Canadians claim record for fastest trek across Antarctica to the South Pole

Three Canadian men have claimed a new record for the fastest trek across Antarctica to the South Pole.

According to a report by BBC News, Ray Zahab, Kevin Vallely and Richard Weber said they had completed the 1,130 km (700 miles) journey in 33 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes.

The Canadians’ journey took them from Hercules Inlet on Antarctica’s Ronne Ice Shelf to the South Pole.

They said that they suffered white-out, but survived on a 7,000-calorie-a-day diet of deep-fried bacon, cheese and huge chunks of butter.

“If you took a cloud, wrapped it around your head and then duct-taped it, that’s what a white-out is like,” Zahab, told The Associated Press (AP) by satellite phone from Antarctica.

Tom Sjogren, founder of ExplorersWeb.com, a New York-based Web site that compiles statistics on adventurers’ feats, said that the men beat the previous record of 39 days, 7 hours and 49 minutes, which was set by American Todd Carmichael just last month.

The Canadian trio used their satellite phone to post photos and podcasts of their journey as they did it.

They pulled 170-lb (77-kg) sleds of equipment, with Zahab travelling on foot and on snowshoes while the other two men skied.

They endured altitude sickness, vertigo and massive, painful blisters. (ANI)

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