Team Missing link find the winning connection

In the steps of Amundsen, Team Missing Link have won the historic Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race arriving at the South Pole at approximately 7pm on Wednesday 21st January, having covered 769km’s in 17 days and 11 hours – a quite incredible achievement.

Rune Malterud (27) and Stian Aker (28) were ‘elated, emotional and extremely exhausted’ (picture attached) having put in gruelling 40-50 km days and only sleeping for a few hours a night throughout the race.

After planting their flag at the pole, they thanked Team QinetiQ for making the race so competitive.

Team QinetiQ - James Cracknell, Ben Fogle and Ed Coats - look set to finish second (likely to reach the pole this afternoon) and have also covered impressive distances daily, travelling up to 46 kms and also sleeping only a few hours at a time (listen to the Team QinetiQ audio blog of day 16 for a great description of a ‘normal’ race day – www.amundsenomeg3southpolerace.com)



Team Danske Bank are likely to finish in third place place (likely arrival on Friday / Saturday) with Team Due South and Team South Pole Flag still battling it out for fourth (Saturday / Sunday arrival). South Pole Flag’s Mark Pollock’s progress in the race has been described by his team mates as “unbelievable and inspirational” and he is set to now go into the record books as the first blind man to conquer the pole in this way.

Team Southern Lights, the eldest team in the race have been helped by the support team along the way, yet nevertheless have put in a monumental effort and will reach the South Pole on skis.



All competitors have suffered from sprains, blisters and fatigue in temperatures as low as minus 40 degress centigrade with wind chill. A British explorer, Conrad Dickinson sums up:

“Getting to the South Pole is extremely hard and I take my hat off to those that even attempt the journey. The full journey is on par with the mental and physical difficulties of SAS selection”.