December 30th 2023.
Captain Harpreet Chandi from Derby has achieved an incredible feat - she has become the fastest woman to ski alone across Antarctica. Covering 1,130km of ice in 31 days, 13 hours and 19 minutes, she has beaten the previous record holder, the Canadian Caroline Cote, by a day, 14 hours and 34 minutes.
Guinness World Records still need to verify the record, which could take several months, but if successful, Harpreet will add another to her collection of two records she already holds. Speaking from Antarctica, she said, “I’m tired but so glad I made it. This was completely different to my last expedition - I completely pushed myself to my limits on my last expedition, a speed attempt is completely different. After my last expedition, I knew I could cope well on the ice which gave me the confidence to tackle this head on.”
Harpreet skied for between 12 and 13 hours a day on average and pulled a 75kg sled containing everything she needed to survive. She added, “It was definitely not a sprint, but I had to constantly weigh up my effort and how long I would ski for each day. Too long or too fast and I was going to burn out. Too slow or finish too early and I’d miss out on the record. Antarctica is an amazing place to be and it’s an absolute privilege to be here. It is not a place any person can conquer, it is a place you treat with respect and hope it allows you safe passage. I’m so glad it allowed me safe passage.”
Harpreet is on a career break from military service where she was a physiotherapist providing rehabilitation for injured soldiers and officers. She first made history by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a 700-mile Antarctic journey, solo and unsupported in 2021. She broke two world records including completing the longest solo unsupported one-way polar ski expedition in history the following year. Harpreet was recently made an MBE and was named Woman of the Year at the Women in Defence Awards 2022.
She said, “I just focused on what I could control, I couldn’t control the conditions - the blistering sun, the whiteouts, the temperatures of minus 30C but I can control how I dealt with them. Just keep taking it one step at a time.” Harpreet has already broken two world records and said, “This expedition is not only about only pushing myself, but also about inspiring others to challenge their boundaries, and break their barriers. It’s in those tough moments when you find out what you’re made of. One of my biggest motivations in those dark times on the ice, is the thought of inspiring others to face their own challenge. When I make myself accountable to a bigger purpose, how could I not continue.”
Harpreet will return to the UK soon to recover and plan her next adventure, concluding, “We all know what happens when I say ‘never again’.” It’s clear that with her resilience and determination, Harpreet is an inspiration to all of us and we look forward to seeing more of her incredible achievements.
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