Land

British Army Officer’s Solo South Pole Trek Makes History

January 10, 2022Hannah Ray Lambert
Preet Chandi

Capt. Preet Chandi of the British Army reached the South Pole on Jan. 3, 2022, becoming the first woman of color to complete a solo expedition across Antarctica. Photo courtesy of @polarpreet/Instagram.

A British Army officer is believed to have just become the first woman of color to complete a solo crossing of Antarctica, trekking alone for over 700 miles to reach the South Pole.


Capt. Preet Chandi, 32, reached the South Pole last week, 40 days, seven hours, and three minutes after a plane dropped her with nearly 200 pounds of gear and food and a giant sled near the coast of Antarctica. From there, she trekked alone to the South Pole, with no resupplies or aid along the way. Chandi is the first person to reach the South Pole on foot in the last two years.


“You are capable of anything you want, no matter where you are from, where your start line is, everybody starts somewhere,” Chandi said in a voice recording after she reached the South Pole. “I don’t want to just break the glass ceiling. I want to smash it into a million pieces.”


South Pole
Capt. Preet Chandi, a physiotherapist with 3 Medical Regiment, has completed deployments to Nepal and Kenya, as well as a UN peacekeeping tour to South Sudan. Photo courtesy of @polarpreet/Instagram.

Chandi joined the British Army reserves when she was 19, according to her blog, Polar Preet. She joined the regular Army at 27, completing deployments as a physiotherapist in Nepal and Kenya. Most recently, she completed a six-month UN peacekeeping tour to South Sudan. She currently serves as a captain with 3 Medical Regiment, based in northwest England, where she organizes and validates Army medic training.


A lifelong athlete, Chandi trained at Novak Djokovic’s tennis academy as a teenager and plays competitive tennis for the British Army. As a soldier, she runs ultramarathons and has hiked and climbed mountains across the world, including in Morocco, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, and Iceland.


Chandi set off on her Antarctic adventure on Nov. 24 from the Hercules Inlet, an ice-choked bay named for the ski-equipped C-130 Hercules cargo planes that haul cargo and passengers to and from the scientific stations around the continent. As she began, she carried freeze-dried meals, daily hot chocolate rations, GPS, satellite phones, and other gear on a pulk (Nordic sled) weighing just under 192 pounds.


She often battled whiteout conditions, icy terrain, biting winds, and temperatures as low as minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit. But she met every new challenge with relentless positivity, ending each day with an audio blog dedicated to friends, family, and her supporters.


“This expedition was always about so much more than me,” Chandi said in her final recording. “I want to encourage people to push their boundaries and to believe in themselves and I want you to be able to do it without being labeled a rebel. I’ve been told ‘no’ on many occasions and told to just do the normal thing, but we create our own normal.”


South Pole Preet Chandi
Capt. Preet Chandi, 32, reached the South Pole on Jan. 3, 2022, completing a 700-mile solo expedition. Photo courtesy of @polarpreet/Instagram.

Chandi skied an average of 17 miles a day, reaching her destination on Jan. 3, well ahead of schedule. She carried enough food with her for 48 days.


Chandi’s pace makes her the third-fastest female solo skier to complete the solo crossing. Sweden’s Johanna Davidsson holds the record with a time of 38 days, 23 hours, and five minutes, followed by Britain’s Hannah McKeand who completed the journey in just over 39 days. Chandi is also the first person to reach the South Pole on foot in two years, according to The Guardian.


Brig. Elizabeth Faithfull-Davies, commander of 102 Logistic Brigade, said in an official British Army statement that she was “absolutely delighted” to hear of Chandi’s success.


“She is an inspiration to us all and she is a fabulous role model as the first woman of colour to complete this impressive feat. I would like to send her my heartfelt congratulations for this amazing achievement,” Faithfull-Davies said.


Read Next: In ‘14 Peaks,’ Special Operations Vet Smashes Mountaineering Records



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway: Where America's March to Victory Began

The US Navy outwitted and outfought the Imperial Japanese Navy to secure victory in the do-or-die Battle of Midway.

ukraine russia stalemate
Ukraine Tries To End Stalemate; Russia Says It Repelled Attacks

Ukrainian forces were making a major effort to end months of a battlefield stalemate and punch throu...

dad
Mustaches, Short-Shorts, and MP5s: Rad Dad Operators

With Father’s Day rapidly approaching, take a look back at some of the raddest dads to ever walk the planet.

world war II vets utah beach
World War II Veterans Return to Utah Beach To Commemorate D-Day

Dozens of World War II veterans, mostly Americans and British, traveled to Normandy this week to mar...

Pastrana
Wounded Veterans Gather for an Epic Day at Pastranaland

Keeping up his family tradition, action sports legend Travis Pastrana hosted wounded veterans at his 65-acre ‘Pastranaland’ over Memorial Day weekend.

fort bragg fort liberty
Fort Bragg Drops Confederate Namesake for Fort Liberty

Fort Bragg shed its Confederate namesake Friday to become Fort Liberty in a ceremony some veterans s...

father's day
Father’s Day Gift Guide: Don’t Disappoint Your Dad … Again

It’s less than two weeks until Father’s Day, and last-minute gifts for Dad are harder to come by tha...

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved