A former Teignmouth Community College student from Ashcombe is to be part of an all-female British team aiming to crack the world speed record for crossing the Greenland ice-cap.

And this week, 32-year-old Rachel Pearson said she was confident the team could do it.

Miss Pearson – her parents, David and Jane, are farmers in Ashcombe – has trekked in Thailand, shot rapids in New Zealand and scaled Cotopaxi, in Ecuador – the world's highest active volcano – among several other adventures.

But she admitted the Greenland Quest – as her team, the Arctic Foxes, have dubbed it – would be her toughest challenge so far.

The team – the other members are Felicity Aston, Jenny Pugh and Jo Vellino – is aiming for a return trek across the ice-cap, covering a distance of 1,300km, roughly 900 miles.

'Even if we don't break the speed record, we will be the first British all-female team to cross the ice-cap,' said Miss Pearson.

And to boost the bid – the women will have four weeks to do it – the team will use power kites to help them beat the record, which currently stands at six days 23 hours. Skimming the snow on skis will enable the team to reach speeds of up to 35mph.

Miss Pearson said: 'Most of the four weeks will be on skis, dragging our pulks (sledges) behind us, which will weigh about 60kg (nearly 91/2 stone) 'However, if the wind is good then we will be getting out our kites and hopefully flying across the ice on skis.

'The Greenland ice-cap is a polar desert and we will be braving hidden crevasses, Arctic winds, temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees C and the ever-present danger of inquisitive polar bears.

'This is the biggest challenge I have ever attempted and I am both excited and scared in equal measures.'

She added: 'There is the potential danger of falling down a crevasse or losing my team-mates while kiting. The kites have the capability to reach incredible speeds which can make it impossible to spot a crevasse ahead until you have fallen into it, and the speed also means that you only have to go in the wrong direction for a few minutes before finding yourself very much alone in a polar desert.'

Miss Pearson and her colleagues have been in training for months for the challenge and will be leaving for Greenland towards the end of April, returning to this country in early June.

Miss Pearson – who will be leaving her job as an events co-ordinator for the London-based Terrence Higgins Trust to take part in the challenge – will carry with her a small St Christopher's pendant which has escorted her on several long journeys.

She appealed for support for the challenge: log on to http://www.arcticfoxes.co.uk">www.arcticfoxes.co.uk or contact [email protected]">[email protected].

Miss Pearson's father said: 'We're really proud of Rachel. We will be with her in spirit if not in body. We know that the Foxes can make it across the ice.'