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Dubai: British explorer Adrian Hayes is set to reach the South Pole on Boxing Day and is ready to break the world record of becoming the fastest man to have pioneered the "Three Poles Challenge" in only 19 months.
Aiming to reach the South Pole's isolated Amundsen Scott's base the day after Christmas Hayes said he was excited to be leading an illustrious club of only 15 elite explorers ever to have conquered the world's three pinnacles - most of whom have taken years to complete the trek.
The Dubai-based explorer set off on his final expedition on November 12 from the Antarctic coastline which involved walking 1,130km, unsupported and unassisted.
"The 'Three Poles Challenge' is an extraordinary experience. Few people ever get the chance to take on one of the world's poles so I count myself very lucky to have done all 'three'. It's a great relief to be so close and know that the conclusion is in sight," he said, even though he had to battle storm force winds, blizzards and temperatures of minus 23C.
Hayes aims to raise money for the Children's Hope Foundation and Friends of Cancer Patients charities through his journey.
Unassisted and unsupported, he climbed Mount Everest on May 25, 2006, (which he says is one pole in the Three Pole Challenge) walked across the ice to the North Pole in April 25 this year, and expects to arrive at the South Pole tomorrow all within just 19 months.
Once he successfully completes his epic journey, Hayes will be the 15th person, and the second Briton, in history to reach the three pinnacles of extreme adventures on Earth, the top of the World, the bottom of the World and the roof of the World.
Only 117 people have walked to the South Pole the entire way in the 96 years since Norwegian Roald Amunsden reached the Pole (using dogs) on October 20, 1911, and only 57 of these have managed it unsupported and unassisted.
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