Rosie Stancer

Rosie Stancer (born 1960) is a polar adventurer who, since 1996, has embarked on major polar expeditions of increasing severity and commitment.

In 1997, Stancer was one of 20 amateur women selected for a place on the first all women’s expedition to the North Pole, The 'McVities Penguin Polar Relay'. A relay of five teams hauled sleds of up to 150lbs across 500 miles of shifting pack ice in temperatures down to minus 40ºc. After 73 days, the final relay group stood on top of the world at the North Pole.

In 1999, Stancer and four others from the first expedition organised and managed their own expedition to the South Pole, The 'M&G ISA Challenge'. Without guides, and with just one re-supply, they completed the 700 mile journey from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole in 61 days.

Stancer's biggest challenge came in the Austral summer of 2003-4 on the 'Snickers South Pole Solo 2004' expedition, when she walked alone and without re-supply to the South Pole. Hauling a sledge more than twice her body weight for over 700 miles, Stancer reached the Pole in 43 days 23 hours, breaking the original record by 7 days, but still being narrowly defeated in race to the pole by Fiona Thornewill.

HRH Prince Charles was a patron for both the Antarctic expeditions, as he will also be for the forthcoming North Pole Solo Expedition in 2007, which will make her the first woman to walk solo to both poles.