www.extremeworldraces.com, check out www.vimeo.co/ewr or follow us at www.twitter.com/extremeraces
Tags: Lake Baikal | Special Offer | Siberia
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments
18 October 2011 at 13:49
EWR Today Launches Search For Hottest Young Scientists
Unique Antarctic Centre for Exploration Announced by Team behind BBC’s ‘On Thin Ice’
Ultra-adventure pioneers, EWR, today announce a groundbreaking search for the hottest new talent in science. As part of EWR’s Foundation programme, The Antarctic Centre for Exploration (ACE) in the Queen Maud Land region of East Antarctica is a new initiative aimed at scientists looking to gain experience in this extraordinary environment during the 2012/13 Antarctic season.
Open to early career scientists with an affiliation with a university or educational organization and with exciting and innovative projects, EWR wants your ideas. The joint vision of EWR CEO, Tony Martin and explorer Felicity Aston, this unique project is designed to facilitate vital research and study in Antarctica.
This years pilot scheme has already supported both a one year Research Masters from Loughborough University for Eleanor Darlington and a three year PhD Studentship for Scott Paulin from Hertfordshire University.
EWR are well known for organising races and events in the world’s toughest environments, such as BBC’s On Thin Ice Series and Top Gear’s Polar Challenge. Using their unique logistical and network and expertise EWR are facilitating a season in Antarctica to allow a limited number of scientists to complete fieldwork in this unique environment that will positively enhance our understanding of Antarctica and contribute to its further protection.
EWR CEO Tony Martin: “Since EWR began operating in the polar regions 10 years ago, it has been our dream to help scientists with their studies of this extraordinary environment that will contribute to the protection of what is the last wilderness on earth.”
Set to depart for Antartica in November, ACE Student Eleanor Darlington, University of Loughborough said: “I am passionate about Antarctica and all the possibilities it offers in terms of understanding our planet - to be able to experience this first hand is a dream come true”. Eleanor will be studying Antarctic climatology during her time at ACE, focusing on the spatio-temporal variation in ice-sheet surface climatology from interior plateau to ice shelf in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. Eleanor aims to provide the data needed to produce more accurate forecasts of future environmental changes, including climate.
Working alongside will be, ACE Student Scott Paulin, University of Hertfordshire: “My experience at the ACE has led to a huge variety of opportunities and has been invaluable to my research. I expect to learn more in one season at ACE than all the other terms put together!” Scott will be assessing dietary and supplemental intake trends in competitors preparing for the 2011/12 Centenary Race to the South Pole. The data Scott will collect in Antarctica will form the basis of his MSc research.
EWR’s ACE Co-ordinator Felicity Aston: “'I feel extremely pleased to be involved in a project that provides opportunities for more scientific field research in Antarctica and I hope that the ACE will grow to enable all forms of exploration. I look forward to seeing what imaginative ideas emerge for next season.'
Motivated by a genuine passion for the Antarctic continent and a desire to further understanding of the interior regions, ACE aims to bring together a wide range of expertise and act as a focus for local exploration in all its forms; from scientific and geographical, to artistic and psychological.
Ultimately ACE seeks to demonstrate that it is possible to enable more people to experience the wonders of this unique environment while simultaneously working to ensure Antarctica’s future as a pristine wilderness.
How to Enrol:
If you would like to put yourself forward to spend a season in Antarctica with the EWR Foundation, EWR would welcome your project proposals. Proposals can be any length but must include:
- a clear overview of your project including the aims of your work in Antarctica
- as much information as possible about what your work in Antarctica would entail
- detail on how the research conducted in Antarctica would be used, including information on any affiliation you have with a university or scientific organisation
- a brief biography of your scientific / academic career
Proposals are invited from interested students for activity in 2012/13. Entry to ACE is strictly limited and proposals are subject to a detailed selection processes. In the first instance, please send your submission to felicity@extremeworldraces.com and ensure to mark as ‘EWR Foundation Proposal’.
Background
(ACE) The Antarctic Centre for Exploration
The Antarctic Centre for Exploration (ACE) in the Queen Maud Land region of East Antarctica is the vision of EWR CEO, Tony Martin. Motivated by a genuine passion for the Antarctic continent and a desire to further our understanding of the interior regions, ACE aims to bring together a wide range of expertise and act as a focus for local exploration in all its forms; from scientific and geographical, to artistic and psychological.
Still in its infancy, ACE will operate for the first time during the coming 2011-12 Antarctic season. Its pilot project is to enable two British students to undertake field work in Antarctica. Both students will be carrying out scientific research but in very different disciplines. In future years ACE will widen its remit to include a variety of projects and concentrate on greater public involvement.
Felicity Aston
Felicity Aston is EWR’s most senior female instructor who has vast polar experience and led the Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, the largest and most international women’s team ever to ski to the South Pole. The team included women from Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK in the 38-day, 900km journey at the end of 2009. Felicity was responsible for selecting and training this diverse, multicultural team of ‘ordinary’ women for one of the most arduous journeys on Earth. Her book about the expedition, ‘Call of the White: Taking the World to the South Pole’ was published in March 2011.
