"From the North East, sponsored by North East companies and showing stacks of "Northern Spirit" the team of four aim to take on the winter challenges of Lake Baikal"
CONRAD DICKINSON - Expedition Leader
Conrad 51, is the first Brit to complete the "Polar Grand Slam" unsupported i.e. Cross Greenland 2003 (28 days), South Pole and back 2004/5 - 72 days (using kites) and North Pole 2006 (52 days). He has been on over 30 expeditions including Iceland, Greenland, Yukon, Spitzbergan and Norway. He specialised in Arctic Warfare whilst a Junior Officer in the British Army. He loves nothing better than fell running in the wild moorlands of Northumberland.
HILARY DICKINSON
Hilary 53, has crossed Greenland unsupported and is the first woman to have travelled unsupported to the South Pole and back (using power kites). She thrives on outdoor life and has been a runner for 25 years, enjoying long off road races like the Allendale Challenge (25miles) and the Chevy Chase (20miles over the Cheviots). Two summers ago she hiked the spine of the high Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
ALISTAIR GUTHRIE
Ali 36, has lived in Northumberland most of his life and for the last 18 years has been a physical pursuits teacher at Dilston Hall College where he teaches people with learning disabilities. He is an ace paraglider and won the British Paragliding cup in 1997 as well as being placed second in the National League in more recent years. He has quickly taken to kite skiing and last year competed in a major kite skiing race in Russia.
ANTONY BAIRD
Antony 44, is a born and bred North Easterner and is Managing Director of Cerres Ltd, a Newcastle based Software Company. Snow and kites are Anto's life, and he worked as a ski guide in Verbier for 3 years. As a pioneer of kite surfing in the North East in the 1990's he is at home kiting on land, snow and water. The steep and deep don't faze Anto, who has made numerous first descents in Norway on telemark skis. Like Ali, he is a keen paraglider and mountain biker.
Both completing the journey and maintaining humour are the team's goals.
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Conrad (click to enlarge)
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Conrad - Hard Pulling
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Hilary (click to enlarge)
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Hilary Kiting at South Pole
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Ali (click to enlarge)
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Ali in English Lakes
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Anto (click to enlarge)
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Anto Kite Skiing
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