British soldier to attempt first-ever solo Antarctic crossing where his friend Henry Worsley died

Louis Rudd will attempt the journey entirely alone (Shackleton)
Louis Rudd will attempt the journey entirely alone (Shackleton)

A serving British soldier is to attempt the first-ever solo, unsupported and unassisted crossing of Antarctica – a journey on which his friend Henry Worsley died in 2016.

Captain Louis Rudd, 49, who trained in Arctic warfare for 30 years, hopes to become the first person ever to cross Antarctica purely using muscle power.

Flying on November 1 (weather permitting), Rudd will attempt to traverse 930 miles of ice, entirely alone, without help or resupply of any kind.

Rudd says, ‘Within the polar community, Antarctica is called ‘The Great White Queen’, and like a siren song she draws you back. I love the sheer vastness of Antarctica.

Rudd says that his journey will consist of, ‘A thousand miles on your own, for two and a half months of complete solitude and carrying all of your own kit.

Captain Louis Rudd will journey entirely alone (Picture Shackleton)
Captain Louis Rudd will journey entirely alone (Picture Shackleton)

Rudd will face temperatures of minus 44, white-out blizzards and treacherous ice, while dragging up to 150kg of supplies.

Rudd says of his ‘Shackleton: Spirit of Endurance’ expedition, ‘It’s right at the limits of what is possible.

It’s a place that can kill you in minutes if you get things wrong. It could be as simple as pitching your tent, if the wind catches it… it’s gone, it floats like a parachute and blows away.

There’s very little room for error, which is daunting at times. You’ve got to be either daft or courageous, or probably a bit of both!’

Rudd previously raced to the South Pole in 2011 with his close friend,Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, in a re-enactment of the Scott-Amundsen race that took place a century earlier.

Worsley attempted his own solo crossing of Antarctica in 2016, but fell ill just 30 miles short of his goal, and died despite being airlifted to Chile.

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Rudd says, ‘Henry completely inspired me from that very first journey and gave me that real deep appreciation for the polar pioneers and for polar history in general. I knew absolutely nothing about polar travel; the dark arts, the routines, the kit, he taught me everything.’