Live Updates

DECEMBER 22ND 2008

High winds and poor visibility have added several days onto the scheduled return date of December 18th for the marathon group. Some competitors availed of an early flight on the 14th, but those that remained must now wait on cooperative weather. Latest news is that it could take a few days for conditions to be ok for safe flying. Hopefully, it'll be sooner.

DECEMBER 15TH 2008

The races have successfuly concluded and the results are now posted in the results section. Excellent conditions were conducive to new records and the athletes didn't disappoint! There were new records posted for men and women in both the marathon and 100k events. 

DECEMBER 14TH 2008 (AM)

Miles Cudmore (Great Britain) has won the men's marathon and Kirsi Montonen (Finland) took the women's title. All competitors have finished the event. Frank Staples ran a half-marathon. The 100k is still in progress - Marc de Keyser (Belgium) has a strong lead over Jukka Viljanen (Finland) and is heading for a time of about 13 hours. Pushpa Chandra (Canada), the sole female particpant, is currently on course to finish the 100k in an approximate time of 20 hours.

DECEMBER 13TH 2008

Latest News: Given favourable weather conditions, both the marathon & 100k events will take place today. The 100k will share the first 25km of the marathon route.

The competitors are currently at 80 Degrees South, the Patriot Hills camp. The marathon and 100k events could be run at any time over the next few days. Results will be posted as soon as they become available. There is plenty of time to conduct the races as competitors are not scheduled to return to Punta Arenas until December 18th.

DECEMBER 12TH 2008

15:00 Chile Time: The competitors are now on the plane - they are flying to the Antarctic today!

Competitors are anticipating a flight this afternoon. More news shortly.

DECEMBER 11TH 2008

The flight will not take off until tomorrow at earliest due to strong winds at Patriot Hills. Competitors will receive an update first thing tomorrow morning. Hopefully a pattern of lighter winds (below 20 knots) will have established itself. Some of the group are taking advantage of the delay to see a penguin colony near Punta Arenas.

DECEMBER 10TH 2008

Competitors are waiting for an update on the possible flight time. The weather trend in Antarctica will need to be favourable and this means winds below 20 knots and good visibility. When the Ilyushin jet lands in Antarctica some 4.5 hours after take-off, it will not stay on the runway for long before returning to South America.

DECEMBER 9TH 2008 (PM)

The pre-departure briefing was held this morning. The latest news is that the flight for Antarctica may take off tomorrow morning as scheduled.

DECEMBER 9TH 2008 (AM)

All of the competitors arrived in Punta Arenas by last night. There was news from the logistics company that the group may leave for Antarctica this evening, a day earlier than scheduled! It spread mild panic among some competitors who suddenly find, after months of preparation and anticipation, that the big day is almost upon them.

A pre-departure briefing occurs at 10am Chile time this morning. At the meeting, the competitors could be given a possible departure time. All recommended kit will be checked and 'civvy clothes' not used in Antarctica will be stored until they return from the frozen continent.

A further update will occur on this website after the pre-departure meeting.

DECEMBER 8TH 2008

Competitors are assembling at Punta Arenas on the southern tip of Chile today. A pre-departure briefing and kit check is due to occur tomorrow morning. If the weather is favourable, the 4.5 hour flight by IL-76 cargo plane to Patriot Hills will happen on Wednesday, December 10th. Favourable weather means good visibility and light winds so that the plane can negotiate a safe landing on the blue ice runway.

UK photographer, Paul Atherton, is photographing the event and video footage will be taken for a Finnish documentary.

Following two very withdrawals, there will be a total of 19 participants competing in both the marathon and 100km ultra race, the southernmost running competitions on the planet. The Ice Marathon & 100k are the only official running events held within the Antarctic Circle. Other Antarctic-related events take place in the very moderate temperatures of the upper peninsula and South Shetland Islands where terrain is mainly composed of barren rock rather than an ice sheet.

The Antarctic Ice Marathon is a member of the Association of International Marathons & Distance Races (AIMS) while the Antarctic 100k is an International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU)-labelled event. It is the only IAU-recognised ultra race in Antarctic territory.

 

 
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