Exploit d’un Américain, premier à traverser l’Antarctique en solo et sans assistance (photos)

Près de 1.600 kilomètres en 54 jours, en solo et sans assistance: un Américain est le premier à avoir accompli cet exploit de traverser dans ces conditions extrêmes les terres glacées de l’Antarctique.

« Je suis parvenu à mon objectif: devenir la première personne de l’histoire à traverser le continent Antarctique d’une côte à l’autre, en solo, sans assistance et sans aide », a écrit Colin O’Brady, un ancien triathlète professionnel de 33 ans, sur son compte Instagram.

1.0Day 54: FINISH LINE!!! I did it! The Impossible First ✅. 32 hours and 30 minutes after leaving my last camp early Christmas morning, I covered the remaining ~80 miles in one continuous “Antarctica Ultramarathon” push to the finish line. The wooden post in the background of this picture marks the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, where Antarctica’s land mass ends and the sea ice begins. As I pulled my sled over this invisible line, I accomplished my goal: to become the first person in history to traverse the continent of Antarctica coast to coast solo, unsupported and unaided. While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced. I was locked in a deep flow state the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey. I’m delirious writing this as I haven’t slept yet. There is so much to process and integrate and there will be many more posts to acknowledge the incredible group of people who supported this project. But for now, I want to simply recognize my #1 who I, of course, called immediately upon finishing. I burst into tears making this call. I was never alone out there. @jennabesaw you walked every step with me and guided me with your courage and strength. WE DID IT!! We turned our dream into reality and proved that The Impossible First is indeed possible. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela.
#TheImpossibleFirst #BePossiblecolinobradyhttps://www.instagram.com/colinobrady18060817361943117747124575495_1806081736Instagramhttps://www.instagram.comrich658

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Day 54: FINISH LINE!!! I did it! The Impossible First ✅. 32 hours and 30 minutes after leaving my last camp early Christmas morning, I covered the remaining ~80 miles in one continuous “Antarctica Ultramarathon” push to the finish line. The wooden post in the background of this picture marks the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, where Antarctica’s land mass ends and the sea ice begins. As I pulled my sled over this invisible line, I accomplished my goal: to become the first person in history to traverse the continent of Antarctica coast to coast solo, unsupported and unaided. While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced. I was locked in a deep flow state the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey. I’m delirious writing this as I haven’t slept yet. There is so much to process and integrate and there will be many more posts to acknowledge the incredible group of people who supported this project. But for now, I want to simply recognize my #1 who I, of course, called immediately upon finishing. I burst into tears making this call. I was never alone out there. @jennabesaw you walked every step with me and guided me with your courage and strength. WE DID IT!! We turned our dream into reality and proved that The Impossible First is indeed possible. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela. #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossible

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Dec 26, 2018 at 12:55pm PST

https://scontent-cdg2-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/e47992f0284f79b0578439ecba4d37c2/5C9F77D3/t51.2885-15/e35/s480x480/47271744_374881776652009_6831896918317851378_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-cdg2-1.cdninstagram.com480343

Pour ajouter un exploit à ce qui en était déjà un, il a parcouru les 125 derniers kilomètres d’une traite. Après trente-deux heures, sans dormir, il est arrivé mercredi à destination. C’est en prenant son petit-déjeuner de Noël qu’il s’est lancé cet ultime défi. « Alors que je faisais bouillir mon eau pour mon porridge, une question quasi impossible s’est posée: est-ce que je pourrais pousser d’un seul coup jusqu’à la fin? », a-t-il raconté sur Instagram. « Au moment où j’ai lacé mes chaussures, ce plan impossible était devenu un but bien concret », a-t-il ajouté.

1.0Day 53: THE BIG PUSH: ANTARCTICA ULTRAMARATHON. I woke up this morning about 80 miles away from the finish line. As I was boiling water for my morning oatmeal, a seemingly impossible question popped into my head. I wonder, would be possible to do one straight continuous push all the way to the end? By the time I was lacing up my boots the impossible plan had become a solidified goal. I’m going to go for it. I can feel it in my body that I am in the zone and want to harness that. It’s a rare and precious feeling to find the flow. I’m going to push on and try to finish all 80 miles to the end in one go. Currently, I am 18 hours and 48 miles into the push. I’m taking a pit stop now to melt more water before I continue on. I’m listening to my body and taking care of the details to keep myself safe. I called home and talked to my mom, sister and wife – I promised them I will stop when I need to. Only 35 more miles to make The Impossible First POSSIBLE. A very merry Christmas to all. Stay tuned…
#TheImpossibleFirst #BePossiblecolinobradyhttps://www.instagram.com/colinobrady18060817361942660676721143898_1806081736Instagramhttps://www.instagram.comrich658

