Longest unassisted trek

Three adventurers embark on expedition to raise awareness of climate change

A trio of adventurers has embarked on the longest unassisted trek in history in order to raise awareness of the effects of man's wasteful way of living.

Canadian adventures Devon McDiarmid and Derek Crowe have teamed up with record breaking British UAE-based adventurer Adrian Hayes, the fastest man to reach all three poles in succession (North, South & Everest), for the two-month expedition.

The team will use the power of the wind to kite ski and haul 150kg sleds from the Atlantic Ocean on the south coast of Greenland to the Arctic Ocean on the north coast.

The 3,500km route, the equivalent of travelling from London to Cairo, has never been attempted before. However the team is not interested in breaking records or completing the physical extreme challenge. Mr Hayes said:  “The stark facts are we are consuming natural resources at a rate 30% greater than they can be regenerated by the planet.

“Our Greenland 4 a Green Land message is intended to highlight these issues and challenge people to consider how we can all get back on track.

“The melting Greenland ice cap is the most visible warning on our planet if we don’t – to potentially severe consequences for our children"

Aside from the extreme fitness regimes of running, cycling, weight training, hiking and climbing, the team's 18-month programme included tyre pulling for three to five hours every other day and intensive skiing and kiting practice.

The trip is being sponsored by several UAE based organisations, including the UAE’s largest bank, Emirates NBD, which is the title sponsors of the Emirates NBD Greenland Quest, as well as Emirates Airlines and The National newspaper.