Preet Chandi: Woman's two polar world records confirmed

A British Army officer has had two world records she broke in the course of an Antarctic trek confirmed by Guinness World Records (GWR).

Preet Chandi, known as Polar Preet, has not only surpassed the world record for the longest polar ski expedition by a woman, but also the overall record.

A GWR spokeswoman said Capt Chandi, from Derby, had taken 70 days and 16 hours to do her polar ski trek.

Capt Chandi described the expedition as "the toughest thing" she has ever done.

She first made history trekking to the South Pole in 2021.

Her latest journey, from the Hercules Inlet to the Reedy Glacier, took place between 13 November and 23 January.

GWR confirmed she had broken the world record for both the longest solo unsupported one-way polar ski journey for a woman and also the longest solo unsupported one-way polar ski journey.

The spokeswoman added: "Chandi was seeking to become the first woman to ski across the Antarctic continent from coast to coast, but due to bad weather had to end the journey about 160 kilometres (100 miles) inland."

Capt Chandi, 33, exceeded the previous world record of 907 miles (1,459.8km), set by Henry Worsley, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, in 2015.

He was picked up from the ice 126 miles (202km) short of completing a crossing of Antarctica and, following illness, lost his life in hospital in Chile.

During the expedition, she covered 922 miles (1,485km) in 70 days and 16 hours, despite difficult conditions.

She said: "It feels incredible to have travelled such a distance, though it was always about so much more than a record.

"It was a lot tougher than last year's expedition - the toughest thing I've ever done.

"I'm disappointed I ran out of time to make the crossing of Antarctica, but I did everything I could."

Capt Chandi said she had not yet thought about whether she would attempt the crossing again.

She added she was looking forward to having time to recover.

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Polar Preet