A Bury St Edmunds construction firm’s director is swapping the boardroom for below-zero temperatures by taking on a world-record crossing of Greenland.
George Wells sets off today on the epic expedition to beat the world record for the fastest coast to coast crossing of Greenland.
The four-man team is hoping to raise £10,000 for children’s charity A Spoonful of Sugar in the process.
Mr Wells, of developers Hartog Hutton, is setting off with British teammates Tom Avery, Patrick Woodhead and Andrew Gerber as part of the 67N Greenland Challenge.
Mr Avery, a world-renowned polar explorer and experienced climber, will be leading the team.
They are looking to break the 2008 record for crossing Greenland, which currently stands at 17 days, 21 hours and 30 minutes. It was set by Patrick Peters and Matt Spenceley, a Luxembourg and British pair.
The team, which already holds the world record for fastest surface journey to the North Pole, which they set ten years ago, will aim to complete the crossing in 12-14 days.
The challenge was made famous by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen in 1888 and will see Mr Wells and his three friends battle arctic conditions as they make their way across the frozen country.
Mr Wells said: “The whole team is champing at the bit to get to Greenland and get the crossing under way, and bring home the world record which has stood unchallenged for seven years now.
“It’s not going to be easy, but what really attracted us to the challenge was the varied conditions that we will find, and the stark remoteness of Greenland itself.
“We are confident that we can hit our target of completing the crossing within two weeks, setting a new world record and hitting our fundraising target of £10,000.
“A Spoonful of Sugar do fantastic work with young people and their families during difficult periods of illness.”
The team will need to cover 350 miles over terrain that varies from steep glaciers, coastal scree, glacial melt water, and the ice cap itself.
If the winds work in their favour the team will use snow kites that will allow them to achieve speeds of up to 32mph.
A Spoonful Of Sugar helps seriously ill children by providing respite whilst they are in hospital, through professional entertainers.
For more information about the 67N Greenland Challenge please visit www.67n-greenland.com/
If you would like to make a donation to the team visit their Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/67NGreenlandChallenge/
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