- Who
- Anja Blacha
- What
- 29:205 year(s):day(s)
- Where
- Antarctica ()
- When
Anja Blacha (Germany, b. 18 June 1990) was aged 29 years 205 days when she completed her journey from North Berkner Island to the South Pole on 9 January 2020. Blacha covered 1,381 km (858 miles) in just under 58 days. She began her epic ski trek on 19 November 2019 and covered approximately 24 km (15 mi) per day.
Significantly, the northern coast of Berkner Island lies directly on the ocean (the Weddell Sea), whereas the majority of Antarctic expeditions start out from the Hercules Inlet, which while technically is the edge of the continent is locked behind the Ronne Ice Shelf, so is considered an "inner coastline"; from the Hercules Inlet, the distance to the South Pole is approximately 1,130 km (700 mi).
Blacha supplied herself, setting out with a sledge carrying some 110 kg (242 lb) of equipment and food.
At the time, her journey also represented the longest solo polar one-way ski journey by a female. But this has since been surpassed by Preet Chandi (UK, aka "Polar Preet"), who travelled 1,484.53 km (922.44 mi) across Antarctica from the Hercules Inlet to the Reedy Glacier over 70 days 16 hours between 13 November 2022 and 23 January 2023.
The youngest male to achieve this feat is Erling Kagge (Norway, b. 15 January 1963), who was aged 29 years 358 days when he completed his 50-day journey from North Berkner Island to the South Pole on 7 January 1993.