Previously, Felicity has led several other notable expeditions including the first British women’s crossing of Greenland, a 700km winter crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia and an adventurous expedition in Iceland for young people with a brain injury. She was also part of the first, ever, all-female team to complete EWR’s Polar Challenge, a 360-mile endurance race to the magnetic north pole.
Tags: Foundation | ACE |
Posted in Extreme Headlines | Press Releases | No Comments
17 October 2011 at 17:08
Countdown to the Centenary Race to the South Pole 2011/2
Iceland 10th - 16th October - Competitor Training Leg -
David Martin, EWR’s Executive Officer and one of our senior logistics experts, provides the lowdown on the last leg of training for the Centenary Race to the South Pole, just completed in Iceland last week.
Having decided on Langjökull Glacier, Iceland as the most suitable location for our competitors final training leg, we started the week off with our now established typical series of classroom lectures, covering all theoretical aspects of survival training before undertaking demonstrations of all equipment.
The theory part dealt with, teams and staff set off early on Thurs 13th towards the Langjökull glacier to undertake practical survival training. Weather conditions were very harsh with extreme cold and wind so it took quite a while to actually get onto the glacier but as the ideal extreme environment, it ensured all our competitors were able to experience, first hand, how quickly the weather can change and how difficult conditions can get. These were the perfect training conditions to undertake in a controlled safety environment with some of the worlds finest glacier mountain rescue guides in attendance.
Finally arriving at the designated base camp location, our teams immediately went through instructions on putting up their tents in very strong windy conditions similar to Antarctica.
As evening fell the temperature dropped from +1c to -6c over night causing everything to freeze. The wind pounded relentlessly throughout the night and gradually became worse as the morning approached making additional training very difficult for the morning routines.
Unfortunately the weather did not improve with the temperature effectively around -15c with wind chill and the forecast indicated worse to follow, so a decision was made to withdraw off the glacier in daylight hours to ensure everybody's safety and head for a hut location for that evening.
Rested and dry, the group headed back up to the glacier to receive instruction in crevasse-rescue techniques on an actual crevasse. Our advance party headed forward of the group to ensure that the previously reconnoitred crevasse was still safe for training purposes. Unfortunately the weather conditions on the glacier were extremely harsh with visibility low at only two metres and the crevasse now completely full of snow!! Yes, over a three day period of extreme weather and heavy snowfall a nine metre crevasse had disappeared - mother nature at her very best!
Subsequently we identified and sourced an alternative training site away from the glacier at a lower altitude and essential crevasse rescue techniques were demonstrated and then put into practice.
All in all, an excellent few days training with our competitors safely off the glacier, having importantly had the opportunity to get a feel for the potential conditions they could face in Antarctica...
Coming soon - extended profiles of each team as we countdown to the Centenary Race to the South Pole
Tags: EWR Extreme World Races | Iceland | Training | David Martin | logistics | extreme environment | Tony Martin | Race to the South Pole
Posted in Extreme Headlines | South Pole | No Comments
14 October 2011 at 12:30
Only 7 days remaining for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!!!
You only have 7 days left for the chance to be the driver of the Toyota Hilux truck in the Centenary Race to the South Pole.
The Deadline for entries is the 21st October so make sure you have paid your Polar Elite Foundation Membership Fee by then to be eligible for this amazing opportunity.
Negotiating multiple crevasses, crossing snow bridges and rising to over 3000 metres above sea level, facing winds of up to 80mph and withstanding temperatures as low as -56C: these are just a few of the challenges on offer in the ultimate off-road test on the EWR Centenary Scott/Amundsen Race to the South Pole. Truly a life changing experience and a chance to get to the South Pole for pennies.
For all information visit http://www.extremeworldraces.com/polar-elite/driver/ or email polarelitefoundation@extremeworldraces.com or call Emily on +44 (0)1285 860440.
Tags: Polar Elite Foundation | Driver Competition | Centenary Race to the South Pole |
Posted in 2011. Race to the Pole. Scott v Amundsen Centenary | Polar Elite Foundation | No Comments
06 October 2011 at 11:08
EWR would like to welcome and give a huge CONGRATULATIONS to the BRAND NEW Eclipse Member Bruce Manning, Polar Challenge 2005 Competitor, for being the first member to have his information up on the new Polar Elite Foundation Members’ Profile page.
Explore the Polar Elite area on the EWR website online at www.extremeworldraces.com/polar-elite/
Now it is your turn to join and become part of an Elite Private Members’ Club… just contact Emily on +44 (0) 1285 860440 or email polarelitefoundation@extremeworldraces.com to join or for more information.
Welcome to the EWR Family.
Tags: Polar Elite Foundation
Posted in Polar Elite Foundation | No Comments
