All news: 20 December 2010

Tomorrow a representative delegation leaves Mendoza in the direction of Aconcagua. It is a team from Belgium, consisting of about 30 people. Among them, the most senior official person of the country for this moment. It is the Prime Minister of Flanders, 48-year old Kris Peeters.

The expedition set  the task to climb Aconcagua.  15 members of the team in one or another way are affected by asthma. Actually, the main goal -it is  not even the climbing. This is a demonstration to all the people whose lives are complicated by the different diseases that an active lifestyle, sports - it's not just possible,  they need it.

In airport

By the way, Mr Peeters is a great friend of Russia. He was elected an honorary doctor of MGIMO University of Russia, often visiting in our country. The last time in October, Mr. Peeters held talks in St. Petersburg with the local authorities. As always, he came with a mass of concrete and constructive proposals.

Kris Peeters is not particularly fond of climbing, to his credit is only an ascent of Mont Blanc. He is known as the past athlete and a big fan of cycling. Until 2004 Peuters with his economic and philosophical education, worked in various business communities, including at European level. In 2004 he became minister of the environment in Flanders, and quickly became famous due his courage, radicalism and consistency. Proclaiming the highest standards in Europe, environmental protection, he did not leave it in words. Therefore, Mr. Peeters became in 2007 the prime minister of Flanders.

Among asthmatics participating in the expedition, only three have climbing experience. Others, primarily engaged in cyclic sports. Undoubtedly, the most important part of the team are physicians, as well as video operator. In short, it is a solid event and, as usual, they use money collected for charitable purposes.

We wish you success, my friends!

Moscow: An honorary doctor of MGIMO University of Russia, in international relations

Alexander Abramov, from Antarctica (the message was sent in the late evening on December, 19 at Chilean time). 15th of December our team have returned to the base by a plane, from the pole to the Union Glacier camp. On December, 16 a new team arrived: Anatoly Ezhov, Andrey Podolyan, Dmitry Kolotiy. And an Ukrainian team led by Sergei Kovalev, with whom we will work in parallel. And literally on the same evening, 16th of December we went by plane to Vinson Base Camp. It was too much overloaded freight this day, as a result, Anatoly Yezhov felt pain in his back. On December 17 the whole team, except Ezhov, went on acclimatization outing with sleds.

... Yesterday, the 18-th, we tried to get to the assault (High) camp and pull a part of our materials. But the weather was bad, we did not succeed, and we left part of materials on the way. We made a hole and left it there. Today we have reached in the high camp and left half of materials needed for climbing assault .... Link  was broken

 FORMER  rugby star Richard Parks has made it to the Antarctic in the first leg of his mammoth challenge to climb the highest peaks in all seven continents and reach the three poles in seven months.  Parks left Cardiff Bay on December 12, flying to Punta Arenas in Chile for a connecting flight to Patriot Hills, Antarctica, where he began his trek to the South Pole on Thursday. On Friday he made it to the Union Glacier base camp with temperatures at minus 12, and is expected to reach the South Pole around December 27.

He will spend Christmas Day trekking in temperatures of minus 30 and head winds of up to 30 knots.

Parks will then have to camp out at the pole over the New Year, because he has to reach all nine peaks and poles in the same calendar year for his challenge to count as a world first. Parks aims to raise £1 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care with his record-breaking attempt.

After the South Pole, he will across the Antarctic to climb Mount Vinson, which stands at 4,897 metres.

The seven summits Parks will tackle over the next seven months are Vinson Massif in Antarctica, Aconcagua in Argentina, South America, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, Carstensz in Indonesia, Australasia, Mount Everest in Nepal, Asia, Denali in the USA, and Elbrus in Russia representing Europe.

The three poles are the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Everest. You can follow Parks at

                                                         737challenge.com

The latest update from Richard in Antarctica

19TH DECEMBER 2010

 Weather bad, low visibility, we can’t fly for another 2 days to 89 degrees to start. On a trial expedition for 2 nights around Union Glacier base camp. All good.

17TH DECEMBER 2010

 In Union Glacier base camp. One guy has dropped out already with frostbite, now only 4 of us. Here at Union Glacier base camp its -12 but at 89 degrees south its -30 with a 30 knot plus headwind.

16TH DECEMBER 2010

 We're on standby to fly today, waiting for the weather window. We have to be ready to leave in half an hour. More patience and waiting!!

I'm in a team of 4 to ski to the pole. Facts - the pole is on NZ time, GMT +13 and Union Glacier is Chile time gmt-4! The average temp in the last degree over the last week ahs been -26 degrees C and at Union Glacier it's been between -15 and -5c air temp. The pole is at around 3000m so we have to battle altitude acclimatisation when we get dropped at 89 degrees. Frostbite of the face is the highest risk as we're skiing into a head wind, which can reduce the wind chill considerably, down to the -40 region! That combined with the sticky dry snow and heavy loads is why physically it's so tough - a marathon a day!

15TH DECEMBER 2010

 I've negotiated all the airports, transfers, customs, time differences, de-briefing meetings, bag weighing, breakfasts and an almost complete lack of Spanish to be here in Punta ready to fly on to Antarctica tomorrow, weather window permitting!

 I've met 2 of my 3 other team mates for the last degree, the fourth is still stuck in Santiago waiting for his lost gear! They're cool.

 I had my de-brief today which was awesome and has sharpened my mind somewhat. To be sat in a room with so many great explorers, mountaineers and scientists was really cool. I've met some old and new faces already.

 All my gear is sweet, in fact I'm 6kgs UNDER my allowed limit on to Antarctica which is refreshing in light of my lucky escape at Heathrow!

 Speak soon

 Rich.