WORLD : 2 Norwegian North Pole Walkers Deny Cheating on 500-Mile Trek
Two Norwegians who say they were the first people to walk to the North Pole unassisted denied today that they cheated.
The feat by Erling Kagge and Boerge Ousland was questioned by a fellow explorer, Briton Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who said the two Norwegians were disqualified when an aircraft picked up a third member of their expedition, Geir Randby.
Kagge denied that they received assistance when the aircraft rescued Randby, who started the 500-mile trek with them but injured his back in a fall.
“When Geir was picked up, we continued with our own packs and did not take any of his food or other supplies,” Kagge said. “We even refused some fresh fruit the pilot of the plane offered us.”
The two Norwegians, both age 27, reached the pole last weekend after a two-month trek on skis from Canada.
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