Expecting to arrive to the South Pole around New Year’s Day 2010, theKaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition will see 8 women from theCommonwealth countries of Cyprus, Ghana, India, Singapore, Brunei, NewZealand, Jamaica and the United Kingdom brave blizzards, crevasses andtemperatures below -30C as they ski over 900 kilometers across Antarcticato the Geographic South Pole.

Marking the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth, the expedition aims todemonstrate the potential of greater intercultural understanding andexchange, while at the same time highlighting the achievements of womenacross the world. The team members will be the first person from theirnation to ski to the South Pole.

Fantastic as these achievements will be, the expedition is about much morethan national and global records. The team members will return to theirhome countries as role models to inspire others, particularly women, toreach beyond the expectation of others and follow their own path.

Representing a Commonwealth of 52 nations and 2 billion people around theglobe, the expedition team is a diverse group of real women selected fromover 800 applicants. Before joining the expedition many of the teammembers had never been in sub-zero temperatures, put on a pair of skis orspent the night in a tent - a fact which makes the challenge they areundertaking even more remarkable.

The members of the team are Dk Najibah Eradah binti P. A. M. Al-Sufri PgM-L KaharEra, a 25-year-old Diplomatic Officer at Brunei’s Ministry ofForeign Affairs but previously taught Mathematics at a secondary schoolfor 3 years. Representing Cyprus in the Mediterranean is StephanieSolomonides, a 25-year-old IT Implementation Officer from Nicosia.Representing Ghana in West Africa is 29-year-old Barbara Yanney. Barbarawas educated in Ghana’s Eastern Region but completed her studies inAmerica. Representing India is Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu, a 38-year-oldfreelance outdoor instructor from Darjeeling, currently settled in Delhi.Reena is an extremely experienced mountaineer, having taken part in, andled, several Indian Mountaineering Federation expeditions in the Himalaya.

Representing Jamaica in the Caribbean is 30-year-old Kim-Marie Spence fromKingston. Kim loves trail-running and travelling, having volunteered allover the world from Japan to Israel. Representing New Zealand is36-year-old Kylie Wakelin from Twizel on the South Island. For 16 yearsshe owned and ran a successful boating business in Mt Cook National Parkbut has recently gained a Commercial Pilots Licence and intends to pursueflying as a career. Representing Singapore is Sophia Pang, a 36-year-oldmother of three. Sophia combines freelance work as an IT Consultant withinstructing aerobics and kickboxing.

The team will be led on the ice by 31-year-old Felicity Aston, from theUnited Kingdom, who is also the founder and chief co-ordinator of theproject. Felicity spent 3 years in the Antarctic studying the ozone holeand climate change with the British Antarctic Survey before returning tolead expeditions in Siberia, Greenland and the Arctic.