South Pole 100 (2011)

[about]

South Pole 100 is an expedition to complete the unfinished journey of Ernest Shackleton’s 1909 route to the Pole. Polar Guide Doug Stoup will guide the team 112 statute miles to the Geographic South Pole. The aim of the expedition is to arrive on the 14th of December 2011, the 100th anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s arrival. Amundsen was first person ever recorded to reach the South Pole; he and his party arrived on December 14, 1911.

Having successfully guided this team to the North Pole in the spring of 2009 (Two Feet on the Table – North Pole – 2009) Doug Stoup now aims to lead this strong expedition team to the South Pole—thus achieving the ultimate goal of walking to both poles, an accomplishment made only by an exclusive group of less than 100 people ever.

[team]

Doug Stoup

Veteran explorer Doug Stoup is honoured to be leading the South Pole 100 Expedition over the frozen Antarctic to the Geographic South Pole.

Jim Ratcliffe

Jim is an avid runner, cyclist, windsurfer and passionate skier. He will be accompanied by both of his sons as a part of the team. This will be their second polar expedition. In the Spring of 2009 Doug successfully led Jim and the team to the North Pole. To reach both poles is a challenge only accomplished by an exclusive group of individuals, and far fewer families!

Sam Ratcliffe

Sam skis, runs, rides and plays rugby. Earlier this year he was joined by his brother George, and his father as they took a break from expedition training to run the New York marathon. They were joined by Jim, Fred, and Alessia.

George Ratcliffe

George is currently a student of Economics at University in Bath. George enjoys boxing, skiing, water-skiing, windsurfing, and running. He is the youngest of the group but also the quickest.

Chris Cecil-Wright

After short but successful military career that ended prematurely due to a near fatal paragliding accident in Germany, Chris now serves as a Director and Partner of Edmiston and Company, a yachting company formed in 1996. Chris lives in Monaco with his wife Kitty and their two daughters, Lily and Grace and his son Sam. Chris is a keen skier, sailor, windsurfer and gardener. Chris was also one of the Two Feet on the Table expedition.

Adam Carey

Professor Adam Carey is a doctor, nutritionist, and leading commentator on all areas of sports nutrition and human performance. He acted as the Head of Nutrition for the England Rugby Football Union from 1999 to 2006 which included their world cup win and advisor for the British Olympic Association. Adam also reached the North Pole in 2009.

Fred Wadsworth

Fred is married to Jess and father to Ollie and Delilah. To plagiarise his father, Fred’s main interests are ‘eating and idling’. Fred has done a number of endurance challenges in the past including the Haute Route (a winter crossing of the Alps) on a snowboard! As a doctor by formal training, Fred now acts as a nutrition and human performance consulant to top athletes and the sports nutrition supplement industry. This is Fred’s second Polar expedition with this team.

Jeannot Jolie

Jeannot is a ski instructor, living and working in Courchevel. This is also his second polar expedition.

Henri Thurier

Henri has been a ski instructor for the last 20 years, living in Courchevel in the winters and on the west coast in the summers, where he owns and manages a restaraunt. He is married with two daughters. A fan of adventure, nature and challenges with good friends – he thinks the South Pole was a logical target for the expedition after the team’s success in 2009.

Alessia Maresca

Alessia is a Tax Manager, Jim’s partner and mother to Julia their daughter. Alessia will camp at the Ice Station and will join the team later at the South Pole. She is Italian, hates camping and the cold, however she decided to join the team to support Jim and to bring a feminine touch to the expedition. After joining the team at the North Pole in 2009 she is now particularly well practiced at shaving team members long beards!

Laura Napolitano

Laura Napolitano, 16 years old, student in Milan, appointed to be tent mate to Auntie Alessia. Laura enjoys water skiing, windsurfing and skiing. A big fan of adventure, she is fearless and not the typical Italian teenager interested in make up and shops. Laura is an excellent off piste skier and has followed the Ratcliffes in most of their skiing adventures.