Duo abandons polar trek

According to the Aftenposten newspaper, Liv Arnesen of Norway and her American partner Ann Bancroft had to call off their ski trip over the North Pole when Russian authorities failed to assure their stream of supplies.

“After two years of preparations, they’re understandably disappointed,” Einar Glestad, Arnesen’s husband, told the Aftenposten.

He said they were even more disappointed that it wouldn’t be possible to continue an educational program tied to their trek.

“Their thoughts go out to the 12 million school children who were following the expedition over the Internet,” Glestad said.

Arnesen and Bancroft had to call it quits when their French sponsor decided it couldn’t rely on the Russians to take over supply responsibilities for the trek.

The expedition had been plagued by troubled relations with Russian officials and Arnesen and Bancroft also had to delay their departure from a Siberian town when local authorities refused to let them be flown over Russian polar territory.