Huge congratulations are due to the SPEAR17 team who have successfully crossed the finish line of their epic trek becoming part of a very exclusive band of brothers. To put it another way, more people have walked on the Moon than have achieved the remarkable feat of trekking unsupported across 1100 miles of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet.
66 days ago they set off to cross Antarctica unsupported pulling pulks weighing up to 160kgs containing everything they would need to survive their three month ordeal. Over a year of enhanced training paid off, and reaching the South Pole on Christmas Day was perfect timing.
After the briefest of pauses to resupply their equipment, the team continued onwards taking on the might of the Titan Dome, down the Shackleton Glacier and onto the Ross Ice Shelf to complete a full traverse of Antarctica.
Despite everything they were faced with including temperatures as low as -60 degrees Centigrade forcing them to retreat to their tents as the deadly storm raged around them, they crossed the finish line ahead of schedule and entered the annuls of history.
The Ulysses Trust are very proud to be a major sponsor of this expedition, which firmly reinforces the values of the Ulysses Trust now in its 25th year and emphasises our values to the core. Supporting expeditions such as this not only demonstrates the far reaching scope of our support for Cadet, UOTC and Reservist expeditions, but will also serve to inspire generations of individuals in the future to dream high perchance they may achieve.
This was a superb achievement by an Army Reservist team, firmly reinforcing the great exploring tradition of our nation, and demonstrating the calibre of the UK’s Reserve Forces. Bravo Zulu to all!