A RECORD breaker who completed a punishing 360-mile race across the Arctic Ocean has promised the epic adventure will not be her last.Sam Eve, 26, from Felixstowe, along with her friends Tori James, 23, from Wales, and Felicity Aston, 27, from Kent, are the first female team to ever complete the Scott Dunn Polar Challenge.

By Danielle Nuttall

A RECORD breaker who completed a punishing 360-mile race across the Arctic Ocean has promised the epic adventure will not be her last.

Sam Eve, 26, from Felixstowe, along with her friends Tori James, 23, from Wales, and Felicity Aston, 27, from Kent, are the first female team to ever complete the Scott Dunn Polar Challenge.

The trio, who called themselves the Pink Lady Polecats, finished the gruelling challenge just before midnight on Thursday and finished sixth out of 16 teams.

In a remarkable sprint finish, which saw them deprived of sleep for 48 hours, the girls overtook two male teams to finish - reaching the 1996 position of the North Magnetic Pole because the pole's current position is in the ocean.

Speaking from London last night, Miss Eve said: “It went really well. We are absolutely delighted.

“We surprised a lot of our fellow competitors. We are quite small girls and some of the lads were 6ft who saw us as not much of a threat.

“We were really excited and came across the finish line with our mouths open.

“Physically it was tough. We were doing 30-45km a day on skis across ice and rubble fields and sea ice. Dragging a heavy sledge was hard going.

“The hardest thing for me was sleep deprivation. We went without sleep for the last 48 hours.

“I'm sure this is not going to be the end of it but for now I'm going to put my feet up and see my friends and family.

“I'm really keen to do something in a warmer climate.”

The girls had expected to take 16 days to finish the race - which saw them trekking across treacherous sea ice with the risk of encountering Polar Bears - but managed the feat in just 13.

The team took part in the race to raise awareness and funds for charities Breakthrough Breast Cancer and The British Schools Exploring Society where Miss Eve and Miss James work.

They have so far raised more than £15,000 for the two charities.