Congratulations Bryony on becoming the Youngest Britain to Ski to the South Pole!
Coast to South Pole record! Congratulations Bryony on becoming the Youngest Britain to Ski to the South Pole!
At 7am GMT today 20 January 2012 consultant Paul Balen’s youngest daughter Bryony at the age of 21 reached the South Pole becoming the youngest Britain to Ski from the Hercules Inlet on the Antarctic coast to the Geographic South Pole, skiing a total of 1135km (705miles) and ascending 2076m (8878ft); and taking a meagre 57 days to complete it in temperatures which dropped to -45C (-49F)! Of the 4 members of her party 2 had to be evacuated out at various times taking one of the guides with them leaving just 3 to complete the journey. Less than 300 people - very few of them women - have ever achieved this feat. Bryony and her 2 remaining colleagues - an American businessman and a Norwegian guide Lisa who looked after David Attenborough when he visited the poles filming his Frozen Planet series- were treated to tea and champagne and later today will be given a guided tour of the Scott-Amundsen Research centre.
Paul thanks all who supported Bryony with donations. Her Virgin Giving Page supporting her chosen charities - the Calvert Trust and Mountain Rescue - is still open and any donations to recognise her feat would be welcomed by those charities.
Bryony Balen
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/bryonybalen
http://www.freethcartwright.co.uk/newsandbriefings/2011/12/20/freeth-cartwright-helps-steer-logistics-firm-to-new-hq-2-236/