(WHITLEY, UK) ‑ February 7, 2014 ‑ On Friday February 7, at 1:15 AM British polar explorers Ben Saunders and Tarka L'Herpiniere re‑wrote history as they completed, for the first time ever, the ill‑fated journey of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's iconic Terra Nova expedition.
Having trekked 1,795 miles across the inhospitable landscape of Antarctica on a return journey to the South Pole and back, Ben and Tarka have achieved the world record for the longest polar journey on foot in history.
The journey, which has taken a total of 105 days (just over ¼ of a year), has pushed the limits of physical and mental fortitude, and has reset the bar for polar expeditions of the future. Ben and Tarka hauled sleds with a starting weight of almost 440lbs each and walked an average of 17 miles daily in temperatures as low as ‑51oF wind chill.
Ben Saunders said, "It is almost impossible to comprehend what we have achieved. Completing Scott's Terra Nova expedition has been a life‑long dream and I'm overcome to be standing here at the finish. The journey has been a mammoth undertaking that has tested the bounds of our bodies and minds each and every day."
"At times we found ourselves in dire straits in the intense cold, wind and altitude of the high plateau, weakened by half‑rations and closer to the brink of survival than I had ever anticipated this journey taking us. In that light, both Tarka and I feel a combination of awe and profound respect for the endurance, tenacity and fortitude of Captain Scott and his team, a century ago."
Captain Scott and his men died having covered almost 1,600 miles and this feat has never been surpassed in over 100 years, until today.
Land Rover and Intel are co‑presenting partners of the Scott Expedition and have both played an important role in facilitating the expedition. Land Rover assisted Ben in his training, which has taken him to many inaccessible places across the UK, Europe and Greenland. Intel provided Ultrabooks powered, by its latest 4th generation Intel® CoreTM processor technology, allowing Ben and Tarka to share their journey with the world along the way in their daily blog (www.scottexpedition.com/blog). Intel put the technology through its paces over several weeks prior to Ben and Tarka's departure by freezing the Ultrabooks at temperatures of ‑40oF.
Mark Cameron Jaguar Land Rover Director, Brand Experience said, "It has been a true privilege for Land Rover to have played a part in this incredible expedition. I have followed Ben and Tarka each day, trying in some small way to live the experience so vividly and eloquently described through Ben's blog. To complete this journey has taken the very highest levels of physical and mental fortitude as well as a sheer determination to succeed."
"We all need heroes, incredible individuals or teams to provide inspiration to spur us on to achieve better for ourselves and the people around us. There are few feats of any description that exemplify more appropriately the Land Rover mantra of going 'Above and Beyond'. Congratulations Ben and Tarka."
Commenting on Intel's support of the Scott Expedition, Patrick Bliemer, Regional Manager for Intel Northern Europe said, "We are honored to have played a small part in this record‑breaking Scott Expedition by Ben and Tarka. We are incredibly proud that Intel technology has helped him share his experiences with audiences around the world ‑ this unprecedented access is the first of its kind and one which will change the future of expeditions to come."
Falcon Scott, grandson of Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Robert Swan OBE, first to walk the North and South Pole and 2041 Founder are expedition patrons.
# # #
About Land Rover
Land Rover, the British maker of Land Rover and Range Rover sport utility vehicles, is renowned for providing its clientele with some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world. Every Land Rover vehicle is equally at home both on and off road, and in any setting; be it in the heart of the city, or traversing the countryside. Today's Land Rover lineup includes the legendary Defender, LR2 (Freelander 2), LR4 (Discovery 4), Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover designs, engineers, and manufactures their vehicles in the United Kingdom. Land Rover is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community programs. For more information visit the official Land Rover website at http://www.landroverusa.com.
About Jaguar Land Rover
• The United States is one of the leading global markets for both Jaguar and Land Rover
• Jaguar Land Rover employs 25,000 people and sells vehicles in 170 countries around the world
• Jaguar Land Rover has two state of the art engineering and design facilities and three advanced manufacturing plants in the UK
• In the 2012/13 fiscal year, Jaguar Land Rover has reported revenues of $23.8 billion, up 17% year on year ($20.4 billion last year)
• Headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey in the United States, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC has offices across the USA. Jaguar Land Rover has offices in the following locations: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.
• Jaguar Land Rover is represented by more than 330 independently operated retail outletsin the USA