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Day 53: THE BIG PUSH: ANTARCTICA ULTRAMARATHON. I woke up this morning about 80 miles away from the finish line. As I was boiling water for my morning oatmeal, a seemingly impossible question popped into my head. I wonder, would be possible to do one straight continuous push all the way to the end? By the time I was lacing up my boots the impossible plan had become a solidified goal. I’m going to go for it. I can feel it in my body that I am in the zone and want to harness that. It’s a rare and precious feeling to find the flow. I’m going to push on and try to finish all 80 miles to the end in one go. Currently, I am 18 hours and 48 miles into the push. I’m taking a pit stop now to melt more water before I continue on. I’m listening to my body and taking care of the details to keep myself safe. I called home and talked to my mom, sister and wife – I promised them I will stop when I need to. Only 35 more miles to make The Impossible First POSSIBLE. A very merry Christmas to all. Stay tuned… #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossible

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Dec 25, 2018 at 9:47pm PST

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Pendant toute son aventure, qui l’a fait traverser l’Antarctique du nord au sud, il était traqué par GPS et les détails de son aventure ont été publiés chaque jour sur son site, colinobrady.com.

Course à deux

Equipé de skis de fond, il a tiré sa pulka -une sorte de traîneau transportant toutes ses provisions et son matériel- qui pesait tout compris 180 kilos.

1.0Day 19: PRISTINE BEAUTY. Today during a break, an empty plastic bag slipped out of my hands and got caught by the wind. Having been raised with a Leave No Trace ethic in the outdoors, I instinctively unclipped from my harness and took off running through the deep snow after the bag. After about 100 meters I finally dove into the snow and grabbed it. There is nothing like the untouched beauty of this place it would break my heart to think about polluting it even just a tiny bit. Then something really interesting happened. I looked back at my sled and I immediately felt panicked. Like a sailor thrown overboard out at sea, looking back at my sled from 100 meters away, I realized this was the furthest I have been from my “life raft” since I began. I’m never more than the length of my harness rope away from it. My fear was completely irrational of course as there was nothing wrong with stepping away. But the perspective looking back made me realize that my sled has begun to feel an extension of myself, albeit heavy, it’s equipped with everything I need to survive out here. I guess with no loving things around, I’ve grown a deep attachment to an inanimate object. #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossiblecolinobradyhttps://www.instagram.com/colinobrady18060817361917871909292721803_1806081736Instagramhttps://www.instagram.comrich658

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Day 19: PRISTINE BEAUTY. Today during a break, an empty plastic bag slipped out of my hands and got caught by the wind. Having been raised with a Leave No Trace ethic in the outdoors, I instinctively unclipped from my harness and took off running through the deep snow after the bag. After about 100 meters I finally dove into the snow and grabbed it. There is nothing like the untouched beauty of this place it would break my heart to think about polluting it even just a tiny bit. Then something really interesting happened. I looked back at my sled and I immediately felt panicked. Like a sailor thrown overboard out at sea, looking back at my sled from 100 meters away, I realized this was the furthest I have been from my “life raft” since I began. I’m never more than the length of my harness rope away from it. My fear was completely irrational of course as there was nothing wrong with stepping away. But the perspective looking back made me realize that my sled has begun to feel an extension of myself, albeit heavy, it’s equipped with everything I need to survive out here. I guess with no loving things around, I’ve grown a deep attachment to an inanimate object. #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossible

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Nov 21, 2018 at 4:56pm PST

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Il a pris le départ du campement de Union Glacier le 3 novembre en compagnie de Louis Rudd, un militaire britannique de 49 ans. Les deux hommes, qui tentaient chacun d’être le premier à accomplir ce périple en solo et sans assistance, ont ensuite cheminé séparément. Si l’Anglais a un temps fait la course en tête, c’est finalement l’Américain qui a franchi la ligne d’arrivée en premier.

1.0Day 1: THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE! After years of dreaming and planning, today I left Union Glacier on this twin otter plane and got dropped off all alone on the sea ice at the coast of Antarctica to begin my journey to cross the continent solo, unsupported and unaided. When the plane dropped me off and flew away, the first thing I noticed was the quiet. Wow! I’ve never felt quite so small. Full of emotion, excitement and perhaps a little intimidated by the task at hand, I loaded up my sled, slipped on my harness and took my first steps South toward the Pole. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…” A saying has never before been quite so apropos. #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossiblecolinobradyhttps://www.instagram.com/colinobrady18060817361904836416959350687_1806081736Instagramhttps://www.instagram.comrich658

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Day 1: THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE! After years of dreaming and planning, today I left Union Glacier on this twin otter plane and got dropped off all alone on the sea ice at the coast of Antarctica to begin my journey to cross the continent solo, unsupported and unaided. When the plane dropped me off and flew away, the first thing I noticed was the quiet. Wow! I’ve never felt quite so small. Full of emotion, excitement and perhaps a little intimidated by the task at hand, I loaded up my sled, slipped on my harness and took my first steps South toward the Pole. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…” A saying has never before been quite so apropos. #TheImpossibleFirst #BePossible

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Nov 3, 2018 at 6:16pm PDT

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Passé par le pôle Sud le 12 décembre, Colin O’Brady a fini son périple mercredi sur la barrière de Ross, au bord de l’océan Pacifique. Louis Rudd se trouve un jour ou deux derrière lui. « Même si les dernières 32 heures ont été certaines des plus exigeantes heures de ma vie, elles ont en toute honnêteté été certains des meilleurs moments que j’aie jamais vécus », a relevé l’Américain.

