Major Accomplishments

2004-05 : The Invesco Perpetual Challenge. An expedition formed by two teams. The two teams start on opposite sides of the Antarctic continent. The ski team beginning its 1,600km journey at the bottom of one of the world's largest glaciers (Axel Heiberg in Trans-Antarctic Mountains) and then, dragging 200lb sledges, pass through the mighty Trans-Antarctic Mountains before reaching the South Pole. The 4x4 team supposed to start from Patriot Hills to reach SP and film the second leg of the ski team SP -> Patriot Hills. But vehicles never made the journey. The skiers team (Patrick Woodhead, Paul Landry, Alastair Vere Nicoll and David de Rothschild) arrived at SP on December 22nd and depart for PH few days later. On Wednesday January 12th, the Invesco Perpetual Challenge team successfully completes a coast to coast traverse of the Antarctic continent via the Axel Heiberg glacier.
The crossing marks the end of a 58 days journey (1 650km traverse of Antarctica) ; the team achieves the first coast to coast manhauling traverse from the Ross Ice shelf - via the Trans-Antarctic Mountains and the South Pole - to the Ronnie ice shelf on Antarctica's western perimeters. Our coverage.

Background

At the age of 28, Patrick has just released his first book with Hodder & Stoughton called “Misadventures in a White Desert.” The book concerns his last expedition to Antarctica, where Patrick and his three team-mates, became the fastest and youngest British team to ever reach the South Pole.

After studying Ancient History at Bristol University, Patrick moved to Namibia and worked on a rhino conservation project near the Namib Desert. Using helicopters and specially modified trucks, he was part of a team which tracked, darted and trans-located the rhino to new conservation areas. Whilst in Africa, Patrick also spent time diving with Great White Sharks in Dyer Island helped with Cheetah conservation projects near the Waterberg Plateau.

Upon returning to the UK, he was part of an expedition to the remote Republic of Krygyzstan in Central Asia. With three close friends the team summitted nine previously unclimbed mountains, even naming one after their patron Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

In November 2003, Patrick sailed across the Atlantic in the Arc Race, where he and the team managed to break the record for the fastest ever time. He has just returned from two months in Eastern Tibet, where he managed to access the restricted river gorges along the Burmese border and summit two mountains that were previously unclimbed.