Norwegian Sailor Jarle Andhoy Arrested In Chile

A few weeks back I posted a story about Norwegian sailor Jarle Andhoy who had illegally sailed into the Antarctic for the second year in a row and ran into trouble again as well. At the time of that story, Andhoy's latest ship, a yacht named Nilaya, was believed to be running low on food and fuel and attempting to limp towards an Argentinian port with a broken mast. Today we get word that Andhoy and his crew were taken into custody by Chilean officials who came across his boat in open waters.

Andhoy set out from New Zealand in January without proper permits and insurance to operate in the Southern Ocean. That didn't exactly endear him to Kiwi officials, especially since last year he pulled the same move and three people died. The self-described "Viking" went there illegally to ride ATV's to the South Pole, but while he and another man were on the Antarctic continent, a freak storm sunk his ship, the Berserk, killing the three people who were still on board. Jarl claimed that he was returning to the region to search for signs of the boat this year.

In February, the crew decided to give up that search but didn't want to sail back to New Zealand where they could face possible arrest. Instead they tried to make their way to Argentina, where they felt they could safely go ashore. They hadn't been heard from in several weeks and their last messages indicated they were experiencing issues with the boat and were seeking assistance at an Argentine base in Antractica. A base that was believed to have little or no staff at that time.

There are conflicting reports as to why Andhoy and his crew were detained. NZ officials say that they didn't ask Chile to arrest the men and it doesn't appear that Norway reached out to them either. Chilean authorities report that the skipper gave false names for both himself and the ship when it was approached, which led to them being stopped and taken to the naval base at Puerto Williams.

When they set out in January they did so with such haste that they didn't even allow a mechanic, who was on board making repairs at the time, to leave the vessel. As a result, that man found himself on a 2+ month long excursion in some of the more dangerous seas on Earth.

I'm happy to hear that the entire crew is safe and sound, but quite frankly I hope Andhoy is never issued a sailing permit again. He has shown a reckless disregard for the rules and regulations for sailing in the Southern Ocean and he is very lucky that no one else, him included, lost their lives this time out either.

Thanks to Outside Online for the tip.

Ultrarunners Set To Run The Planet

Two ultrarunners, one a legend in the sport, the other a neophyte, are set to launch an ambitious new television show entitled Run the Planet, which will send them to a variety of locations across the globe, where they will take part in a series of long distance running challenges.

Starting February 25th, New Zealander Lisa Tamati and Australian Chris Ord, will start the first of those challenges by attempting to run 126km (78.2 miles) between Hermannsburg and Alice Springs, in Australia. Along the way, they'll cross that country's famous Red Centre, where temperatures will routinely approach 40ºC/104ºF.

Lisa and Chris' run will follow a famous route that was taken back in 1922, when an indigenous stockman named Hezekiel Malbunka covered the same distance in order to save the life of a missionary by the name of Carl Strehlow. At the time, Strehlow was in desperate need of medical attention, and someone needed to go to the telegraph station to request assistance. It was agreed that Malbunka could get there faster on foot than by horse, and he did so – in just a day and a half. Once he had completed his mission, the runner then turned around, and ran back to where he started, besting his old time by completing it in just a day. Fortunately, Tamati and Ord won't have to make the return trip.

Their new show, Run the Planet, will put Tamati at center stage. As an ultrarunner, she has already completed some impressive runs, including traverses of most of the major deserts of the world. It is estimated that Lisa's runs have covered enough distance to send her around the globe four times. Her partner, Ord, on the other hand, is new to the sport of ultrarunning, and over the episodes of the series, you'll see him learn from Tamati, while building his own skills and level of endurance. In any given episode, the duo will be attempting runs of anywhere from 80km (49.7 miles) to 350km (217.4 miles), across a wide variety of terrain and under a host of conditions.

Exactly when the new show will begin airing is still up in the air, but my friends in Australia and New Zealand should definitely keep their eyes peeled. No word on whether or not it'll cross the ocean to North America yet, but I'd certainly tune in.

New Long Distance Trekking Trail Set To Open In New Zealand

Long distance hikers looking for a new challenge will have one starting December 3rd. That's when the Te Araroa foot trail opens in New Zealand, offering a  route that is more than 3000km (1864 miles) in length, stretching from north to south across the entire country.

Te Araroa, which means The Long Pathway, stretches from Cape Reinga, in the northernmost tip of New Zealand's North Island to Bluff, located in at the southernmost end of the South Island. Walking the entire length of the trail will take backpackers through thick forests, past verdant farmland, up volcanoes and mountains, and across open meadows. The trail even passes through seven cities, which will serve as great starting and ending points or places to resupply.

Building this epic trail was no small feat, as it was mainly accomplished by volunteers who worked many long years to link up a series of trails and fill in open spaces on the map. In fact, it took more than 17 years to complete this project, with all kinds of legal, technical, and physical challenges that had to be overcome in order to bring it into existence.

The official opening ceremony will take place at 10 AM local time on December 3rd in Wellington, which is almost exactly the middle point of the trail. After that, it'll be officially open for long distance hikers, and the countdown will begin as to who will be the first to trek it end-to-end.

Cool story and a great new trail. Thanks to Lou-Phi for sharing. I'm sure you're already plotting your adventures on the Te Araroa my friend.

Trail Run Magazine Issue #2 Available Online

Way back in July I posted a story about a new online e-zine called Trail Run Magazine that was being put together by some friends of mine in Australia. At the time, I thought the content was fantastic and that the magazine was off to a great start, and judging from some comments that I heard, a number of you thought so as well. Now, the second issue of the magazine is out, and delivers even more great content.

Granted, Trail Run has a definite slant towards running in Oz and New Zealand, but that said, there are plenty of good articles for trail runners and adventurers everywhere. For example, the second issue has shoe reviews, as well as gear previews, that will be popular with runners of all types. The magazine's athlete profiles are also interesting to read, and their regular columns for improving performance and shaking off injuries are welcome as well. I particularly took note of the article on ankle injuries, as I've been suffering with one for a month now, and it has severely hampered my running.

Trail Run Magazine continues the high quality that was set down with the first issue, and I continue to be impressed with how beautiful it looks. The images are fantastic and the writing is top notch as well. It is clear that this is a labor of love by people who live and breathe trail running and have a passion for sharing with their readers. Give it a glance and I think you'll find that you enjoy it as much as I do.