Explorers Grand Slam
The Explorers Grand Slam is an adventurers challenge to reach the north and south pole and climb the Seven Summits.
The original concept involved the polar trips starting from accepted coastal points, involving long sledging journeys. Over time the significantly shorter, easier and less serious 'Last Degree' polar trips - from 89 degrees to the pole (at 90 degrees) - have been claimed as the Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree). Currently, the climbing community and other leading organizations including the American Alpine Club, The Explorers Club, climbing companies such as International Mountain Guides, and the popular press all define the Explorers Grand Slam as having accomplished the Seven Summits plus (at a minimum - the last degree of) the North and South Poles. There is some consensus that a True Explorers Grand Slam means one will also has summitted all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. Likewise, there is some consensus that a True Adventurers Grand Slam is achieved by also visiting the magnetic north and south poles.
David Hempleman-Adams became the first to complete a True Adventurers Grand Slam in 1998.[1] In April 2005, Park Young Seok completed a True Explorers Grand Slam.[2] In 2011, former Wales rugby union international Richard Parks became the first person ever to complete the (Last Degrees) Grand Slam within a single calendar year, doing so within seven months.[3] Cheryl Bart is the first Australian female and the 31st person worldwide to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam. She completed the North Pole on 22 April 2013 AEST.[4][5] Vanessa O'Brien became the first woman to complete the (Last Degree) Grand Slam under a single calendar year, doing so in eleven months.[6][7]
In 2014 Ryan Waters became the first American to complete "True Adventurers Grand Slam" by skiing full length, unsupported and unassisted North and South Pole expeditions and climbing the seven summits.
On 21 April 2015 Tashi Malik and Nungshi Malik became world's first twins and siblings as well as first South Asians to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (last degree). Achieving the feat at 24 years, they also became the youngest persons ever to complete it.
An attempt is currently underway by a team led by former Parachute Regiment officer Captain Martin Hewitt to be the first ever disabled team to complete the Explorers Grand Slam unsupported. Coined the Adaptive Grand Slam they are on course to complete it in 2016.[8] He is joined by fellow 'ex-Para' Terry Byrne and former US Ranger Matt Nyman. All were severely injured whilst serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Colin O'Brady began an attempt to complete the Explorers Grand Slam in January 2016.[9]
Maria (Masha) Gordon completed Explorers Grand Slam on May 19 2016 and is currently challenging the fastest female record by reclimbing Denali.
Contents
People who completed The Explorers Grand Slam
- David Hempleman-Adams
- Erling Kagge
- Fyodor Konyukhov
- Heo Young-Ho
- Park Young Seok
- Bernard Voyer[10]
- Cecilie Skog
- Maxime Chaya
- Andrew Benyo[11]
- Stuart Smith
- Haraldur Olafsson (SP non-Coastal)
- Khoo Swee Chiow (SP non-Coastal)
- Mostafa Salameh (NP non-Coastal)[12]
People who completed The Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree)
- Sean Disney
- Vaughan de la Harpe
- Sibusiso Vilane
- Arthur Marsden
- Andrew Van Der Velde
- Will Cross
- Lei Wang
- Neil Laughton[13]
- Jo Gambi
- Rob Gambi
- Alison Levine
- Randall Peeters
- Wang Yongfeng
- Ci Luo
- Liu Jian
- Wang Shi
- Zhong Jianmin
- Jin Feibao
- Wang Qiuyang
- Suzanne K Nance
- Richard Parks
- Andrea Cardona
- John Dahlem
- Matthew Holt
- Arnold Witzig
- Len Stanmore[14]
- Cheryl Bart
- Vanessa O'Brien[6][7]
- Sebastian Merriman
- Tashi Malik [15][16]
- Nungshi Malik [15][16]
- Omar Samra [17]
- Maria (Masha) Gordon
- Colin O'Brady
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.