Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Mavado, to comfort J'can skier to the South Pole

Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:42 AM

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By Steven Jackson Observer writer

Friday, November 06, 2009

Social scientist/talk show host Kim-Marie Spence, 30, will seek fortitude in the music of Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and Mavado as she attempts to become the "first Jamaican" to reach the South Pole.

Kim-Marie Spence

It is a cold 900-kilometre journey which started this week. Her success or failure will determine whether Spence, 2001 Rhode Scholar, will make history or tragic headlines. She wants the embrace of history, but confessed that she is a little scared.

"This isn't exactly Disneyworld," she told Splash in an interview at Bookophilia in Kingston last Friday. "There are very real dangers but I have confidence in my team."

Music will help to boost her confidence over the next 40 days as she skies across half of Antarctica.

"I realise that musical content is that much more important. For me it must be positive music and not too hard, something that I can work up a skiing rhythm to," said Spence who is co-host of the Breakfast Club and the former CAPRI executive-director. "When I am in that environment I tend to go for all kinds of music ranging from U2 (Irish Rock band) back to hardcore dancehall."

Danchall and reggae artistes on the top of her playlist will be Jah Cure, Mavado and Lust, Marley and Rihanna "as our Caribbean sister". Songs include Holiday by Ding Dong and Chevaughn and My Life by G-Whizz.

"One Love is really good to start a hardcore day with," she said of the Marley classic adding that her favourite Jackson song is Stranger in Moscow.

The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition will see eight women (pictured above) from Commonwealth countries brave blizzards, crevasses and temperatures below minus 40° celcius as they ski 900 km over approximately 40 days to the Geographic South Pole.

Her playlist is yet to be fully compiled but will likely be eclectic. She hasn't decided on a specific victory song at the pole, but said it would "have to be Jamaican".

Spence reasoned that if she fails, it may reinforce stereotypes that Jamaicans should not venture into Antarctica: "If I die, I am dead, but I am more concerned about the effect on other people."

Spence said that during her intense training that her bottom got noticeably bigger.

"The posterior got bigger. It changed my life. Different types of men look at me now," she quipped. "I was cussing and quarrelling about it. But when I went on the New Zealand trip, the muscles in the butt, gave me the ability to power up slopes. It is nice."

Success will mean that "Kim-Marie will be the first person from Jamaica to ski to make this journey to the South Pole from the Antarctic Coast," said a media release.

Spence left Jamaica on November 2 for the start of Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition in Chile, and then to Antarctica. The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition will see women from eight Commonwealth countries - Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom - brave blizzards, crevasses and temperatures below minus 40° Celcius as they ski 900 km over approximately 40 days to the Geographic South Pole. The expedition marks the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth as well as demonstrating the potential for greater international understanding and exchange, and highlighting the achievements of women across the World.

The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition was made possible by the sponsorship of title sponsor, International Security Software Company Kaspersky Lab.

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