Larramendi : they are at the SP

Published on 04.01.2012 - Acciona Windpower Antarctica 90°S

Larramendi and team have arrived at the SP

Larramendi and his team have arrived at the South Pole on 1 January at 10 am. They have covered 2.200 kil in 19 days and 12 hours with a revolutionary wind-powered vehicle.

One thing is now certain and gained : spanish explorer Ramøn Larramendi has fulfilled his dream. The wind-powered sled vessel gone out of his imagination has made it to the Pole.

After 50 frantic hours to take advantage of exceptionally good wind and terrain conditions, they have reached the South Pole. They have finally arrived after covering 2,200 km in 19 days and 12 hours. The fastest non-mechanized expedition to reach the South Pole. Their New Year’s Eve was a record marathon day—310 km non-stop! They are the first wind-powered vehicle to ever make it to the South Pole.

Excerpts (4 January) : " Our polar catamaran or authentic sailboat of the polar deserts has again proved it is capable of anything. A dream is fulfilled. Almost without sleeping, without eating or drinking, after sailing throughout New Year’s Eve, while millions of people celebrated the new year, we sailed tirelessly to achieve our goal, to fulfill a dream."

"Many feelings dance around in my head. Excitement, exhaustion, satisfaction, joy, sadness, nostalgia, admiration, gratitude and hope. Excitement about the challenge met, for the feeling of a job well done. Exhaustion for the hectic pace, not only in the last hours, but in recent months. Satisfaction and joy for reaching a dream born many years ago. Sadness and concern for my mother, who is now in the hospital and who encouraged me to always believe in myself. I dedicate this moment especially to her. Nostalgia for not being with my wife Getse and my four-year-old son Inuk. Admiration for Amundsen and Scott, who precisely 100 years ago were struggling just like us in the Antarctic plateau with boundless courage and determination. Gratitude to my expedition colleagues Javier Selva, Ignacio Oficialdegui and Juan Pablo Albar -an exceptional team, and gratitude to those who have believed in this project and make up the great ACCIONA team. Hope and belief in the potential of this vehicle to develop a scientific program in Antarctica and as a real mode of transportation of the future in a clean and zero-emission Antarctica."

They should start again tomorrow 5 January to try to reach Union Glacier ALE base camp on time (before 26 January).