Briton delighted to finish Antarctic trek after missing record by two days | Antarctica

A British army officer has set the record for the most expedition miles covered in Antarctica, after becoming just the second person in history to trek unaided across the frozen continent.

The 925-mile mission, along with his previous expeditions to the continent, means that Capt Lou Rudd, 49, surpassed a total of 3,000 miles of human-powered travel in Antarctica.

The father of three from Hereford finished the gruelling endurance race in 56 days on Friday, two days after the US explorer Colin O’Brady became the first person in history to cross the continent unaided.

Rudd, a motor transport officer based at the Infantry Battle School in Brecon, Wales, said he was delighted to have finished the expedition, which he undertook in memory of close friend and explorer Henry Worsley, who died from exhaustion just 30 miles short of completing the record solo crossing in 2016.

He said: “My number one priority and objective was to come out here and ski solo, unsupported and unassisted right across the continent and I’ve done that. That was always the primary objective.

“I want to say a huge congratulations to Colin – what an achievement. To be honest it’s a minor miracle that both of us have completed a journey that’s been attempted before, but nobody’s ever managed it and then, lo and behold, in one season two of us attempting it. The fact that both of us have finished is absolutely fantastic.”

Rudd hauled a 140kg sled through 60mph gales, temperatures below minus 30 degrees celsius and over sastrugi – wave-like ridges created by wind – surviving off a grazing bag of chocolate, nuts, cheese and salami.

“What matters most to me is that I’ve completed my expedition – and honoured Henry’s memory by carrying his family crest across Antarctica. I know he would have appreciated that. That’s what is really important to me.

“And we’ve both done it really fast. Incredibly fast. I’ve finished it within a couple of days of a professional athlete, and I’m delighted with that.”

The army officer documented his Spirit of Endurance expedition in blog posts since he began on 3 November, which saw him describing his coping methods during the brutal journey such as a Winston Churchill audiobook and a 1980s music playlist.