Antarctica's first Obstacle Course Race: KZN staffer Travis Hesom leads the charge
Treverton’s Travis Hesom helps assemble the world’s first Antarctica OCR course at Union Glacier Camp, where 10 ice-and-snow obstacles are being built under extreme conditions.
Image: Supplied
A Treverton College staff member is part of the operations team assembling a world-first Obstacle Course Race (OCR) on the icy expanse of Antarctica.
The event, created by Worlds Iconic - a South African-owned, Dubai-based adventure events company - will bring athletes to one of the planet’s most extreme environments for a 10km OCR featuring 10 custom-built obstacles carved into the frozen landscape.
Among the select operations crew is Mooi River resident Travis Hesom, who works in Treverton College’s Marketing and Alumni Office. Hesom completed a gruelling 30-hour journey to Union Glacier Camp via Punta Arenas, Chile, to help construct the course. The expedition is supported by Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE), the region’s most experienced operator.
Set against the backdrop of Mount Rossman, the race route includes snow tracks and obstacles ranging from monkey bars, rings and balance beams to island jumps, off-set steps, a cargo net, a sled pull and an ice-carry section - each designed to test athletes in sub-zero conditions.
The race will take place during the optimal weather window between December 9 and 12 , with competitors flying in from the USA, UK and Switzerland.
Treverton College has a growing connection with Antarctica. In 2023, former head boy Kai Broom was selected as one of only 12 South African pupils to take part in the Matrics in Antarctica expedition.
Images shared by the organisers include sections of the obstacle rig being assembled, the icy start-finish zone under construction, and Treverton’s school mascot, “Trevor,” making the journey to the frozen continent.