Race Details
- July 2008: Second part of France 3 Documentary on December 2006
Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k - January 2008: Antarctic 100k is official IAU-labelled race for 2008
- November 2007: Antarctic flight will be Carbon Neutral
- French newspaper story -Jan 2007- on Ice Marathon & 100k (2MB file)
- CNN WORLD SPORT coverage (6MB file - QuickTime format)
- Spanish article -September 2006- on Antarctic Ice Marathon (5 MB file)
- Runner's World story on first Antarctic Ice Marathon (April 2006)
- View this 5-minute video of first Ice Marathon (50 MB large file)
Adventure marathoners and ultra athletes are always looking for the next big challenge. It could be a remote desert marathon, a high altitude mountain marathon or a jungle marathon. However, mainland Antarctica represents the last frontier, the final great wilderness to be conquered. And now adventure athletes like you can do it. Introducing the only footraces within the Antarctic Circle....
The Marathon
On December 12th, 2008, the fourth Antarctic Ice Marathon will take place at 80 Degrees South, just a few hundred miles from the South Pole at the foot of the Ellsworth Mountains. This race presents a truly formidable and genuine Antarctic challenge with underfoot conditions comprising snow and ice throughout, an average windchill temperature of –20C, and the possibility of strong Katabatic winds to contend with. Furthermore, the event takes place at an altitude of 3,000 feet.
The Antarctic Ice Marathon is the only marathon run in the interior of the Antarctic and is organised by Polar Running Adventures, the organiser of the annual North Pole Marathon.
The eight-day itinerary will see competitors fly by private jet from Punta Arenas, Chile, on December 10th to the marathon location at Patriot Hills. A marked course of 26.2 miles will already have been prepared and snowmobile support, aid stations and medical personnel will be at hand for the duration of the race.
The Antarctic Ice Marathon is the southernmost marathon on earth and a unique opportunity to complete a marathon that is truly worthy of the seventh continent. Don't expect to run your quickest time, however, as winds can blow from the Pole at a steady 10-25 knots. Also, forget about penguins or crowds cheering you along the route - no penguins live this far south and you will have to rely upon yourself to push onward in the hushed, indomitable surroundings.
100Km Ultra Race 
The Antarctic 100k ultra race will take place on December 15th. Undoubtedly, “the world’s coldest 100”, this ultramarathon challenge is reserved for only the toughest of endurance athletes. The 100k (62.1 miles) distance will seem endless, run under a sun that never sets against the backdrop of Patriot Hills and the Ellsworth Mountains. This race presents the only opportunity to complete a 100k event on the frozen continent and creates the prospect of a 100k Seven Continents Club for global ultra athletes.
For the registration fee of US$15,750, participants will be flown round-trip from Punta Arenas, Chile, to the Patriot Hills camp in the interior of the Antarctic. Competitors will also receive accommodation and food for the entire eight-day Antarctic trip and entry to their races of choice.
Please note: Weather problems can result in flight re-scheduling and the expected eight-day trip for the marathon could be shortened or lengthened accordingly. The first two events were operated in a timely manner. However, there was an eight-day weather delay entering the Antarctic in 2007, though competitors returned to Punta Arenas on December 23rd.
Wheelchair competitors are welcome to take part on a designated wheelchair course. Also, an 80-South Half-Marathon will take place if there is sufficient demnd for the half-marathon distance.
You can read Russian winner Evgeniy Gorkov's race blog to get a good idea of what the trip is like.