Norwegian adventurer, 21, shatters record at South Pole
Karen Kyllesoe, a 21-year-old Norwegian, reached the South Pole alone, becoming the youngest woman to achieve this feat.
Karen Kyllesoe, a young Norwegian, announced her success on Monday night. She is the youngest woman to reach the South Pole alone.
The remarkable feat of the young Norwegian
Kyllesoe skied 702 miles without assistance, covering an elevation of 9,186 feet above sea level. During the expedition, she struggled with breathing issues, which forced her to wear a mask that warmed the air.
She planned to complete the journey in 60 days but managed to do it in less time—54 days. On average, she covered 19 miles daily. On the last day, she set off at 5 AM Eastern Time, and just before midnight, she announced reaching her goal. The geographical coordinates confirmed her success.
Following the footsteps of Norwegian heroes
Kyllesoe followed the trail that Liv Arnesen traveled alone to the pole in 1994 at the age of 41. Arnesen completed the journey in 50 days, making her mark in the history of polar expeditions.
"It's fantastic. I really want to congratulate Karen," said the now-72-year-old Arnesen in an interview with "VG" journalists.
The Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Stoere, also expressed his admiration for the young polar explorer.
"She follows in the footsteps of the greatest polar explorers and writes history," he says to VG.
The first conqueror of the South Pole was Roald Amundsen, who led a Norwegian expedition in December 1911.
The history of heroic polar expeditions
Karen Kyllesoe's expedition is a reminder of the long history of heroic polar journeys, such as the tragic expedition of Robert Falcon Scott, who, along with five companions, perished on the return journey from the South Pole in 1912. Their families only learned a year later that they had become widows.
