TWO Hampshire adventurers are among six sailors attempting to make history by rowing all the way to the magnetic North Pole.

Rob Sleep and David Mans – both from the New Forest – beat hundreds of rivals to be selected for an expedition led by Polar explorer Jock Wishart.

They left Resolute Bay, Canada, last night at the start of their 450-mile journey to the top of the world.

Their specially designed craft, built by Rossiter Yachts in Christchurch, Dorset, will take between four and six weeks to complete the voyage.

Rob is a 38-year-old businessman who set up Marine Camera Solutions in Lymington in 2008.

He said: “I’ve done a few Arctic expeditions with Jock with some of us walking to the magnetic pole, so when he came up with this expedition it seemed like a natural step forward.

“My biggest challenge – fear if you like – is not knowing what the biggest challenge will be.

“For all us there’s a sense that we have to be ready mentally and physically for as many things as possible.”

Captain Mans, 28, of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, is the son of Hampshire county councillor Keith Mans, of Milford on Sea.

“I relish the opportunity to take part in what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest adventures of my life,” said Captain Mans.

The rowers are likely to face howling winds that, despite it being the Arctic summer, will bring temperatures down to –15c.

They will also run the risk of being crushed or capsized by moving ice floes.

An expedition spokesman said: “Jock and his team will brave some of the harshest conditions on Earth. They’ll have to row for hours on end in challenging weather and sub-zero temperatures with little chance for rest or shelter.

“It’s a feat of extreme physical and mental endurance that has never before been attempted.”