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Prince Harry South Pole challenge race suspended over safety fears

The race element of the South Pole Challenge which Prince Harry is currently a part of has been suspended due to safety concerns, the director of the challenge has said.

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Ed Parker, the challenge’s director, said: “We always knew that this wasn’t going to be easy, but that is what makes the challenge so exciting. Our aim was to show that despite injury, young men and women from our armed forces can still achieve great things.

“Until now, the three teams have been racing against one another across the Antarctic plateau, but yesterday I took the decision to suspend the race.”

The reason for suspending the race was said to be because of safety concerns after the teams received advice from the doctors and whilst the race has been stopped, the teams aim to work together to get to the finish line instead.

Instead of racing each other, the expedition teams have now come together and will play part in a team effort and as they prepare to make the final push 112km to the finish line, the teams will be camping together each night until they cross the line.

Mr Parker concluded by saying, “By Friday or Saturday next week, I strongly believe that every member of the expedition will be standing on the South Pole, celebrating what will have been the most extraordinary shared journey.”

Prince Harry, as Patron of Walking With the Wounded, has been involved in the South Pole challenge at every step of the way and was present at its launch earlier this year. He was Royal Patron of the charity’s North Pole expedition in 2011 and the assault on Mount Everest the following year, having developed a strong personal relationship with the charity, himself a serving officer in the Blues and Royals, on attachment to the Army Air Corps.

The challenge continues.

photo credit: Walking With The Wounded via photopin cc