21-year old marine biology student Henry Evans was awarded the final position on the team after months of training and tests. As part of the selection process, Evans underwent a battery of physical and mental tests and worked hard to get into the best condition possible. He has also learned to pull a heavy sledge, loaded down with gear and equipment, all in preparation for the expedition that will get underway in 2012.
Unlike most Antarctic excursions, the International Scott Centenary Expedition does not intend to go to the South Pole. Instead, the team, led by veteran explorer Antony Jinman, will travel 300 miles across the ice to return to the exact spot where Scott, and his remaining team members. The men were returning from the South Pole at the time, ended up getting caught in a week long blizzard, and perished just 11 miles away from a life-saving supply depot. Their bodies were discovered months later, but a 100 years on, and the legacy of Scott continues to loom over Antarctic exploration.
When The Telegraph announced it was going to award an open position on the team to one of its readers, hundreds of people applied to be a part of the expedition. After weeks of scrutiny, the candidates were eventually narrowed down to ten finalists this past April. Over the weeks that followed, more of them were washed out by the rigorous demands of the training process, and by early November, when they let for a training exercise in Norway, there were just four candidates still standing. On that trip, Evans rose to the top, beating out the other three, and earning a spot on the team for next year.
Some people like to win trips to the Caribbean or Europe. I'll take this Antarctic journey instead.