Army Captain Becomes First British Man To Complete Unaided Antarctica Trek

The 49-year-old faced temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius (Picture: British Army/Twitter).

An Army Captain has become the first Briton and the second man to trek unaided across Antarctica.

The challenge lasted for 56 days, where Captain Lou Rudd covered 925 miles.

An American endurance athlete, Colin O'Brady, completed the same trip the day before.

Captain Rudd, 49, said it was a minor miracle they'd both achieved something that had never been done before.

He completed the expedition in memory of his friend, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, MBE, who died attempting the same journey in 2016.

Mr O'Brady narrowly beat Capt Rudd to become the first person to complete the 925-mile trek, by finishing on the 54th day.

The journey had never been completed by anyone before.

Capt Rudd reflected on his achievement:

"My number one priority and objective was to come out here and ski solo, unsupported and unassisted right across the continent and I've done that."

"That was always my primary objective."

He then congratulated his fellow endurance athlete, Mr O'Brady for completing the trek:

"I want to say a huge congratulations to Colin - what an achievement.

To be honest, it's a minor miracle that both of us have completed a journey that's been attempted before, but nobody's ever managed it and then, lo and behold, in one season two of us attempting it.

"The fact that both of us have finished is absolutely fantastic."

Capt Rudd has set the record for the most expedition miles covered in Antartica.