Colin O’Brady, the first human to cross Antarctica unaided (Credit: Colin O’Brady/Instagram)

A thrilling polar competition between two adventurers to cross Antarctica solo, unsupported, and unassisted had a happy ending with both explorers achieving the unprecedented feat back-to-back. American professional endurance athlete Colin O’Brady and British Army Captain Louis Rudd set off a mile apart on November 3, 2018, from the Atlantic coast with the aim to become the first person to ski across the remote, inhospitable continent alone.