On Thin Ice

While TV presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle undergoes an intensive course of treatment for a lethal tropical illness, Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell and new third team mate Doctor Ed Coats keep training for the race to the South Pole. Their dreams of reaching the South Pole look in tatters and James has to consider leaving his friend Ben behind. After four weeks of intensive and dangerous treatment, Ben waits for his results; will the doctors pass him well enough to face Antarctica? Thankfully, Ben is given the all-clear and the team pack, with only days to spare, and head off to their final time in the warm and sheltered climate of South Africa. On 18th December, all six race teams board their flight to take them to Antarctica. They set off on a final 10-day acclimatisation trek towards the South Pole, heading out into the polar wilderness on foot, pulling all they need to survive behind them in their sleds. Within days, they face the first of the many dangers Antarctica will throw at them. Big storms and blizzards blow in, forcing them to be tent-bound for days and threatening the start of the race.

After days of Antarctic blizzards, the weather finally clears and adventurer Ben Fogle, Olympian James Cracknell and doctor Ed Coats, along with the other five teams taking part in the Amundsen South Pole Race, can make it to the start line. The race starts on the 4th January 2009, with all six teams facing over 750km of Antarctic wilderness ahead of them. They now have to manhaul all they need for the race, skiing the entire distance, racing for up to 16 hours a day and facing one of the harshest environments on earth. The race begins well for Ben, James and Ed as they get off to a flying start and quickly take the lead. Over the next nine days, they ski on, but gradually fall apart, suffering severe blisters, extreme cold, exhaustion and eventually even pneumonia. On their last legs, they reach the halfway checkpoint, only to find that they have lost the lead they have held until the last few hours. Nearly broken, they undergo medical checks, only to find that James is so exhausted he may not be allowed to continue the race...

After an extreme start to the race, TV presenter Ben Fogle, Olympian James Cracknell and doctor Ed Coats recover at the halfway checkpoint after arriving in second place, just behind their race rivals the Norwegians. They're checked over by the race doctor and given the all-clear to start again after 24 hours' enforced rest. The team heads out hot on the heels of the Norwegians. They start well, racing hard in the face of temperatures that drop to -40 deg C and below. Within days the extreme conditions take a dangerous toll on the team, with both Ben and James succumbing to frostbite. On a particularly hard and cold day they break down completely. James is almost at the point of no return, and the team stops early and takes a serious review of the situation. They depart again, but only to find themselves in every polar explorer's worst nightmare: a crevasse field. With each step they risk falling through the thin snow bridges that conceal hidden danger beneath. They have no choice but to carry on - their only escape route is to reach the South Pole as quickly as possible. After another nine days of brutal and unrelenting man-hauling they reach the finish line, exhausted and on their last legs. They've achieved their dream - to race to the South Pole as a team of three.