Pre Pole Update Parks Antarctica 2020
British Adventurer Richard Parks has started his final push to the south pole, in his bid to set a new British Record in Antarctica
British adventurer and former Wales rugby international, Richard Parks is within 5 miles / 8 km of the South Pole station. At 5:37am on Wednesday he messaged to confirm “I can see the SP station”.
Hungry and tired, he has been battling the elements for 28 days in Antarctica skiing through snow blizzards, freezing-cold temperatures and worsening weather conditions.
When Parks reaches the pole he will set a new British record time for skiing solo, unassisted, unsupported to the South Pole. His official start time was 17 December 2019, 11.23am British time. His current record stands at 29 days, 19 hours and 24 minutes. He will also become the first person to have completed the coast to pole journey solo, unassisted, unsupported more than once.
Parks has skied more miles solo, unsupported and unassisted in Antarctica than any other person in history.
Following his 2014 expedition, Parks remains the first Welshman and, we believe, the first person of colour to complete the coast to pole journey in Antarctica solo, unassisted and unsupported.
Eating partial rations for days before reaching the pole, Parks has been eking out the original 25 days’ worth of food he carried with him in his sled. On Sunday, Day 26, he decided against a food re-supply and backed himself to get to the pole. In the last 24 hours, this became a test of will, a test of spirit and a test of how much pain, hunger and fatigue he could endure. His team do not know whether he has any food remaining.
As well as skiing close to 1130 km from the coast, Parks has climbed from sea level (0m attitude) to an altitude of over 2,800 m currently. Roughly twice the height of Ben Nevis or almost three times the height of Snowdon. The air on the polar plateau is thinner, so Parks had to work even harder in those last kilometres to keep going.
Richard has history with world record attempts. In 2011, he successfully became the first person to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and stand on the North and South pole in the same calendar year, recognised by Guinness World Records. In 2014 he set the current British record for skiing coast to pole in Antarctica, solo, unsupported, unassisted.
