Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton completes South Pole expedition in aid of Sport Relief
Last updated 1/24/2012 2:44:41 PM
Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton completes South Pole expedition in aid of Sport Relief
Fearless Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton made it to the South Pole in just 18 days by ski, bike and kite, bringing her epic, 500-mile Antarctic expedition to a triumphant close.
For this gruelling challenge, Helen travelled up to 14 hours a day across the coldest and windiest place on earth, battling blizzards and sub-zero temperatures. She spent 30 nights camping on ice.
Helen also set a new Guiness World Record for the Fastest 100km by kite ski. She soared to the halfway point in just seven days. Along the way she suffered from severe dehydration and excrutiating blisters.
"The environment is so harsh and on a day when you can get sunburn, you can also get frostbite," she said. "I could feel my ears burning through my helmet because of the wind. This has been a massive adventure and at times it felt like it was never going to end.My body hurts in so many different places, mentally I'm exhausted and I've only washed once in the last 30 days, so to be finally standing at the Pole feels incredible."
British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes said: "I take my hat off to Helen Skelton. I have to admit when she first told me that she was going to cycle part of the way to the South Pole, I laughed. But through pure grit and determination she has got there and shown that, yes, you can use a bike to reach the Pole. Her incredible efforts are a great example of willpower."
Those inspired by Helen, are being urged to show the same spirit of adventure by doing the Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 25th March. There are hundreds of Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile events taking place across the country.
Helen has now completed her toughest, most physically demanding feat yet. In the three years she's been a Blue Peter presenter, she has taken on some truly epic challenges. She was the first person to solo kayak the length of the Amazon for Sport Relief in 2010 and then she completed a dramatic high-wire walk across Battersea Power Station for Red Nose Day in 2011.
To support her in her Sport Relief achievement, go to https://www.sportrelief.com/donate/helen-skelton2