Jade Hameister Embarks on Her Next Quest - to Become the Youngest Woman in History to Cross the Greenland Polar Icecap

MELBOURNE, Australia, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/-- 15-year-old Australian schoolgirl Jade Hameister is making history again as she attempts to become the youngest woman to complete the crossing of the Greenland polar icecap - the second chapter of her Polar Quest.

Jade's appetite for a challenge was realised in her younger years having climbed to Mt Everest Base Camp by age 12 -- but it was her recent North Pole expedition which was Jade's toughest to date…until now.

In April 2016, aged 14, Jade became the youngest person in history to ski to the North Pole from anywhere outside the Last Degree. She covered 150km on skis, pulling a sled as heavy as herself across the bumpy sea ice at the very top of the planet.

The North Pole expedition was just the first step to her ambitious Polar Quest. By the end of 2017, Jade aims to become the youngest person in history to ski to both Poles, the North and South, and cross the second largest polar ice cap on the planet - Greenland.

With one mission successfully under her belt, Jade has her sights set on 2017 as the biggest year of her life. 

Departing Melbourne on Wednesday 3rd May, Jade and her team will head for the West Coast of Greenland, where they will make the final preparations for the Greenland expedition which will see her undertake a 30-day, 540km-long skiing trek across the Greenland icecap unsupported and unassisted.

Following the line of the Arctic Circle, Jade will begin her trek in Kangerlussuaq then across the brutal icecap to finish at Isortoq Hut on the East Coast -- all while facing some of the world's strongest polar winds and the constant threat of crevasses and polar bears.

Jade will travel an average of 8-10 hours a day in the harsh Greenland conditions, aiming to achieve 18-20km, all while pulling a 70-80kg sled behind her.

"Adventure is always something I have loved and it's been a big part of our family. I've trained very hard for this and it has been such a big build up. I can't wait to get on the ice again," says Hameister.

Accompanying Jade on this trip is her father Paul Hameister, the 12th Australian to climb the Seven Summits, and Eric Phillips OAM, the first Australian to ski both the North and South Poles.

As Jade's guide on these three expeditions, Eric has experienced her tenacity first hand. "Very few people have completed the polar hat-rick but there is every chance that Jade, who has already shown her mettle on the Arctic Ocean as a 14-year-old, will pull it off at the tender age of 16," says Philips. It will be "a truly extraordinary feat and a record that will stand for a very long time".

Also taking part in the expedition is Director of Photography, Dr Frederique Olivier and assistant Heath Jamieson who will capture the entire expedition as part of a National Geographic feature length documentary which follows Jade on her Polar Quest.

During the expedition, Jade will also take part in researching the affect climate change has on the region.

"As I have the privilege to experience these beautiful and fragile parts of our planet, I feel that it's my duty to learn as much as I can and help raise awareness on the effects of climate change," says Jade. "We are all capable of making a difference," she believes.

As part of the National Geographic film, Jade will be interviewing leading climatologists in Copenhagen and Greenlandic Inuits on their perspectives on climate change and our polar regions.

The finale of Jade's Polar Quest will take place this December. The will see Jade become the youngest person to ski from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole, a journey that is expected to take 60 days and span an entire Arctic summer.

Collectively these three missions will see Jade cover almost 2,000km (totalling almost four months on ice), whilst exploring some of the most unique and threatened environments on the planet.  

Released by 3 Degrees Marketing on behalf of Jade Hameister 

Follow Jade's Polar Quest
Website: www.jadehameister.com 
Instagram: @jadehameister

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Alexandra Rutman                                    
3 Degrees Marketing                  
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