One month before polar rowing attempt – follow, play online

In one month, a team of adventurers will depart from Resolute Bay in Canada and head north in a specially designed boat in the world's first attempt to row the 725 km (451 miles) to the magnetic North Pole. The expedition is being undertaken to highlight the dramatic effects of climate change on the polar ice caps and can be followed online via a number of social media resources.

The magnetic North Pole is located at 78°35.7N 104°11.9W / 78.595°N 104.1983°W and was first reached by British naval officer Sir James Clark Ross in 1831.

The 2011 attempt to row to the magnetic North Pole is being led by veteran British adventurer Jock Wishart, who is also the only man ever to have rowed across an ocean - the Atlantic - and walked unaided to the Pole. He will be accompanied on this mission by a four-man team consisting of Mark Delstanche, Billy Gammon, Rob Sleep and David Mans.

The exhibition, called Row to the Pole, is only possible due to the dramatic climatic changes taking place in the Arctic region which have decreased the size of the ice sheets and left large areas unfrozen. Images of the changes taking place in the region can be found via the website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA).

The crew will begin their record breaking attempt 31 days from July 1, though obviously the exact date of departure is dependent on weather conditions.

Over the coming month, members of the public can follow the crew's final preparations via Facebook, Twitter (@OProwtothepole) and the official website. Once the attempt is underway, the crew's progress can be followed online via the Yellow Brick tracking company.

In addition to following the final stages of the crew's preparation, members of the public can test their knowledge of the expedition with a question-and-answer game on the Row to the Pole site.

Another ongoing adventurous record attempt currently underway is Cycle for Water an attempt by two Dutch men to cycle 30,000 km (18,641 miles) from Northern Alaska to Argentina on bamboo bicycles in an attempt to draw attention to the World's water crisis. The attempt began on July 4 2010 and the team still has a remaining 15,899 km (9,879 miles) to cover.

‘Row to the Pole' Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Row-To-The-Pole/111695618852095
‘Row to the Pole' Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/OProwtothepole
‘Row to the Pole' official site- http://www.rowtothepole.com
‘Yellow Brick'- http://www.yellowbrick-tracking.com/
NOAA - http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/detect/ice-npole.shtml
Cycle for Water - http://www.cycleforwater.com/