Gina Johansen – Endurance Athlete Preparing for a Solo Unsupported South Pole World Record
Gina Johansen is a Swedish-born endurance athlete, adventurer, and a track work rider based in Sydney and Norway. She is currently preparing for a world record attempt to become the fastest woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole in 2026. She grew up on a horse farm in Sweden, where her love for horses and the outdoors began early. Gina spent eight years riding trackwork for leading Thoroughbred racing stables in Australia and is now back riding racehorses in Sydney alongside her polar training. Her previous expeditions include becoming the first woman to cross Lake Baikal in Siberia solo by foot, skiing solo from North Cape to Jäckvik, crossing Svalbard on skis, cycling 2700km from Sydney to Cairns, and hiking the full length of Norway with her partner and their dog. She also spent eight years living near North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, training in extreme Arctic conditions. Through her journey, Gina hopes to inspire others—especially women—to push beyond their limits, take on big challenges, and discover what they're truly capable of. *** New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries. Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast (http://www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast) . Your support makes a difference. Thank you x *** Show notes • From Sweden originally • Being based in Northern Norway (North Cape) for the past 8 years before moving to Sydney in December 2025 • Riding racehorse in the early morning and training for her South Pole Expedition in the afternoon • Her goal - to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole, attempting to break the women's speed record • Gina shared her story on the Tough Girl Podcast - April 28th 2020 - Walking 3,000km the length of Norway, plus a solo crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia • You can listen to that episode HERE (https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/johansen) • What's been going on in the past 6 years • Living in remote mountain areas doing a lot of skiing, hiking, hunting and dealing with a lot of injuries • Trying to work on the financials to pay for the expedition • Doing training expeditions and building up her skills • After the Lake Baikal expedition in 2019 - starting to think about the next big challenge • Always wanting to go to Antarctica and the challenges of doing a solo expedition • Wanting a real test - both physically and mentally • The last 4 years being focused on the expedition • Dealing with injuries and set backs along the way • Struggling to get the financial support to make it possible • US$95,000 plus costs for equipment and flights • Needing to be ready fitness wise and mentally • What the planning looks like to plan an expedition of this size • Trying not to get overwhelmed with the size of the challenge • Taking some time out - to reset • Dealing with two stress fractures • Wanting to understand why she was getting stress fractures • Doing the rehab and keeping fit • Having smaller projects to focus on and having things to look forward to • Working with a coach • Starting at 5am and riding horse for 4.5 hrs • Trying to eat a lot and not being afraid of eating fast carbs • Handling set backs • Working with a physio • Focusing on staying positive • Doing a crossing of Svalbard from East to West with a team of women • Being in an environment with polar bears - needing to take on night watch shifts to keep the camp safe from polar bears • Mentally preparation before the challenge • Knowing it will hard and lonely • Also understanding it will be very tough • Focusing on the goal and being so motivated to reach it • Discipline • The pain of disciple is lighter than the pain of regret • The importance of socialising with friends - but organising this around training • If you want to achieve anything, you've got to put in the work • Showing up even when you don't feel like it • Needing to make the final payment by August, and send the equipment over in September • Trying to get sponsorship from corporate and individuals • Meeting the right people • How to connect with Gina • Final words of advice for women who want to step...
Gina Johansen is a Swedish-born endurance athlete, adventurer, and a track work rider based in Sydney and Norway. She is currently preparing for a world record attempt to become the fastest woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole in 2026.
She grew up on a horse farm in Sweden, where her love for horses and the outdoors began early. Gina spent eight years riding trackwork for leading Thoroughbred racing stables in Australia and is now back riding racehorses in Sydney alongside her polar training.
Her previous expeditions include becoming the first woman to cross Lake Baikal in Siberia solo by foot, skiing solo from North Cape to Jäckvik, crossing Svalbard on skis, cycling 2700km from Sydney to Cairns, and hiking the full length of Norway with her partner and their dog. She also spent eight years living near North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, training in extreme Arctic conditions.
Through her journey, Gina hopes to inspire others—especially women—to push beyond their limits, take on big challenges, and discover what they're truly capable of.
***
New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast (http://www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast) .
Your support makes a difference. Thank you x
***
Show notes
• From Sweden originally
• Being based in Northern Norway (North Cape) for the past 8 years before moving to Sydney in December 2025
• Riding racehorse in the early morning and training for her South Pole Expedition in the afternoon
• Her goal - to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole, attempting to break the women's speed record
• Gina shared her story on the Tough Girl Podcast - April 28th 2020 - Walking 3,000km the length of Norway, plus a solo crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia
• You can listen to that episode HERE (https://www.toughgirlchallenges.com/single-post/johansen)
• What's been going on in the past 6 years
• Living in remote mountain areas doing a lot of skiing, hiking, hunting and dealing with a lot of injuries
• Trying to work on the financials to pay for the expedition
• Doing training expeditions and building up her skills
• After the Lake Baikal expedition in 2019 - starting to think about the next big challenge
• Always wanting to go to Antarctica and the challenges of doing a solo expedition
• Wanting a real test - both physically and mentally
• The last 4 years being focused on the expedition
• Dealing with injuries and set backs along the way
• Struggling to get the financial support to make it possible
• US$95,000 plus costs for equipment and flights
• Needing to be ready fitness wise and mentally
• What the planning looks like to plan an expedition of this size
• Trying not to get overwhelmed with the size of the challenge
• Taking some time out - to reset
• Dealing with two stress fractures
• Wanting to understand why she was getting stress fractures
• Doing the rehab and keeping fit
• Having smaller projects to focus on and having things to look forward to
• Working with a coach
• Starting at 5am and riding horse for 4.5 hrs
• Trying to eat a lot and not being afraid of eating fast carbs
• Handling set backs
• Working with a physio
• Focusing on staying positive
• Doing a crossing of Svalbard from East to West with a team of women
• Being in an environment with polar bears - needing to take on night watch shifts to keep the camp safe from polar bears
• Mentally preparation before the challenge
• Knowing it will hard and lonely
• Also understanding it will be very tough
• Focusing on the goal and being so motivated to reach it
• Discipline
• The pain of disciple is lighter than the pain of regret
• The importance of socialising with friends - but organising this around training
• If you want to achieve anything, you've got to put in the work
• Showing up even when you don't feel like it
• Needing to make the final payment by August, and send the equipment over in September
• Trying to get sponsorship from corporate and individuals
• Meeting the right people
• How to connect with Gina
• Final words of advice for women who want to step...
