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Rosie pushes to the Pole, stronger than ever
15:53 p.m. EST Jan 12, 2004
For the past couple days Rosie has been pushing very hard and making exceptional time – 25 and 27 mile days, respectively. She’s well into the 88th parallel and only 95 miles away from the Pole. If she keeps going at this pace, she might be there within a week.
Before this weekend, of the seven times this route (Hercules Inlet) has been skied unsupported, only two had been by women. Liv Arnesen held the record, doing it in 50 days. Tina Sjogren is the only other woman to ski unsupported. With Fiona’s arrival this weekend, the numbers now stand that 8 have made the trip unsupported, and 3 have been by women. Fiona’s 42-day ski now takes the record.
When Rosie arrives, she will soon add one to each of those numbers and if she keeps her pace up, could possibly come in under the 50 day mark as well. It’s pretty neat that in a few short days, there’s a very good chance that the three fastest to the South Pole on an unsupported expedition will all be women! The ladies really own the South Pole! Who knows, maybe next year, they’ll start chipping away at the North!
Recent press in Britain claimed that Rosie was only halfway done. This could not be further from the truth – her last position was at 88 25’ and the Pole is at 90 00’- she only has a splinter of her expedition left in front of her. With the unladed sled Rosie has the ability to really fast. Go Rosie go!
Rosie and Fiona are both going solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Fiona just reached the Pole this weekend.
Image of Rosie in training courtesy of SnickersSouthPole.com.
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