<i>British woman claims new Antarctic solo record</i>

A British explorer, Felicity Aston, claims to have become the first woman to cross Antarctica on her own, after skiing more than 1,700 kilometres across the ice in 59 days.
The 33-year-old's arrival was announced with a Twitter message saying: !!!Felicity has reached her destination - Hercules Inlet - after 59 days !!!Congratulations to the 1st female to traverse Antarctica SOLO. V proud."
Several hours later, she tweeted: "Sitting in my tent in the middle of Hercules Inlet waiting for a plane to come and pick me up. I've been promised red wine and a hot shower."
Aston, from Kent in south-east England, began her trek on November 25 at the Ross Ice Shelf and, after a stop-off at the South Pole, finally reached Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf on January 22 -- a distance of 1,744 km.
She battled freezing temperatures and winds to make the trip, dragging two sledges containing her food and equipment behind her as she skiied up hills and towards endless empty horizons.
In an emotional message recorded shortly before her arrival, she said: "It feels amazing to be finished but yet overwhelmingly sad that it's over at the same time.
"I can't quite believe that I'm here, and that I've crossed Antarctica."
Aston had already reached the South Pole, in December 2009, as part of a team of women from Commonwealth countries.