PROGRESS
DAY CHART
23.03.06
- MIKE
AND BORGE ARRIVE AT THE NORTH POLE!!
After 60 days and 5 hours, Mike and Borge have become
the first men ever to walk to the North Pole completely
unassisted in the Arctic winter.
On
Thursday the two adventurers became the first men to ski
across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a grueling
1,000-km expedition from northern Siberia to the North
Pole, organizers said.
Mike
and Borge now invite you to a Press Conference - and
please see the LATEST NEWS link above for details.
See
what the international press said below................
Adventurers
hike to North Pole in dark - Tribune
news services March 25, 2006
BUFFALO NEWS
OSLO,
NORWAY -- After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing,
swimming across ice openings and dodging polar bears, a
Norwegian and South African have reached the North Pole
on foot in the darkness of Arctic winter, their team
said Friday. Mike Horn, 39, of South Africa, and
Borge Ousland, 43, set off from Cape Artichesky in
northern Russia on their 620-mile trek without outside
supplies or help from dog sleds.
The professional adventurers pulled everything they
needed in sleds that started off weighing about 300
pounds. On Thursday, they completed the trek--most of it
in complete Polar darkness. "This journey has
been so tough that I think it will be a very long time
until someone tries to repeat our expedition," said
Ousland, who previously skied across the
Antarctic. According to the team, no one had
attempted to cross the ice and snow-covered wasteland on
foot during the six-month Arctic winter.
THE
CITIZEN
GENEVA
– South African explorer Mike Horn and his Norwegian
colleague Borge Ousland have reached the North Pole
after a 60-day crossing which is said to be the first
ever accomplished during the polar night, their website
announced Friday.
The
explorers said they had reached the North Pole at 1600
GMT Thursday after a 1 000-kilometre (620-mile) trek
from the northernmost point of Russia, unassisted by
dogs or machines. “Its great to finally be
standing on the North Pole. This mystical place is all
that it is made out to be. Its incredible out here,”
Horn said on the website.
“Borge
and I have walked far and the conditions have been
extremely tough - but we’ve made it. I cant tell you
how happy we are feeling,” the 39-year-old, who lives
in Switzerland, added.
Horn
and Borge hauled their 160-kilogramme sledges for up to
12 hours a day in extreme Arctic temperatures and in 24
hours of complete darkness for most of the expedition.
They also swam between floes in special suits.
They left Cape Artichesky on the island of Komsomolets
in January and had been aiming to arrive by March 21,
when the sun started to rise over the Arctic for the
first time after the polar winter. The crossing
was timed at 60 days and five hours.
The
duo were suffering from frostbite and were camping out
at the North Pole for a few days until a Russian
helicopter flew them out to Barneo Base, a floating
airstrip about 100 kilometres away. Ousland was
the first person to have made unassisted solo crossings
of the Arctic and Antarctic. Horn had accomplished
a solo 20 000-kilometre (12 430-mile) circumnavigation
of the Arctic Circle, and a similar trip around the
hotter climes of the equator.
INDEPENDENT
ONLINE 24 March 2006
Geneva
- Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski
across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a gruelling 1
000-km expedition from northern Siberia to the North Pole,
organisers said. During the 61-day trek, mostly
conducted in total darkness of winter, South African Mike
Horn and Norwegian Borge Ousland braved bitter winds,
temperatures of -50°C and polar bears.
"Today (Thursday) Mike and Borge reached their aim,
the North Pole, and made history. They are the first
people to ever attempt an expedition to the North Pole
during the arctic winter," said a statement on the
website, www.mikehornnorthpole.com.
The skiing duo did not have the help of dogs or machines
in the first ever bid to reach the North Pole in winter,
it said.
Horn,
who lives in Switzerland, battled an infection in the last
days, taking antibiotics after a possible fuel leak inside
his sledge may have contaminated his food. The pair
of adventurers left Geneva on Jan 8 for Moscow, then were
dropped by helicopter at Cape Artichesky on Jan 22 when
conditions were right to set out on the solid sea ice.
"Borge is 42 years old and now looks 80, and I'm 39
and look like 90," Horn quipped in an email to his
site on Wednesday. Ousland was obliged to saw his
skis in half last week after a repair job did not
hold. In October 2004, Horn became the first man to
circumnavigate the Arctic Circle without motorised
transport, completing a more than two-year solo odyssey of
20 000km. Married to a Swiss woman and the father of
two daughters, his motto is: "A caged lion is not
happy".
Adventurers
hike to North Pole in dark
Chicago Tribune, United States - 15 hours
ago
OSLO, NORWAY -- After 64 days of walking, skiing,
climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar
bears, a Norwegian and South African have reached ...
Norwegian,
South African Trek to N. Pole
Houston Chronicle, United States - Mar 24,
2006
By DOUG MELLGREN Associated Press Writer. OSLO, Norway —
After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming
across ice openings ...
Don't
Miss: Dark Explorers
NPR - Mar 24, 2006
Borge Ousland (left) and Mike Horn in their tent at the
North Pole. Mike Horn. March 24, 2006 · In January, two
explorers set out on a hike... ...
Ousland
reaches the North Pole
Norway Post, Norway - Mar 23, 2006
Norwegian adventurer Boerge Ousland and his companion Mike
Horn have completed their trek to the North Pole. They are
the first ...
