Messrs. Pierre , American and Etienne , French join four others from the U.S.S.R , France , Japan and Great Britain for an unmechanized , 4000 mile , seven month attempt to cross Antarctica . The other members of the team are glaciologist Qin Dahe of China; Geoff Somers, who has spent 42 months in Antarctica with the British Antarctic Survey; and Keizo Funatsu of Japan, a former economist who turned to dog-sledding and adventure. Planning to travel thirty miles per day on cross - country skies with dogsleds , they wish to draw international attention to threats against nature and the need for cooperation in protecting Antarctica . An international treaty initiated in 1959 halted all territorial claims , banned military activity there and established freedom of scientific inquiry . But many countries now claim the land for strategic , political and economic reasons . About 45 nations have signed television contracts with the expedition .
Messrs. Pierre , American and Etienne , French join four others from the U.S.S.R , France , Japan and Great Britain for an unmechanized , 4000 mile , seven month attempt to cross Antarctica . Planning to travel thirty miles per day on cross - country skies with dogsleds , they wish to draw international attention to threats against nature and the need for cooperation in protecting Antarctica . An international treaty initiated in 1959 halted all territorial claims , banned military activity there and established freedom of scientific inquiry . But many countries now claim the land for strategic , political and economic reasons . About 45 nations have signed television contracts with the expedition .