Explore More - Epic Expedtions

LIV ARNESEN and ANN

LIV ARNESEN and ANN BANCROFT We catch up with the dynamic explorer duo Esteemed explorers Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft are both ceremonial godmothers to the new Viking expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. A native Norwegian, Liv became the first woman in the world to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole in 1994, while Ann is the first woman to successfully ski to both poles. Together, they became the first women to sail and ski across Antarctica in 2001 and cofounded Bancroft Arnesen Explore, a sustainability education initiative. Did you both dream of becoming explorers from an early age? Liv: I had the idea after reading a book about the first man to ski to the South Pole when I was eight years old. I loved skiing since I was around three, when I got my first skis. Ann: I grew up in a rural setting so adventure was always out the back door. As always, Liv was a little bit ahead of me—I came across a book on my parent’s bookshelf by Ernest Shackleton and that is when my world really opened up in terms of dreaming of the far reaches of the globe. We both had parents who nurtured those dreams and really gave us that sense that the world was our oyster. I think that as young girls, that was really critical in being able to do what we have been able to do in our lives. Ann, how did it feel during your first polar expedition as the only woman in a team of seven men and 50 male dogs? I have been so fortunate; I am still friends with everybody on that team. They were like my brothers, but I did find there was this subtle undercurrent of sexism that society teaches all of us, male and female. My next expedition in 1992 to the South Pole was all women. I think there is so much more work to be done for gender equity, and there is 108 VIKING.COM EXPLORE MORE

FEATURE no better way to do it than to follow your own passion. both did this silly activity for about four hours at a time. Is this type of exploring about physical strength or mental strength? Liv: I think everybody can get strong enough to ski to the pole, but the mental side is harder. Because if nothing goes to plan, you have to be prepared to handle the bad weather and the unexpected. Ann: The outdoor arena really focuses you on how much your sled weighs and how many miles you do each day. Those things are important elements, but it is that mental toughness that is going to get you through it. Working as a team becomes the winning factor. How did you come together? Liv: I had previously skied to the South Pole, but at that time, I was a high school teacher. Ann wrote me a letter asking if I wanted to ski across Antarctica and use the expedition to promote the trip in an educational way to show that you can fulfill your dreams. How did you train? Ann: We strapped three car tires together and got our ski poles out in the summertime, because if you are training in the Northern Hemisphere, there is no snow. So, we Did you experience any dangerous moments? Liv: We actually had a really good expedition. The glacier was the scariest part because the snow had melted, and usually, the crevasses are filled with snow. It was windy, so we could hardly hear each other, so there was a bit of chaos. But you move slowly when it is dangerous, and you are prepared for anything. What was it like approaching the South Pole? Liv: There is a huge scientific station, with tractors, cars, an airstrip, buildings . . . It looks like an international airport. Ann: There is actually a pole, unlike at the North Pole where there is nothing there. It is a special place where the lines of longitude come together. How do you both feel to be Viking godmothers? Liv: We are very honored to be part of the Viking family. Ann: Wherever Viking goes, it encourages a sense of curiosity that does not age. We are lifelong learners, and it is such an adventure to see all parts of the globe that we live on. Viking enables so many people to do that, and I feel honored to be a part of that. Did your relationship change after your expedition? Liv: I think we realized that we will be friends for life, and when you are on such a project, you realize what is important and what is not. Ann: My relationship with Liv gets deeper and deeper each year, and it has been a grand adventure for 20 years. We are very fortunate in that regard. No Horizon Is So Far: Two Women and Their Historic Journey Across Antarctica is published by the University of Minnesota Press. To follow Liv and Ann’s future educational projects online, visit bancroftarnesen.eco. Go online: To watch the full interview with explorers Liv and Ann, visit Viking.TV. Counterclockwise, from top of facing page: Ann pulling her sled in Antarctica; Liv and Ann; flying their respective national flags at the South Pole; extreme conditions due to the polar winds EXPLORE MORE VIKING.COM 109