A British stroke survivor from Devon, Jonny Huntington, has made history by becoming the first ever person with a disability to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole.
Just 52 people have ever successfully skied to the South Pole without support. Jonny Huntington is the first explorer with a disability to do so, covering the 911km of Antarctic tundra with limited mobility down his left-hand side; a feat he completed in 45 days, 14 hours and 15 minutes.
Having set off from Fuchs-Messner on the edge of the Antarctic landmass on 21st November, Jonny arrived at the South Pole on 6th January at around 5pm (GMT) officially making history as the first-ever explorer with a disability to reach the South Pole alone.
“I’m exhausted – but so proud to make it to the pole and complete an expedition that many thought impossible,” said Jonny from the South Pole.
“It has pushed me to my limits – both mentally and physically – but there was no way I was going to give up. I just needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
“It is incredible to think that I am the first disabled person in history to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole, and it just proves that anything is possible with self-belief.
“I will never let my disability define me, and I hope that by reaching the finish line, it shows that no matter what life throws at you – with enough determination everyone can fulfil their own potential.”
Jonny Huntington surviving the harsh Antarctic conditions
On average, Jonny was skiing for 11 hours a day and dragging all his equipment and food in a sledge which weighed more than 90kg, with everything he needed to survive the expedition.
Throughout the expedition, he battled Arctic temperatures as low as -40 C and blistering 24-hour sunlight; huge ice formations called sastrugi and soft snow making progress challenging.
This year has been particularly challenging for adventurers in Antarctica with other expeditions having to be aborted.
Jonny added: “Antarctica is a remote, hostile and uninhabitable environment, and some of the conditions were incredibly challenging.
“There were days when I had to finish earlier than planned because of dangerous conditions or pure exhaustion and self-preservation for the longevity of the expedition, meaning the expedition took longer than I initially planned. I ended the expedition with just 24 hours of rations left.”
Overcoming stroke recovery and skiing with impairment
Completing the expedition has been a monumental effort for Jonny, who has a significant lack of mobility and control down his left-hand side, following a stroke in 2014.
At just 28 years old, the stroke left Jonny with complete left-side paralysis from the neck down. After years of intense rehab, today Jonny lives with permanent brain damage resulting in a significant lack of strength, mobility and control down his left side.
Talking about how it affected him on the expedition, he said: “This was a massive undertaking for an able-bodied person. Add my restricted movements due to neuro fatigue from the brain damage, and it took the challenge to a whole new level.
“My disability means I have little control in my left ankle, meaning that my leg kind of freely rotates. I fell a lot over the course of my journey, especially at the start of the expedition while I was getting acclimatised to the conditions, but just had to get back up, dust myself off, and carry on.
“It was also exacerbated by the cold climate of Antarctica and proved a constant challenge with the uneven and sometimes unpredictable snow conditions.
“Despite the challenges I faced on the ice, my hope is that by completing the expedition, I have shown that disability does not mean inability.”
ALE’s Expedition Manager, Steve Jones, said “I’m delighted for Jonny that he has succeeded in his goal of becoming the first disabled person to ski solo to the South Pole.
“This is a milestone achievement for Jonny personally and for everyone living with disabilities.
“He has not just skied to the South Pole alone, but unsupported, without resupplies or outside assistance en route. This is a massive physical and mental challenge in which Jonny has thrived.”
Jonny was born in Cambridge, where he lived until he went to university at 18 years old and subsequently joined the military. He now lives in Kingsbridge, Devon.
Acknowledging partners supporting charities on this historic expedition
Jonny would like to thank the many people who have helped him to take on this challenge including his partners Specialist Risk Group, Team Forces, Collins Aerospace, ACRE Capital Real Estate, and Continuate.
Major General Lamont Kirkland CBE, CEO of Team Forces, added; “What a monumental effort from Jonny. It’s a privilege to have supported him to show that anything is possible with the right training and mindset.”
He’d also like to thank his technical partners Dynafit, Doxa Watches, JADAT Adventures, Salewa and SunGod Eyewear; and supporters Veeam, Dell, Pointwire, Comtech, Tila Capital, NSSLGlobal, Branding Science, Lidstones, and &SONS.
Through his expedition, Jonny was raising money for four charities including the Invictus Games Foundation, Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team, Team Forces and The Adaptive Grand Slam Foundation. To donate, visit Jonny’s fundraising page.
To find out more about Jonny’s expedition, visit www.jonnyhuntington.com and follow Jonny Huntington on Instagram and LinkedIn.