02 Aug 2021
St. Helena's arrival in Kangerlussuaq kicks off Arctic X Prix countdown
2 August 2021, London: Extreme E’s floating centrepiece, the St. Helena, has arrived in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, with just under one month to go until its Arctic X Prix - the first ever international motorsport event to be staged in the country.
The St. Helena departed Dakar, Senegal, following the Ocean X Prix in mid-June and travelled across the North Atlantic Ocean to reach Lisbon, Portugal, stopping there for a few weeks to collect provisions and change crew. During the journey the team onboard were treated to stunning sunsets and even dolphins swimming alongside the ship.
Upon departure from Lisbon in mid-July, heading north for the first time in the series’ global voyage, the dolphins joined again as the St. Helena left the bay straight into the vast Atlantic Ocean, providing a calm fort for the first leg. However winds eventually picked up and fog set in along with rain and dropping temperatures, meaning poor visibility. Watchmen on-duty were doubled to deal with the increased challenges, with regular sounding of the fog horn as per regulations. The crew witnessed the spectacle of whales travelling both north and south either side of the Ship during this part of the voyage.
Due to the poor weather, the Ship had to continue on the Rhumb line – an imaginary line on the earth’s surface used to plot a ship’s course – rather than the Great Circle Route – the shortest marine route. The crew also had to hold iceberg navigational meetings, seeing their first one – named #52 on the radar - on 28 July in the Labrador Sea. A real contrast of experiences compared to the previous warm conditions around the Middle East and West Coast of Africa.
Upon arriving in Greenland’s capital Nuuk on 29 July the crew had changed time zones three times, before eventually settling on West Greenland Summer Time. A short stop provided the opportunity to collect further provisions and crew before heading to Kangerlussuaq - the location of the Ocean X Prix – being greeted by a herd of seals as it arrived into its home port for the coming weeks.
Extreme E is racing in Greenland as its melting ice cap epitomises the challenges and severity of the global climate crisis. Just last week according to the Denmark Meteorological Institute, Greenland lost 8.5 billion tonnes of surface mass, enough to cover the entire state of Florida in two inches of water. The series will use its sporting platform to educate its audiences on these issues and the solutions we can all be part of.
Alejandro Agag, CEO and Founder of Extreme E, said: “It is fantastic to see the St. Helena arriving in Kangerlussuaq, and it really marks the official countdown to the Arctic X Prix. Having visited Greenland as part of our early planning, I’ve been to the ice cap and have seen the flowing melt water first-hand. It is a truly sobering place to be when you understand the scale of the situation and really bought home the severity of the global climate emergency to me, and the race against time that we are all part of.
“I hope by being here and using our global media platform, we can show the world not only the effects of climate change, but also educate on the solutions, through the expert knowledge of our Scientific Committee, and also through our Legacy Programme with UNICEF in Greenland and the community of Kangerlussuaq.”
Over the coming days and weeks, the freight of the St Helena, which includes all the team’s electric ODYSSEY 21 race cars, the AFC hydrogen fuel cell which powers the vehicles using green hydrogen, and all paddock infrastructure and team engineering equipment, will be unloaded and set up at the race site.
As the first ever motorsport event to take place in the country, planning has not been easy due to Greenland’s unique, remote and extreme nature. The team has been working hard to ensure the infrastructure is in place in the most sustainable way possible from logistics to power to toilets, all with the aim to not only race without a trace, but deliver another weekend of world-class racing.
While Rosberg X Racing’s Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson have taken racing honours at both the Desert X Prix and Ocean X Prix in Saudi Arabia and Senegal respectively, there has been some close racing which will be no different in Greenland. The course in part will run across what was once the mighty Russell Glacier, but which has now sadly receded and is rock salt, sediment-based terrain left behind by the melted glacier. World-class drivers including the likes of Sebastien Loeb, Timmy Hansen, Carlos Sainz Snr., Catie Munnings, Jutta Kleinschmidt and Laia Sanz will face a variety of terrains putting their skills to the test.
Hjörtur Smárason, Visit Greenland's Managing Director, said: “Greenland is very proud to host such a high profile event. Climate change happens twice as fast in the Arctic with temperature rise already passing well over two degrees. The impact is decades ahead of the rest of the world, which is very visible here at Russell Glacier.
“Greenlanders are used to being at the forefront when it comes to adapting to extreme climate, but this is a challenge on a new level that needs a global response. Extreme E is a fantastic way to showcase the challenge and at the same time highlight our ability to adapt, to innovate and to act fast. Greenland is already doing it and we hope this event inspires the world to fight climate change with the same enthusiasm and determination as we see in the drivers and engineers of Extreme E.”
