Adventurers complete global trip

The pair were raising awareness about climate change

Two young British explorers have sailed into Sydney Harbour, bringing an end to a natural-powered global adventure.

Rob Gauntlett, from West Sussex, and James Hooper, of Somerset, set sail for Australia after completing a trip from the North to the South Poles in April.

They arrived on time after travelling 1,800 nautical miles from the Antarctic and spending 70 days at sea.

Mr Hooper said they were looking forward to celebrating their 21st birthdays "in the warmth of Sydney".

The pair, who in 2006 became the youngest Britons to climb Everest, aimed to raise awareness of climate change by using only human and natural power for the trip.

'Impossible' achievement

They said they wanted to prove to their generation that the "impossible" can be achieved.

During the expedition between the Earth's magnetic poles, they skied, used dog-sleighs, sailed and cycled through Greenland, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina.

While skiing and pulling their supplies between Canada and Greenland, Mr Gauntlett fell through melting sea ice and was left unconscious for three hours as Mr Hooper phoned for help to organise their evacuation to safety.

The former pupils of Christ's Hospital in Horsham, West Sussex, then sailed to New York to begin the 11,000-mile cycle ride to Punta Arenas, Chile.

Their expedition is helping to raise money for the Prince's Trust.