Couple skis across Antarctica without help, and more

Couple skis across Antarctica without help

An American man and a Norwegian woman have become the first people to ski across Antarctica unassisted. While pulling 300 pounds each of supplies behind them, Ryan Waters and Cecilie Skog began their trek Nov. 13 and took 70 days to traverse more than 1,100 miles from Berkner Island in the frozen Weddell Sea to the Ross Ice Shelf, enduring temperatures that sometimes dropped to 50 degrees below zero. They reached the South Pole on New Year’s Eve and completed the journey last week. Previous cross-country skiers had relied on the help of dogs or kites to pull them along.

Armless and legless 11-year-old is an all-around athlete

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When Dayton Webber of Charles County, Md., was a toddler, a devastating bacterial infection forced doctors to amputate his arms and legs. But today, at 11, the intensely competitive Dayton is an all-around athlete, ice-skating, playing football, and racing go-carts. He even competes for Rampage Wrestling, a local sports academy. Dayton has no problem using his stumps to pin opponents, and has been pinned only once since he began wrestling at 7. “I can play sports and kind of show people what I can do, that I can do sports as good as them,” Dayton said. “I feel like I can do anything if I just put my mind to it.”

Londoner, age 7, raises $240,000 for Haiti

Seven-year-old Charlie Simpson of London wanted to do something for the victims of Haiti’s devastating earthquake. So he decided to raise money for UNICEF with a sponsored five-mile bicycle ride around his local park. Charlie hoped to raise $800. But after his quest received wide media attention, donations came pouring in, and he ultimately collected $240,000. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was “amazed” at Charlie’s accomplishment, while UNICEF executive David Bull said Charlie had earned “a place well-deserved in the humanitarian world.”