Dutch professional adventurer and oudoorphotographer Jolanda Linschooten has made a succesfull crossing of the Greenland Icecap. Together with husband Frank van Zwol they succeeded to cover the 600 kilometers from Kangerlussuaq tot Isortoq in 39 days. Jolanda becoming the first Dutch female to cross Greenland unsupported and together performing the first Dutch real coast-to-coast crossing. The expedition started with bad luck as Jolanda’s ski boots and part of the expedition food had not arrived in Kangerlussuaq. On borrowed shoes, just sligtly oversized (45 instead of 39) they took off. All the way up to the highest point of the icecap at 2450 meter, they had to battle extreme bad weather and strong headwinds, sometimes reaching up to 10 Beaufort and temperatures dropping to minus 35. After 26 day’s when provisions were already getting low, their luck turned, together with the wind. Using their Ozone Access2 6m2 and 8m2 kites for 150 kilometers, daily distances increased and after 39 days on May 13th 2007, the Inuit settlement of Isortoq was reached.

Check out their video here

The team’s main sponsors were Haglöfs, Technolyt and the Dutch kite supplier Vliegerop. More information including a weblog and video’s can be found at the expedition website www.PoleSpirit.nl

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