Polar Explorer Caroline Côté Makes Way to Hercules Inlet, Antarctica to Launch South Pole Expedition

December 6, 2022

VANCOUVER, CANADA (December 2022) /SPORTSWIRE WOMEN/ – Caroline Côté, a professional adventurer and endurance Helly Hansen athlete, is about to set off on her attempt to become the fastest woman to reach the South Pole on skis, in complete autonomy, 1130 km across Antarctica, in 36 days. The expedition, which is scheduled to begin on Friday, December 9 at the peak of polar summer, would break Johanna Davidsson’s record of 38 days to make the trek.

Fans of Caroline and this herculean task will be able to track her live on this microsite as she crosses the continent beginning at the aptly named Hercules Inlet. The microsite features an interactive map with Caroline’s live location, which will allow her to upload voice updates to her current location on the map thanks to her partnership with Tel-loc Satellite. She plans to upload these as often as possible, dependent on her energy level and other factors such as the weather.

The site also features the Helly Hansen-sponsored micro-series showcasing Caroline’s preparations for the expedition, which took place in Greenland. Trusted by professionals to stay and feel alive, Helly Hansen has supplied much of the apparel and gear that will be essential for Caroline’s success on her journey. Her wardrobe will be anchored by the Odin 9 Worlds Infinity Shell Jacket and the Odin Mountain Infinity 3L Bib Ski Pants. The award-winning jacket and pants are built for adventure, designed with protection, freedom of movement and breathability in mind. Both pieces are equipped with cutting edge LIFA INFINITY PRO™ 3-layer construction, built without chemicals or solvents. The proprietary technology ensures everlasting waterproof protection that does not need to be reactivated or reproofed and is more responsible to produce.

The final preparations to her sled and food for the month-long trek have been made with the help of her husband, polar explorer Vincent Colliard. After two years of planning and fundraising — itself a stressful endeavor — Caroline is looking forward to the routine ahead. “I am so excited to start the movement of skiing each day,” she says, “I like the repetitive eat-ski-sleep-repeat mood of an expedition.”

The expedition represents the culmination of hours of work and collaboration of people, teams and sponsors from around the world, all to set her up as close as possible to success. “Hundreds of people have given their best so I could go to the end,” she explains. “All the details are now under control and I feel confident with all my equipment.” With the set-off date only a couple days away, Caroline is in good spirits.

Caroline arrived at Union Glacier Camp in Ellsworth Land, Antarctica, the only privately-operated logistics and expedition facility in the continent and is now making her way to the starting point on Hercules Inlet. Looking ahead, a specific vision is indelible in Caroline’s imagination. “I have this image in my head of the geographic South Pole that consists of a metallic sphere on a short barber pole, surrounded by the flags of the original Antarctic Treaty signatory states and I just want to see it for real!”

After the expedition, Caroline is planning on sharing her best stories. A podcast in Quebec has also been developed, and she doesn’t rule out a book in her future.

More importantly to her, though, is recognizing the process — the effort and struggle needed to see the expedition through to the end, as it will raise awareness of the mission and activities of expedition partner Protect Our Winters (POW) Canada. “Being nervous would mean making mistakes, and I can’t allow that to happen. I don’t feel really nervous now,” she says, “I feel ready.”

About POW Canada

Founded in Colorado in 2007 by the pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, Protect Our Winters saw its expansion in Canada in 2018. POW Canada is a passionate community of outdoor enthusiasts, professional athletes and industry brands uniting to advocate for policy solutions to climate change. They believe our love of adventure in nature demands our participation in the fight to save and protect it.

POW Canada’s vision is for all communities and outdoor playgrounds to be healthy, safe, and resilient to a changing climate. They envision a future where we’ve transformed our economy and energy systems and cut our carbon emissions in-line with science-based targets the world agreed to in the Paris Climate Agreement.

To learn more about POW Canada or join their community, visit www.protectourwinters.ca.

About Helly Hansen

Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to develop professional grade apparel that helps people stay and feel alive.  Through insights drawn from living and working in the world’s harshest environments, the company has developed a long list of first-to-market innovations, including the first supple waterproof fabrics more than 140 years ago. Other breakthroughs include the first fleece fabrics in the 1960s, the first technical base layers in the 1970s, made with LIFA® Stay Dry technology, the patented H2Flow™ temperature regulating system, and the revolutionary lighter, warmer LIFALOFT™ insulation. Building on Helly Hansen’s proprietary HELLY TECH® waterproof/breathable system, the technical outdoor brand has most recently introduced the award-winning LIFA INFINITY PRO™ – the company’s most innovative and responsible waterproof/breathable technology to date.

Helly Hansen is a leader in technical sailing and performance ski apparel, as well as premium workwear. Its uniforms are worn and trusted by more than 55,000 professionals and can be found on Olympians, National Teams, and at more than 200 ski resorts and mountain guiding operations globally.

Helly Hansen’s outerwear, base layers, sportswear and footwear are sold in more than 40 countries around the world and the company is owned by Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). To learn more about Helly Hansen’s latest collections, visit www.hellyhansen.com.

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