A former GB para-athlete who is skiing solo and unsupported to the South Pole says he is more than halfway into his expedition. Jonny Huntington, 38, from Kingsbridge, south Devon, has faced extreme conditions including freezing temperatures and blistering 24-hour sunlight while covering 911km (566 miles) of Antarctic tundra.
Mr Huntington, who suffered a stroke in 2014 and has a significant lack of mobility and control down his left-hand side, is aiming to become the first disabled person to complete the challenge. The former army officer, who has been skiing nine to 11 hours and covering between 18 and 23km per day, hopes to reach the South Pole by January 7.
Speaking via a satellite phone from Antarctica, Mr Huntington told the PA news agency: “It’s been slightly warmer than anticipated. “The snow conditions have been quite soft so moving has been quite difficult. “It’s putting a lot of strain on my body.”.
Mr Huntington is also dragging all his equipment and food in a sled which weighs more than 110kg. “It’s an incredibly different landscape down here. I think the most peculiar thing about it is that there is no wildlife at all. There are no trees at all,” he said.
“It looks sort of like one of the desert scenes from a post-apocalyptic movie, like Mad Max or something. “I have gone weeks without seeing a single even feature in the landscape, which is pretty cool in a lot of ways. “I think it also means that when you do see the occasional mountain range in the distance, they are incredibly beautiful.”.
