Andy Murray's brother-in-law is attempting to break a polar exploration record in a bid to “be the best at something” in his sporty family.
Scott Sears, whose sister Kim married world tennis No3 Murray in 2015, was ranked as a junior player but realised he “wouldn’t crack the professional game” and began Army officer training at Sandhurst after university.
Lieutenant Sears, 26, will from next week spend nearly two months attempting to break the record for the youngest person to reach the South Pole alone and unsupported.
He will carry his 100kg weight in food and equipment and attempt the 700-mile journey on skis, sleeping on the ice and braving -50C temperatures and 100mph winds. He hopes to arrive at the Pole on Christmas Day.
Lt Sears, whose father Nigel is a leading tennis coach, said: “I finished playing when I was 23 after dramatically failing at making it.
“Andy was always very helpful but I just wasn’t quite good enough. I loved playing tennis but I always wanted to try and do something where I would be the best at it... so I had to switch focus.” After Sandhurst he joined the 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles and has spent the past year and a half in Borneo, training in jungle warfare and learning survival skills. He said: “The expedition starts off the coast of Antarctica on the sea ice. I will get dropped off with two skis on my feet and a massive sled with everything I need to survive for two months alone. Because of trying to break the record I can’t re-supply along the way, I can’t use bikes or vehicles, I have to carry everything myself from start to finish.”
Lt Sears, whose preparation included a trip to Svalbard in the Arctic Circle, also aims to raise money to build a Nepalese school in honour of Rifleman Suraj Gurung, a Gurkha platoon leader who was killed in Afghanistan.
He will keep a video and picture diary, uploading it to the internet via Iridium Go!, a satellite phone. He added: “It is both difficult and dangerous but I really like doing all this stuff.”
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