Blizzard: Race to the Pole

The 1911 race to the South Pole between Norwegian Roald Amundsen and Englishman Robert Falcon Scott was one of the most gruelling journeys of all time. Amundsen triumphed, Scott and his men perished on their return.

Led by Bruce Parry and Rune Gjeldnes, two teams, using 1911 equipment, clothes and food, have rerun this iconic race. The very real experiment gives unique insights into the brutal realities of Edwardian polar exploration, and tackles head on the enduring controversy that surrounds Scott’s and Amundsen’s leadership and strategy. For three months the modern expeditions braved polar storms, inadequate rations and temperatures down to minus 35 degrees sledging across 1400 miles of freezing snow and ice.

Their experiences settle once and for all the questions about Amundsen’s use of dogs, the agony of man-hauling and the real reasons why Scott never made it back…

For once here is a format that tests its participants to the limits and is also entertaining – Jasper Rees, Times Online