But it isn’t just the drivers that will be the stars of the show. Extreme E Scientific Committee members: Professors Peter Wadhams, Carlos Duarte and Richard Washington along with local experts, will also be in Greenland conducting their own research, taking drivers on a tour of the ice cap as well as hosting a variety of workshops focussed on the tipping point in climate change which will be made available following the X Prix. In addition, the championship’s first scientific project in collaboration with Founding Scientific Partner Enel Foundation will join the St. Helena – more details to be revealed in due course.
Alongside the scientific research, Extreme E has also been supporting UNICEF to create an educational programme. The programme aims to empower young changemakers – around 3,600 young people – in the country by reimagining climate education in Greenland, helping children understand and address the climate related issues which are putting them, and future generations at risk.
Maliina Abelsen, Head of Programmes, UNICEF Greenland said: “We are grateful to have received Extreme E’s support, to build on our existing work in promoting and protecting the rights of children who are the least responsible for climate change, yet they bear the greatest burden of its impact. With thanks to the educational resources we created, children and young people in Greenland will have an enhanced foundation of and involvement in the environmental issues that affect them.”
The legacy efforts don’t end there, as Extreme E is also leaving behind compostable toilets, solar panels, electric go-karts, and medical supplies and training to support the local community. More details to follow on this as the Arctic X Prix draws closer.
In a bid to keep Extreme E’s carbon footprint to a minimum, as well as the remote nature of its events, X Prix events are not open to spectators. Instead, fans are invited to watch through a host of global broadcasters including ITV, Sky Sports, BT Sport and BBC digital channels in the UK, FOX Sports in the USA, Eurosport in Europe, plus many more available to view here. Followers can also get involved via the championship’s innovative FanWorld concept.
To learn more about Extreme E, visit - www.Extreme-E.com
ENDS
Contact Information
Charlotte Sefton
Extreme E
+44 7827 214807
charlotte@extreme-e.com
Simra Gulzar
Extreme E
+44 7552 858229
media@extreme-e.com
Josh Bell
MPA Creative
+44 7557 102540
jb@mpacreative.com
About Extreme E:
Now heading into its third season, Extreme E is a radical off-road racing series, founded by the same team behind Formula E, which showcases electric SUVs and futuristic technologies in some of the world’s most remote and challenging environments.
This five-event global voyage utilises its sporting platform for the purpose of promoting electrification, environment and equality. The series’ goal is to highlight the impact of climate change in some of the world’s most endangered environments, promote the adoption of electric vehicles to pave the way for a lower carbon future, and provide a world-first gender-equal motorsport platform.
The first sport to ever be built out of a social purpose, Extreme E aims to minimise environmental impact while maximising awareness, racing in places that have already been damaged or affected by climate change or human interference and taking fans deep into the heart of the most pressing issues facing our planet’s future.
Not only that, but Extreme E is also helping the car industry to develop future-facing technology using racing as a platform for road innovation, which accelerates change ten-fold.
Season 3 Calendar
Saudi Arabia: 11-12 March 2023
Scotland, UK: 13-14 May 2023
Sardinia, Italy: 08-09 July 2023
Sardinia, Italy: 16-17 September 2023
Chile: 02-03 December 2023
About Continental Tires: Founding Partner and Official Tire Partner
Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. Continental generated preliminary sales of €37.7 billion in 2020 and currently employs more than 235,000 people in 58 countries and markets. In 2021, the company celebrates its 150th anniversary.
The Tires business area has 24 production and development locations worldwide. Continental is one of the leading tire manufacturers with more than 56,000 employees and posted preliminary sales of €10.2 billion in 2020 in this business area. Continental ranks among the technology leaders in tire production and offers a broad product range for passenger cars, commercial and special-purpose vehicles as well as two-wheelers. Through continuous investment in research and development, Continental makes a major contribution to safe, cost effective and ecologically efficient mobility. The portfolio of the Tires business area includes services for the tire trade and fleet applications, as well as digital management systems for tires.
About Enel X Way: Official Smart Charging Partner
Enel X Way is the Enel Group's company fully dedicated to electric mobility. With around 25,000 managed public charging points, Enel X Way operates in 16 countries, both directly and through joint ventures such as Ewiva in Italy and Chargeway in India. As a global platform for e-Mobility, the company is focused on developing flexible charging technologies and solutions to improve the customer experience and to enable the electrification of transport for consumers, businesses, cities and public administrations.
LinkedIn: Enel X Way
Twitter: @enelxway
Instagram: @enelxway
Facebook: @enelxway
About Zenith: Official Timekeeper and Founding Partner
Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women – past and present – by celebrating their accomplishments and creating in 2020 its first-ever collection dedicated entirely to them, Defy Midnight.
With innovation as its guiding star, Zenith features exceptional in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, Zenith has gone on to master fractions of the second with the Chronomaster Sport and its 1/10th of a second precision and the DEFY 21 with a precision of 1/100th of a second.
