Serco TransArctic - The Expedition

At the end of February 2004, Ben Saunders sets out to ski solo more than 1,200 miles across the Arctic from Siberia to Canada via the Geographic North Pole.

Traversing the Arctic alone without kites or dogs remains one of the very few genuine world firsts that have yet to be achieved - in setting out on this, Ben aims to 'reset the polar standard'.

Ben, 26, is no stranger to the Arctic. In 2001 he and fellow Briton Pen Hadow endured eight weeks of skiing through some of the worst conditions on record, and last year he skied a solo 200 mile round trip to the North Pole from 89° North. Now, Ben will be the first ever person to cross the Arctic Ocean solo and unsupported - with no drops of food or fuel. He leaves Siberia from Cape Arktichevsky at the end of February with all that he needs for the 90-day trip.

Though the eventual route will be dictated largely by ice conditions and winds, Ben aims to complete this 1,240-mile journey in less than 90 days. He will be on skis for most of the expedition, hauling a 178kg (392lbs) sledge. Conditions are extreme and temperatures will be as low as -45°C (wind chill can reach below -70°C) and the Canadian and Russian coastlines have concentrated polar bear populations.

As well as skiing, Ben is likely to encounter stretches of open water (known as 'leads') and will be using a specially designed dry-suit to swim across these.

Thanks

As well as my sponsor, Serco who have been supportive beyond my wildest dreams, and TransArctic's many contributors and suppliers, there are dozens of people who've helped me get this far, and dozens more who are helping me go even further.

Besides, of course, as the two long-suffering and unbelievably supportive women in my life - my mum & my girlfriend Valeria, the rest of the credit belongs to:

Sarah Adams, Sylvia Ahmed, Andreas Anderson, 'Captain' Camilla Buskoven, Caroline Baker, Baylight Properties, Natalie Besbrode, Alex Bierwald, Teresa Borrajo, Kate Bosomworth, Charles Box, Lisa Bradbury, Michel Brent, British Military Fitness, Bubble & Squeak, Andy Budd, Bernard Buiges, Sophie Burrell, David Butler, Cerpolex, Robin Cope, Luke & Charlotte Cunliffe, Chloe Cunningham, Des at Ellis Brigham, Dixie Dansercoer, Simon Fairclough, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the Finse 1222 hotel, Alex Foley, Jeremy Garfield-Davies, Bear Grylls, Pen Hadow, Tony Haile, Sarah Hirigoyen, Alain Hubert, Chris Hyman, Rob Joynson, Tom Kenyon-Slaney, Mike Kobold, The London Speaker Bureau, Juliette Lloyd, Christian de Marliave, Nicolas Mingasson, Victoria Mottram, LArry at Mountain Tools (yes, that's LArry, not Larry), Colin Osborne, Borge Ousland, Sadie Paris, The Personal Training Centre, Gina Rawle, Daniel Rix, Justin Roberts, Tom Rowlandson, Steven Saunders, Neil Sawell, Tom & Tina Sjogren, Rosie Stancer, Nick Storey, Craig Swann, Vital Hands, Meadow Foods.