Norwegian trailblazer: Karen Kyllesoe's record South Pole trek
Karen Kyllesoe, a 21-year-old Norwegian, solo reached the South Pole, becoming the youngest woman to achieve this feat.
Karen Kyllesoe, a young Norwegian, made history as the youngest woman to solo reach the South Pole. She announced her success on the night from Monday to Tuesday.
An extraordinary feat by the young Norwegian
Kyllesoe skied a distance of 1,130 kilometres without any assistance. The route she traveled included elevations reaching 2,800 metres above sea level. During the expedition, she faced breathing problems, which required her to use a mask for warming the air.
She planned to complete the route in 60 days but succeeded in a shorter time — 54 days. On average, she covered 30 kilometres per day. On the last day, she started at 5 AM Eastern Time, and just before midnight, she announced reaching her goal. Geographical coordinates confirmed her success.
Following in the footsteps of Norwegian heroes
Kyllesoe followed Liv Arnesen's path to the pole in 1994 at 41. Arnesen completed the journey in 50 days, making her mark in the history of polar expeditions.
"It's fantastic. I really want to congratulate Karen," said the now 72-year-old Arnesen in an interview with "VG" journalists.
The Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, also expressed his admiration for the young polar explorer. "She follows in the footsteps of the greatest polar explorers and writes history, he says to VG."
Roald Amundsen, who led a Norwegian expedition to the South Pole in December 1911, was the first person to reach the pole.
The history of heroic polar expeditions
Karen Kyllesoe's expedition is reminiscent of the long history of heroic polar expeditions, such as the tragic expedition of Robert Falcon Scott, who died with a group of five adventurers in 1912 on the way back from the South Pole. Their wives only learned they were widows a year later.