About ENOWA: Official Green Hydrogen Partner
About ENOWA: ENOWA is a world-class energy, water and hydrogen company founded in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. ENOWA produces and delivers clean and sustainable resources for industrial and commercial applications using a customer-centric smart and connected system, designed to be circular and takes advantage of NEOM's optimal solar and wind energy profile. ENOWA benefits from NEOM's greenfield site, which has no legacy infrastructure, to advance Energy, Water, and Hydrogen innovation.
ENOWA will act as a catalyst and incubator for developing new, sustainable energy and water businesses while creating a robust economic sector regionally. Through its commitment to renewable energy and efficient water management, ENOWA seeks to become a global reference for industry leaders and setting a benchmark for sustainable economic circular systems around the world.
For more information, please visit enowa.neom.com
About Vodafone Business: Official Technology and Communication Partner
With expertise in connectivity, global scale and the leading IoT platform, Vodafone Business is a leading technology communications company helping organisations succeed in a digital world and keeping society connected. Vodafone’s purpose is to connect for a better future, enabling an inclusive and sustainable digital society, and many of its solutions have sustainability and inclusivity embedded.
Unique in its scale as the largest pan-European and African technology communications company, Vodafone transforms the way we live and work through its innovation, technology, connectivity, platforms, products and services. Vodafone operates mobile and fixed networks in 21 countries, and partners with mobile networks in 52 more. As of 31 December 2021, they had over 300m mobile customers, more than 28m fixed broadband customers and over 22m TV customers.
This collaboration will see Vodafone Business leading innovations and capabilities such as 5G, MPN, IOT and MEC, integrated into Extreme E’s global operations and will include full involvement in the purpose- driven elements of the series, with special prominence on Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes and the Science Laboratory on board the St Helena.Through its IOT solutions, Vodafone Business is helping sustainability efforts, including agriculture, forestation and decarbonisation of energy grids.
Find out more on http://www.Vodafone.com/business and follow Vodafone on its social media channels:
Twitter: @VodafoneGroup
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone
About EY: Official Sustainability Partner
EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy, transactions and tax services, and already plays a significant role in working with Extreme E. Originally announcing its collaboration with the championship back in 2020, EY came on board to help Extreme E achieve its commitment to minimising its overall footprint whilst creating a positive legacy.
Whilst Extreme E strives ‘to race without a trace’, the framework provided by EY has helped the series to minimize its environmental impact across each of its remote race locations. Both prior and post-racing impact assessments have supported Extreme E to strategically plan their actions within these areas.
EY and Extreme E will work closely together to promote the five pillars of Extreme E (or “Five Es”) through the adoption of ‘XE Talks’. These informative presentations, facilitated by Extreme E’s Scientific Committee, will shed light on the Five Es, showcasing the joint commitment of EY and Extreme E.
About CBMM: Founding Supplier
CBMM is the world leading supplier of niobium products and technology. Headquartered in Brazil, with offices and subsidiaries in China, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.
CBMM offers technical innovation to customers around the globe through a team of over 2,000 highly trained, dedicated professionals providing cutting-edge niobium products and technology to over 400 clients in around 40 countries.
About Kaizen Clean Energy: Official Clean Energy Technology Provider
Kaizen Clean Energy (KCE), a manufacturer of hydrogen generators, is developing integrated solutions for electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen fuelling, and distributed power for the grid and critical assets.
KCE offers its mobile microgrid to customers through an Energy as a Service contract, which eliminates large capital expenses and provides customers with the flexibility to scale with energy needs over time.
Kaizen Clean Energy will support ENOWA - NEOM’s energy, water, and hydrogen subsidiary and Green Hydrogen Power Partner to Extreme E - in delivering a pioneering hydrogen microgrid solution to the championship.
Find out more on: www.kaizencleanenergy.com.
About ALLCOT: Official Environmental Contribution Partner
Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, ALLCOT works together with communities, organizations, and governments worldwide in climate actions, to accelerate the transition to Net Zero. ALLCOT develops Climate action through projects and solutions with triple impact: environmental, social, and economic, using four strategies:
- Sustainability strategies: Innovative, comprehensive, and tailored solutions for businesses to reduce and compensate greenhouse gas emissions and measures the socio-economic co-benefits through the SDGs.
- Project development & implementation: Implementation of carbon projects in developing countries, rooted in community engagement, environmental stewardship, and economic viability, driven by integrity, equity, and transparency.
- Capacity building: Providing individuals and communities with practical skills and knowledge, possible to apply in their daily lives.
- Advocacy: Creating systemic change to work closely with policymakers and stakeholders to promote sustainable policies and practices at the local, national, and international levels.
Find out more on: www.allcot.com
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