Captain Preet Chandi, a British Army medical officer, has achieved a new milestone in polar exploration by setting the women’s Antarctic Speed World Record.
Known as ‘Polar Preet’, she has become the fastest woman to complete a solo unsupported South Pole ski expedition.
Preet’s remarkable journey covered 700 miles of Antarctic ice in 31 days, 13 hours, and 19 minutes, a record that is pending confirmation by Guinness World Records. This feat surpasses the previous record set by Canadian Caroline Côté last January by 1 day, 14 hours, and 34 minutes.
Embarking from Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf on 26th November, Preet reached the South Pole on 28th December at 02:24 (GMT). Reflecting on her achievement, Preet said in a news release, “I’m tired – but so glad I made it. This was completely different to my last expedition when I pushed myself to my limits. A speed attempt is totally different… Antarctica is an amazing place to be and it’s an absolute privilege to be here.”
Throughout her expedition, Preet skied for 12-13 hours daily, pulling a 75kg sled with all her survival necessities.
Good,for her, , I was actually selected to go down south and help build the new British base but then they realised the ship the lads were setting off from was starting off from Cape Town and as the South Africans had something of a colour bar, I was deselected.similar happened with Kenya, I was replaced by another and then he went AWOL the day before they flew out.
Farouk, I thought the South Africans had ended apartheid! Outrageous to give you the ‘cold’ shoulder (pardon the pun!).
You would have been OK. Capetown treated apartheid as more of a joke than a judicial system. It’s a sea port: they have allsorts passing through.
Wish you had been around to inform my Oscar Charlie that at the time. But saying that, it did allow me to throw my hat in the ring for a bi service (Marine/Army) exped to the alps to climb Mont Blanc, tipped up to Capel Curig kept my mouth shut, did as i was told and was one of 18 to get selected to go to Italy, spent a month in Wales training, then another month in Italy before climbing Mont Blanc. As my old man used to say, If god closes one door, he always opens another.
Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end… but they did. Great days.
Well done Capt. Chandi.
Seconded. Feats such as this never entered my consciousness as even a theoretical possibility. Typically, simply content to observe terrain from altitude.
Impressive endurance and fitness
I struggle to get up the stairs awesome achievement l.
Is anyone experiencing their comments being held for approval?
Yes.
Maximum respect to the bero