Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 8, 1995 TAG: 9501090038
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: OSLO, NORWAY LENGTH: Medium
\ The Earth's poles seem to have a magnetic effect on Norwegians, who face cold, hunger and death just so they can ski across the polar wastes until they can't go farther north or south.
Starting with Roald Amundsen, who conquered the South Pole in 1911, through two new record-setters last month, this wintry country of 4.3 million people loves its polar heroes.
The two latest conquests of the points marking the southern and northern ends of the Earth's rotational axis?
Liv Arnesen, 41, who pulled a 264-pound sled for 50 days, reaching the South Pole Dec. 24 as the first woman to ski there alone.
Four days later, Cato Zahl Pedersen, a 35-year-old with no arms, became the first handicapped skier to make the journey, after 54 days on the ice and snow.
Both camped in tents at temperatures as low as minus 40, dragged heavy sleds, crossed dangerous ice and crevasses and suffered constant hunger.
With at least eight expeditions to the poles in four years, an Oslo newspaper joked that marked ski trails will soon be laid out there to accommodate all the Norwegians.
``I think the fascination has a lot to do with tradition. We haven't made world news that often, but when it comes to the poles we have,'' said Sjur Mordre, 31, who has skied to both poles. ``I always dreamed of imitating Amundsen.''
Amundsen beat Robert Scott of Britain in a race to conquer the South Pole. Scott and his team died on their way out.
Cross-country skiing remains the national pastime in this northern country. Everyone understands and respects the danger and rigor of closely followed ski trips to the poles, said Mordre, acting as Pedersen's spokesman.
Arnesen, a former Oslo school teacher, set off Nov. 1 from the Hercules Inlet on her 714-mile trek to the pole. She suffered two frostbitten fingers.
Pedersen and his teammates for the ``Unarmed to the South Pole'' trek - Odd Harald Hauge, 39, and Lars Ebbesen, 37 - started the same day from Berkner Island on an 820-mile trek on a different route.
Pedersen, with 11 Paralympic gold medals for alpine skiing, lost both arms in an accident 22 years ago.
``I've done the trip. I know how hard it is,'' said Mordre. ``And he had to do all the pulling with his legs and hips.''
Mordre had not reached the skiers by radio at the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, but said they were there, cooking and cleaning to earn their keep from the Americans.
Despite appearances, there aren't that many Norwegian expeditions, insisted Erling Kagge, who has both poles and Mount Everest under his belt.
``It just seems that everyone now goes to the poles, because there have been so many expeditions lately,'' he said.
Kagge and Borge Ousland set a record in 1990 by skiing unaided to the North Pole. In 1993, Kagge was first to ski alone and unaided to the South Pole, and last year Ousland matched the feat at the North Pole.
Many others make the treks, but use outside help, such as sled dogs, or supply depots. One Norwegian rode a snowmobile to the North Pole.
There have been few failures.
A century ago, Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen spent nearly three years aboard a ship frozen into the ice floes in an effort to reach the North Pole. A 1993 mission to recover Amundsen's tent from the South Pole was canceled after one expedition member fell into a crevasse and died.
by CNB