Explorers Grand Slam facts for kids

Sir David Hempleman-Adams in Antarctica in 2018. He was the first person to finish the Explorers Grand Slam in 1998.

Vanessa O'Brien skiing towards the North Pole in 2013. She was the first woman to complete the Last Degree in under one year.

The Explorers Grand Slam is an exciting challenge for adventurers! To complete it, a person must reach both the North Pole and the South Pole. They also need to climb the Seven Summits. These are the highest mountains on each of the world's seven continents.

The Seven Summits include:

• Everest (Asia)
• Aconcagua (South America)
• Denali (North America)
• Kilimanjaro (Africa)
• Vinson (Antarctica)
• Puncak Jaya (Oceania)
• Mount Elbrus (Europe)

History of the Grand Slam

When the idea of the Explorers Grand Slam first started, it meant long journeys to the poles. These trips began from far-off coastal areas. They involved difficult sledging trips across vast icy lands.

Over time, a shorter version became popular. This is called the "Last Degree" polar trip. For this, adventurers only travel the last degree of latitude to reach the pole. This means they go from 89 degrees to 90 degrees (the pole itself). This journey is much shorter and easier. Today, many climbing groups and explorers consider the "Last Degree" trips as part of the Explorers Grand Slam.

Some people believe a True Explorers Grand Slam means even more. It includes climbing all 14 of the world's highest peaks. These are mountains that are over 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) tall. There is also a True Adventurers Grand Slam. This adds visits to the magnetic north and south poles.

In 1998, David Hempleman-Adams from the United Kingdom made history. He was the first person to complete an Explorers Grand Slam.

In April 2005, Park Young Seok from South Korea achieved something amazing. He became the first person to complete a True Explorers Grand Slam.

In 2011, Richard Parks, a former rugby player from Wales, set a new record. He was the first person to finish the (Last Degree) Grand Slam in less than one year. He did it in just seven months!

On April 16, 2013, Vanessa O'Brien became the first woman to complete the (Last Degree) Grand Slam in under a year. She finished her challenge in eleven months.

Just a few days later, on April 22, 2013, Cheryl Bart became the first Australian woman to complete the Explorers Grand Slam. She was the 31st person worldwide to do so.

In 2014, Jing Wang became the fastest woman to complete the (Last Degree) Grand Slam. She did it in an incredible 142 days.

Also in 2014, Ryan Waters became the first American to complete the True Adventurers Grand Slam. He skied the full length to both the North and South Poles without help. He also climbed the Seven Summits.

On May 27, 2016, Colin O'Brady set a new speed record. He completed the Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree) in just 139 days. He holds the current world record for this achievement.

On April 12, 2017, Marin Minamiya became the youngest person to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree). She was only 20 years old!

People who completed the quest

Explorers Grand Slam

Here are some of the people who have completed the Explorers Grand Slam, listed in the order they finished:

Explorers Grand Slam (Last Degree)

Here are some of the people who have completed the Explorers Grand Slam using the "Last Degree" method, listed in the order they finished:

External links

• Origins of the Explorers Grand Slam With Vanessa O'Brien

See also

In Spanish: Explorers Grand Slam para niños