CROSSING GREENLAND

by Ms Sarah Winkelmann (2017)

By the time you read this, I will be in Greenland already, trying to cross the world’s largest ice cap on skis. The expedition will cover roughly 600km from Kangerlussuaq on the west coast to Tassilaq on the east coast. During those 30 days with temperatures ranging from -10° to -40° Celsius, I will sleep in a tent and carry everything I need to survive in two sledges behind me. With a total weight of 80kg, those two sledges weigh more than me!

The preparation for this endeavour was extensive: 10 months of training. A typical training week consisted of 10-22 hours of strength, mobility and endurance training. A tried and tested method to build up the required endurance is dragging a set of 2-4 car tyres on gravel roads which simulates the weight of the sledge.

However, physical training was only the tip of the iceberg. Sorting out logistics, applying for insurances, testing equipment and finding sponsors consumed a lot more time than initially thought.

The cornerstone for my love of nature was laid in my childhood and later reawakened during my time at Magdalene. My parents, two avid sailors, raised their three children on a sailboat and taught us the vital respect for nature: nature cannot be conquered.

When I started my studies at Magdalene in 2017, I came as a heartbroken and frustrated student. My boyfriend of six years had just broken up with me and the political developments of the world at that time left me with a certain emptiness. One year later, I left as an empowered person willing to change the world.

Apart from meeting many impressive people who have inspired me to go on expeditions, I have learnt one important life lesson at Magdalene: there is no either-or. You can be an excellent student and an impressive athlete at the same time. I can be a woman in my twenties and a polar explorer.

I am hoping to reach the east coast by the end of May 2023. If you wish to track my journey, my little sister is updating my website based on my GPS data: www.sarah-winkelmann.co.uk