News from Checkpoint One

[Passed to Chris from the Checkpoint Crew]

A hard haul put us into CP1 in pole position by some 18 hours. The first three days were fine, but cold, temperatures into the minus thirties, however Thursday 9th was a different ball park. We were 15 nautical miles short of check point one, so, to give us some advantage, we decided to reveille at 4am and skip breakfast. The most beautiful red sunrise should have been recognised as the harbinger of bad news, for the weather deteriorated in minutes to white out, and harsh 30 mph plus winds. Half way, we decided that stops for drink and food were doing us more harm than good, such were the bitter conditions, and we battered through the storm to arrive at the checkpoint at 1414 hrs local. We were tired and cold to our core.

We were very chuffed to have arrived first, especially as we had been through seven ski bindings and had one left between all of us. We had had to adapt and overcome.

The best thing about being first in, is that we have the most time to dry our gear, repair kit, reorganise and repack(!) and rest before the next stage.

We are in good spirits, and heartily chuffed that the ’grey beards’ of Pole-in-One are in pole!!