Race Against Time expedition team encounters difficult terrain in North Pole
Headed up by Coventry-born explorer Mark Wood the North Pole 16 expedition three man team safely landed on the Arctic ice, 120 nautical miles from the North Pole, on Wednesday and it hopes to reach the Pole within 15 days.
The expedition aims to reveal the true impact of global warming, and the team has already reported encountering “difficult terrain” for what would be expected in Antarctica.
The final green light for the expedition follows weeks of frustrating and unexpected climate change issues forcing the team’s planned route to be revised and delayed by over a month.
They included Arctic sea ice levels hitting a record low in January and February proving to be the hottest month in recorded history.
And last week the team, which had spent a week training on the Norwegian island of Svalbard, hit another snag when it arrived at Barneo Ice Station ready to be flown out onto the Arctic Ocean.
It was met with the news that ice runway there had cracked and another had to be built to allow the team’s helicopter to land adding another week’s delay.
But today main sponsor Mark Tweddle, who runs fruit import and export business Jupiter Marketing in Shropshire, said: “We are very pleased to confirm that after weeks of delays, caused by the effects of climate change, the team is now finally on the ice.
“Mark Wood has been in touch to confirm that the ocean is frozen, and that the team is in good spirits and is determined to make the most of their now reduced time on the ice with which to document the impact of global warming
“But the team has already reported encountering difficult terrain for what people are used to seeing in Antarctica, including lots of massive blocks of ice pushed up by pressure.
“With just 20 days on the ice to achieve its goal of documenting climate change it remains hopeful. However this vast change in conditions makes everything all the more dangerous.”
The Kings Bromley father-of-two, who is director of rugby at Burton Rugby Club added: “The first day saw the team face severe temperatures knocking -30 but it managed to complete 9 nautical miles.
“The temperature has now dropped to around -15, and if the terrain does not get worse it hopes to travel eight hours a day and aims to reach the North Pole in two weeks’ time.”
Wood’s team originally planned to ski for 60 days from the Russian Arctic Coast to the North Pole, but was later forced to change the route and timeframe to 35 days to travel from the Pole to the Canadian Arctic Coast.
Now it has just a 20 day window on the ice to reach the North Pole from its drop off point – 2 degrees from the North Pole - before its deadline date of May 5 to be safely extracted.
In one of his first messages home Mark Wood, who lives in Stratford, said: “We are really pleased to have arrived on an Arctic Ocean that is frozen and after so many delays.
“And we would like to thank all those who have supported us back home, including Jupiter Marketing, without whom this Race Against Time expedition would not have been possible.”
Wood is completing this expedition with serving soldiers Mark Langridge MC and Paul Vicary and is also raising funds for Hire A Hero.
Father-of-two Mr Tweddle will also face a tough, physical challenge of his own when he runs the London Marathon for the first time in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. To sponsor him visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/marktweddlerunslondonmarathon2016
To keep updated on North Pole 16 expedition follow: https://twitter.com/Jupiter_Mark1, or https://www.facebook.com/jupitermarketingltd/