Bears,
Winds Fail to Derail 1st Winter Arctic Foot Trek
National Geographic, D.C. - Mar 23, 2006
The first ever winter trek to the North Pole reached its
goal today despite setbacks from weather, equipment
failures, and polar bears. ...
Explorers
ski across Arctic Ocean
Reuters.uk, UK - Mar 23, 2006
GENEVA (Reuters) - Two adventurers on Thursday became the
first men to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean,
completing a gruelling 1,000-km (620 mile ...
Two
explorers first to reach North Pole in winter
Tuam Herald, Ireland - Mar 24, 2006
Two explorers have reached the North Pole, after skiing
for nearly a month and a half. It was pitch dark when
Borge Ousland and Mike Horn reached their target. ...
620-mile
Arctic adventure called `tough'
San Jose Mercury News, USA - 15 hours ago
By Doug Mellgren. OSLO, Norway - After 64 days of walking,
skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging
polar bears ...
Norwegian,
South African Trek to N. Pole
Guardian Unlimited, UK - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN. OSLO, Norway (AP) - After 64 days of
walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice openings
and dodging polar ...
Norwegian,
South African trek to N. Pole
Boston Globe, United States - Mar 24, 2006
By Doug Mellgren, Associated Press Writer | March 24,
2006. OSLO, Norway --After 64 days of walking, skiing,
climbing, swimming across ...
S
African treks to North Pole
News24, South Africa - Mar 24, 2006
Geneva - South African explorer Mike Horn and his
Norwegian colleague Borge Ousland have reached the North
Pole after a 60-day crossing which is said to be the ...
SA
man and partner ski across frozen sea
Independent Online, South Africa - Mar 24,
2006
Geneva - Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men
to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a
gruelling 1 000-km expedition from northern ...
Explorers
first to ski across Arctic Ocean in winter
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - Mar 23,
2006
Two adventurers have became the first men to ski across
the frozen Arctic Ocean in winter, completing a gruelling
1,000-kilometre expedition from northern ...
Explorers
ski across Arctic Ocean, reach North Pole
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Mar 23, 2006
By Ross Colvin. GENEVA (Reuters) - Two adventurers on
Thursday became the first men to ski across the frozen
Arctic Ocean, completing ...
Explorers
ski across Arctic Ocean, reach North Pole
Turkish Daily News (subscription), Turkey - 19
hours ago
Two adventurers on Thursday became the first men to ski
across the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a grueling
1,000-km expedition from northern Siberia to the ...
Norwegian,
South African Trek to N. Pole
CRI, China - Mar 24, 2006
After 64 days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming
across ice openings and dodging polar bears, a Norwegian
and South African have reached the North Pole on ...
Norwegian,
South African Trek to N. Pole
Ely Times, USA - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN, 9 minutes ago. OSLO, Norway - After 64
days of walking, skiing, climbing, swimming across ice
openings and dodging ...
Norwegian,
South African Trek to N. Pole
Times Daily, AL - Mar 24, 2006
By DOUG MELLGREN. After 64 days of walking, skiing,
climbing, swimming across ice openings and dodging polar
bears, a Norwegian and ...
South
African and Norwegian reach North pole after night time
trek
African News Dimension, South Africa - Mar
24, 2006
By ANDnetwork .com. South African explorer Mike Horn and
his Norwegian colleague Borge Ousland have reached the
North Pole after ...
Frozen
feat!
GG2.net, UK - Mar 24, 2006
TWO ADVENTURERS have become the first men to ski across
the frozen Arctic Ocean, completing a gruelling 1,000-km
(620 mile) expedition from northern Siberia to ...
Warm
congratulations for a frozen first
The South African Star (subscription), South Africa -
Mar 23, 2006
Geneva - Two adventurers, one a South African, have become
the first to ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean,
completing a 1 000km expedition from northern ...
Arctic.
Polar explorers Mike Horn & Borge Ousland set new
North ...
BYM News (press release), Spain - Mar 23,
2006
After 60 days and 5 hours Mike and Borge have become the
first men ever to walk to the North Pole completely
unassisted in the Arctic winter. ...
For latest news on Mike and Borge go to: www.mikehornnorthpole.com
WEB LINKS
Sign up for updates on Mike's progress on his North Pole
Winter Expedition at www.mikehornnorthpole.com
Click
here to view Mike & Borge's latest position on
Google Earth. To download Google Earth click
here ( PC and Mac OS X 10.4 only).
For further information on Mike Horn contact:
Josie Robinson
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: josie.robinson@ocgroup.com
MIKE HORN PERSONAL DETAILS
Age: 39
Nationality: South African resides Switzerland
Status: Married to Cathy, two children aged 11 and 12
MIKE HORN'S PHILOSOPHY:
'The drive to go beyond our physical, mental and
spiritual limits is an internal attitude that transcends
global borders. It tests our personal limits and opens
the way for new levels of achievement in all aspects of
life. This philosophy is the driving force behind every
endeavour.
Although I find myself in the most extreme
circumstances, I always use caution. My philosophical
approach is to live the endeavour as an expression of my
being. Alone, immersed in nature, with no creature
comforts, to surpass the limits imposed by man and
nature itself. With faith and determination, one can
embody the purest expression of this philosophy.'
ARCTIC
AND ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION LINKS:
Ernest
Shackleton
Roald
Amundsen
Scott
of the Antarctic
Nelson
Kruschandl: We're with you all the way.
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