Photo: Valkyrie Racing
After two years of work and anticipation, followed by several press releases describing what this spectacular vintage Porsche should be able to do, philanthropist Renee Brinkerhoff and the Valkyrie Racing team have finally touched down in Union Glacier, Antarctica.
From there, they will begin a 356-mile journey (573 km) through snow and ice, looking to conclude a near 20,000-mile (32,000 km) adventure that raised exposure for Brinkerhoff’s charitable foundation, Valkyrie Gives, which in turn has been raising funds to aid women and child victims that have been trafficked across the world.
“You can’t put a price on the life of one child,” said the 65-year-old Denver-based racer and philanthropist. “These are the world’s children and as we look deep inside ourselves, we know they too are our children. Child trafficking is a pandemic of its own with another name, and the more education we can provide and the more support we can offer, we can help to end something that should have never begun.”
After taking on several other endurance rallies, such as Peking-to-Paris, La Carrera Panamericana and the East African Safari Rally, Brinkerhoff is ready for her biggest challenge yet, seen as how her classic Porsche basically had to be taught how to ski in order to complete its journey – this meant undergoing a wide range of modifications.
Its wheels, lights, framework... all gone, replaced with tracks, skis and crevasse bars, to go with a custom brace and suspension system. Other highlights include a roll cage, 4-ton bag jack, temperature gauge for early gearbox overheat detection, a rear window exit point, rear engine frame winch point and lots more.
Helping Renee on her journey will be her navigator Jason de Carteret, who is an experienced polar explorer with more than 50 expeditions under his belt. Right beside them will be her daughter Christina in the support vehicle, alongside videographer Neil Carey and technical support leader Simon Redhead.
“You can’t put a price on the life of one child,” said the 65-year-old Denver-based racer and philanthropist. “These are the world’s children and as we look deep inside ourselves, we know they too are our children. Child trafficking is a pandemic of its own with another name, and the more education we can provide and the more support we can offer, we can help to end something that should have never begun.”
After taking on several other endurance rallies, such as Peking-to-Paris, La Carrera Panamericana and the East African Safari Rally, Brinkerhoff is ready for her biggest challenge yet, seen as how her classic Porsche basically had to be taught how to ski in order to complete its journey – this meant undergoing a wide range of modifications.
Its wheels, lights, framework... all gone, replaced with tracks, skis and crevasse bars, to go with a custom brace and suspension system. Other highlights include a roll cage, 4-ton bag jack, temperature gauge for early gearbox overheat detection, a rear window exit point, rear engine frame winch point and lots more.
Helping Renee on her journey will be her navigator Jason de Carteret, who is an experienced polar explorer with more than 50 expeditions under his belt. Right beside them will be her daughter Christina in the support vehicle, alongside videographer Neil Carey and technical support leader Simon Redhead.
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