BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN POLAR RACE 2005
Blizzard conditions faced the competitors on the second day of the Polar Race from Resolute Bay, Nunavut to the 1996 certified position of the North Magnetic Pole.
Back at Base in Resolute Bay, it was a whiteout and planes were unable to fly so any likelihood of the checkpoint crew flying out to the site of the Old Polaris Mine, 65 miles away, which marks the end of the first leg is remote today.
Despite the blizzard conditions the competitors are still moving at a good speed, all averaging over 14 miles in the atrocious conditions. Amazing for people who have never experienced Polar conditions before and showing the value of the expert training put in last week.
Neways Polar Team and Gentlemen Adventurers have overtaken Northern Stars but along with Cable and Wireless Polar Team all are within 1.5 miles of each other.
Positions at 2000 hrs (1.5 days after start):
1st= Neways Polar Team (Italy/UK)
Franco/Packshaw
27.5 miles to Polaris, Checkpoint 1
1st= Gentlemen Adventurers (UK)
Laban/Morton
3rd Northern Stars (UK)
Aston/Newington-Bridges/Williams
1 mile to leader
4th Cable & Wireless Polar Team (Channel Islands)
Elmont/Wright
1.5 miles to leader
5th Pole Position (UK)
Dixon/Keatinge/Lee/Winnick
16 miles to leader
6th Ikey Icemen (South Africa)
Adam/Berning/Macdonald
17.5 miles to leader
ENDS
You may use any pictures on our website for your coverage. Suggested pictures for this article are as follows.
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Map of the route:
www.polarrace.com/route.htm -
Out walking in a whiteout (low resolution):
www.polarrace.com/images/news/20050410-walking-in-whiteout.jpg
(c) Tony Woodford, Polar Adventures Ltd -
Out walking in a whiteout (high resolution):
www.polarrace.com/images/hires/20050410-walking-in-whiteout.jpg
(c) Tony Woodford, Polar Adventures Ltd
Jock Wishart, Polar Adventures Ltd, c/o South Camp Inn, PO Box 300, Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada XOA OVO. Phone +1 867 252 3737, email [email protected] or see the web site www.polarrace.com.