Gravement brûlé, sur un quart de la surface de son corps, dans un accident en Thaïlande en 2008, les médecins lui avaient alors dit qu’il pourrait ne plus jamais remarcher normalement, raconte la biographie de son site. « J’étais dans un profond état second, à la fois concentré sur l’objectif final tout en laissant mon esprit revenir sur les considérables enseignements de ce voyage », a-t-il ajouté. « Je délire un peu en écrivant ça parce que je n’ai pas encore dormi ».

1.0Day 49: PEACEFUL WARRIOR. When I was 9 years old, my Mom read aloud to me the book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman @danmillmanpw . It was a seminal moment for me that continues to have deep ripple effects on my life today. I woke up to the wind storm still hammering my tent, but the peaceful warrior that lives inside of me was also awakened. Immediately as I opened my eyes and unzipped my sleeping bag, a deep strength overcame me and I knew today would be special, despite the constant 40mph wind gusts and -25 temperature. I tapped into one of the deepest flow states of my life for the next 13 hours and made my furthest distance of the entire expedition. 33.1 miles!! It’s amazing tapping into this deep inner peace and strength, but let me be clear; I am not unique in this ability. We all have reservoirs of untapped potential and our bodies and spirits are capable of so much more than lies on the surface. Believe that the next time you need more strength than you think you have, it’s inside of you. I promise. #TheImpossibleFirst #letsbepossibletogethercolinobradyhttps://www.instagram.com/colinobrady18060817361939655030346279901_1806081736Instagramhttps://www.instagram.comrich658

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Day 49: PEACEFUL WARRIOR. When I was 9 years old, my Mom read aloud to me the book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman @danmillmanpw . It was a seminal moment for me that continues to have deep ripple effects on my life today. I woke up to the wind storm still hammering my tent, but the peaceful warrior that lives inside of me was also awakened. Immediately as I opened my eyes and unzipped my sleeping bag, a deep strength overcame me and I knew today would be special, despite the constant 40mph wind gusts and -25 temperature. I tapped into one of the deepest flow states of my life for the next 13 hours and made my furthest distance of the entire expedition. 33.1 miles!! It’s amazing tapping into this deep inner peace and strength, but let me be clear; I am not unique in this ability. We all have reservoirs of untapped potential and our bodies and spirits are capable of so much more than lies on the surface. Believe that the next time you need more strength than you think you have, it’s inside of you. I promise. #TheImpossibleFirst #letsbepossibletogether

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on Dec 21, 2018 at 6:15pm PST

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Le New York Times a qualifié son exploit d' »un des plus remarquables dans l’histoire polaire », à comparer à la « course pour le pôle Sud » qui a opposé le Norvégien Roald Amundsen au Britannique Robert Falcon en 1911.Né à Portland, dans l’Oregon (nord-ouest des Etats-Unis), Colin O’Brady a fait des études d’économie à la prestigieuse université de Yale, où il faisait partie de l’équipe de natation, selon son site internet.

En 1996-1997, l’explorateur norvégien Borge Ousland avait été le premier à traverser le continent blanc en solo, mais il avait été aidé par un « parafoil » (un cerf-volant ressemblant à un parapente). D’autres aventuriers ont eux été ravitaillés en cours de route. Le lieutenant-colonel britannique Henry Worsley a trouvé la mort en 2016 en essayant de tra erser l’Antarctique seul et sans assistance. D’autres ont fait demi-tour.

Colin O’Brady n’en est pas à son premier record. En 2016, il avait escaladé les sommets les plus élevés des sept continents, dont l’Everest, en 132 jours, ce qui a fait de lui le plus rapide « grimpeur des sept sommets ».

1.0Colin O’Brady on top of the world! The summit of Mt. Everest – May 19, 2016. #GoBeyondcolinobradyhttps://www.instagram.com/colinobrady18060817361254475418516006744_1806081736Instagramhttps://www.instagram.comrich658

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Colin O'Brady on top of the world! The summit of Mt. Everest – May 19, 2016. #GoBeyond

A post shared by Colin O'Brady (@colinobrady) on May 20, 2016 at 10:25am PDT

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