Rosie Stancer

Rosie Stancer
Rosie Stancer
Born	1960 (age 59–60)
Nationality	British
Occupation	Polar explorer

Rosie Stancer née Clayton (born 1960) is a British explorer and polar adventurer.

Youth, education, family

Rosie Stancer attended Butterstone House School in Scotland and then Heathfield School, Ascot. She holds an honorary degree from the University of Essex and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

She is the daughter of Lady Mary Clayton (1917 – 2014) and her husband Sam. Her maternal grandparents were Rose Leveson-Gower, Countess Granville, an elder sister of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville, naval commander. Her paternal grandfather was Brigadier-General Sir Gilbert Falkingham Clayton, British Army intelligence officer and colonial administrator. Both her grandfathers died before she was born.

She is married to William Stancer, with whom she has one son. Her husband's maternal grandfather was Sir James Wordie, the geologist with Sir Ernest Shackleton on the H.M.S. Endurance/1916 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, chairman of Scott Polar Institute Cambridge and President of the Royal Geographical Society.[1]

Expeditions

McVities All Women’s Penguin Polar Relay 1997

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 150 lbs across 500 miles (800 km) of shifting pack ice in temperatures down to minus 40 °C. After 73 days, the final relay group made it to the North Pole.

M&G ISA South Pole Expedition 1999

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 one re-supply, they completed the 700-mile (1,100 km) journey from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole in 61 days. Meteorological data was gathered en route and submitted to the Omega Foundation.

Snickers South Pole Solo 2004

In the Austral summer of 2003–4, Stancer skied solo and without re-supply to the South Pole on the 'Snickers South Pole Solo 2004' expedition. Hauling a sledge more than twice her body weight for over 700 miles (1,100 km), Stancer reached the Pole in 43 days 23 hours, a day longer than Fiona Thornewill who reached the South Pole a few days before Stancer.[2] During the expedition Stancer gathered both meteorological and physiological data.

Mars North Pole Solo 2007

In 2007, Stancer attempted to become the first woman to trek solo to the Geographic North Pole.[3] Stancer walked alone for 326 nautical miles (604 km) and 84 days over the surface of the frozen Arctic Ocean before being airlifted from the ice just short of the North Pole. The difficult decision to abandon the expedition was because of the unusually treacherous conditions that year and the fragility of the ice, preventing the pilots of the pick up aeroplane being able to land safely at the final destination of the North Pole.

Mars North Pole Solo

Although the climate forecast may negate this possibility, in future years[4] Stancer will again attempt the last female solo expedition to the North Pole . For this expedition, she will fly from the northern tip of Canada and set off on her epic journey across the frozen Arctic Ocean starting in the Spring. The expedition is expected to last 60 days. If Stancer succeeds, she will be the first woman to reach both the South and North Poles.[5]

Taklamakan Anglo-Chinese Expedition 2016/2017

In spring of 2017 Stancer will lead the first female-led expedition team to cross the length of the Taklamakan Desert from west to east. The journey will take approximately 10 weeks and cover 1000 km of terrain with altitudes of 1500m and shifting dunes of 450m in height. The Taklamakan Anglo-Chinese Expedition will provide an international opportunity to further the interest and understanding of OBOR One Belt One Road initiative.

Charities

Stancer is an honorary board member for the charity Special Olympics GB, which seeks to provide sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-style events for people with learning disabilities.

Research

Stancer's expeditions also have relevance to the wider community as she gathers environmental data and undertakes physiological research while on the ice with the University of Essex.[5]

Awards

Stancer was awarded an honorary fellowship from the Polar exploration society. She also received the Mirror award for bravery from the Royal Geographical Society and holds an honorary degree from the University of Essex and is Honorary Vice-President of the Scientific Exploration Society.

References

http://www.enduranceobituaries.co.uk/wordie.htm
"BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | Second woman finishes Pole trek". BBC. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
Cooper, Tarquin (3 February 2007). "Solo-power Rosie's Arctic challenge" – via The Daily Telegraph.
"Woman Plans Record-Breaking North Pole Trek: 'I'm Not Tall And I Don't Have A Beard'". 4 February 2015.
http://www.rosiestancer.com/rosie-biography/