ARCTIC OCEAN 2000

The World’s First and only Unsupported Crossing of the Arctic Ocean

Rune Gjeldnes & Torry Larsen

Arctic Ocean 2000 is an exceptional account of an exceptional expedition. The world’s first successful unsupported crossing of the Arctic Ocean. It’s been called the world’s worst skiing trip, the last challenge of the great classic in the Polar Regions. A 2000 kilometers adventure through the most inhospitable landscape in the world, on the constantly changing pack ice drifting across the Arctic Ocean over 5000 meter deep, paddling their sledges across open water, climbing through pack ice rubble and pressure ridges in a chilling wind and temperatures down to –45 ºC. 17 international expeditions have attempted this trek. None have succeeded.

Rune Gjeldnes and Torry Larsen, both Norwegian Navy Seals since 1992 and under contract to the Royal Norwegian Navy, they started out from Cape Arcticheskyt in Siberia on 16 February, 2000, with 400 kilos divided on four special sledges of their own design, ready for their battle with the elements. When they reached the Geographical North Pole, they were halfway there. After 109 days they landed on Cape Discovery in Northen Canada with no food left, no water left, totally exhausted and weighing 53.2 kilos less than when they started. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

TV2 and Artic Ocean 2000 (Norwegian)