UK / Polar Challenges / Expeditions / The Wall in Antarctica / The project

An international team of top level climbers

Alain Hubert, 46 years old, Belgian, climber married with three children. Trained as a civil engineer, cabinet maker and mountain guide, lecturer and technical adviser. Author of the film "antarctica.org" and of two books ("White Hell" and "In the Teeth of the Wind").
Numerous ascents in the Alps including a good number of great classical itineraries.

1983: first ascent of the East ridge of Ama Dablam (with André Georges).
1987: solo attempt, Kanchenjunga (8491 m).
1989: winter attempt, Cho Oyu, SW face (8201 m).
1990: direct ascent, Cho Oyu, North face (8201m).
1991-99: 5 attempts on Everest (without oxygen), North face,South ridge and NNE ridge.
1990-99: ski treks in Spitzbergen, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Antarctica.
1991: ski expedition, 600 km unassisted, with Pierre Dillenbourg and Didier Goetghebuer.
1994: expedition to the Geographical North Pole with Didier Goetghebuer (1100 km unassisted, an unscheduled supply en route).
1995 et 1997: crossing Greenland with skis and parafoils.
1997-98: 3924 km crossing of the entire continent of Antarctica with sails, in 99 days, to this day the greatest crossing ever accomplished on foot and skis with only the help of power sails.

André Georges, Swiss, clirnber, 46-years old, married with three children. Mountain guide and lecturer. Author of two books (Alpine Adventures 1 & 2) and author of four films.
Numerous ascents in the Alps, including a large number of solo winter ascensions (Gogna route on Nez de Zmut -Cervin), North face (Cervin) and fifty or so firsts.
Great linkings in the Alps, including the crossing of the Imperial Column of Dent Blanche at Weisshorn (13 summits in 22h3O), winter crossing of the 4,000 Valaisans (41 summits including 33 of more than 4000 metres, in 18 days with E. Loretan) and 13 North faces in the Bernese Oberland in 12 days.

In the Himalayas :

1st ascent of the East ridge of Ama Dablam with AlainHubert (1983),
Everest (South ridge in 1988),
Two 8000 m (Cho Oyu, 8201 m) and Shisha Pangma (8046 m) in 1993,
Manaslu (8163 m) in 1994,
Daulaghiri (8163 m) in 1996,
Annapurna (8091 m) solo, Lhotse (8511 m) in 1989 and Makalu (8463 m) in 1999.

Daniel Mercier, French, climber. 32 year old bachelor. Trained as a food-processing technician and mountain guide. Technical adviser.

1991-95: Great ascents in the Alps, including the Red Pillar of Brouillard, Drus, Aiguille du Fou, Grand Capucin, pillar of Trois Pointes, Chant du Cygne on the North face of the Eiger,
1995: specialisation in artificial climbing (Haute-Savoie, Verdon,Yosemite).
1996: attempt on Everest (South Ridge). Numerous climbs in Kenya,Tanzania, Equator, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Lapland, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, etc.
1997: in 4 months linking of his first 8a in climbing (Gare au Gourou, Tines, Sixt, Haute-Savoie) and his first 8000, ChoOyu (8201 m).

Fabrizzio Zangrilli, an American living in England, climber and in charge of the film crew, 28 year old bachelor.
Mountain guide, writer, lecturer and consultant.
Has travelled and climbed all over the world (Alps, Alaska, Andes, Rocheuses, Sierra Nevada, Pamir and the Himalayas) summits of 6000, 7000 and 8000 metres, including Manaslu in 1997 (Northwestridge), Cho Oyu in 1998 (NW face), Gasherbrum Il in 1996 (SWridge), an attempt on Everest in 1999 (NNE ridge), Shishapangmain 1999 (South face).
Has accomplished most of the great Alpine routes and achieved several important rock and glacier "firsts".

Ronald Ross

Ronald Ross, Scottish, living in San Francisco, 42 years old, married, Electronics Engineer and Stanford University Student Mentor.
He has operated Amateur Satellite Radio in the remote deserts of Western USA and Mexico, including voice and data contacts with the US Space Shuttle and the Russian Mir Space Station.
He operated Amateur Satellite Radio on two Antarctic trips. In 97/98, satellite radio communications were established from Patriot Hills and on an exploratory skiing expedition in Dronning Maud Land in 99/00. (see www.thistle.org). US call sign KE6JAB.
During this expedition, he will be responsible for the satellite communications between the base camp and HQ.
He will also be deploying a Stanford University Weather Station near the Blue One base camp. This station will transmit weather data which will be relayed by Amateur Satellite to the Internet.

Ralph Dujmovits, German, climber, and in charge of the film crew, 39 year old bachelor, mountain guide, director since 1989 of 'Amicalalpin' (an Expedition and Trekking Agency), technical adviser.
Multiple ascents in the Alps, including most of the classic itineraries.

1999: participated in the live filmed ascent of the North face of theEiger: "Eiger Live".
Many expeditions in the mountains of the world and the Himalayas, including :
1988: Attempt on Makalu (8.481m).
1989 and 96: Nuptse (7879m).
1991: Annapurna (8091m) attempt.
1992: South ridge of Everest (8846m).
1994: K2 (8611m).
1995 and 98: Cho Oyu (8201m).
Antarctica: Several ascents of Mt Vinson (5140m) and Mt Shinn (5030m), 1st ascent of Mt Jumper and Bearstin (Ellsworth Mountains).

René Robert, 39, photograper.
Born in Chamonix, René Robert is an experienced highlander.
As photographer, he as taken part in various mountainering expeditions in the Himalayas and everywhere in the world with famous alpinists such as: J.M. Boivin, C. Destivelle, Jeff Lowe, M. Batard, Eric Decamp, C. Mauduit and M. Siffredi, among others.
Over the years, Robert has specialized in shooting sports involving sliding motion, e. g. skiing, skisurfing, etc.

Jorge Lübbert, 47,cameraman
Born in Chile, Jorge Lübbert is a German citizen and lives since 20 years in Leuven, Belgium. Married with two children, he is a freelance cameramn and reporter.
Lübbert has worked for TV3 Spain and the European Commission amongst others.
He has done several films on Chile.
Nowadays, he works for Alice Production (Brussels) ; he is found of nature, wilderness and mountaineering.

The other members of the team are : Kathelijne Van Heukelom, journalist at Flemish TV VRT who is charge of the press communqiués and will help Ross for the satellite transmissions between base camp and HQ in Brussels, Frenchman Alain Bidart, engineer specialized in fluid mechanics. He will be responsible of the scientific experiments related to the Educational Project.