Cooper Tires drive over Bering Strait

ERJ staff report (DS)

Wales, Alaska -- Steve Burgess, a farmer from West Yorkshire, has put himself and his Land Rover Defender into the record books as he became the first person in history to successfully cross the Bering Straits in a road vehicle - and he says he has his Cooper 4x4 tyres to thank.

Earlier this year the 52-year-old travelled 10,379 miles in 50 days to the Easternmost tip of Russia. Despite driving across icy tundra and frozen riverbeds with temperatures as low as -46°C in some of the most remote places on earth, the Cooper Discoverer ST off-road tyres provided the added traction and outstanding performance Burgess needed.

Instead of trying to drive across treacherous ice, Burgess and his team waited for the ice to melt and then drove across using large inflatable floats attached to the vehicle. He landed at 1a.m. local time on the beach of Wales, Alaska, on Friday 8 August, earning his place in history.

“Landing on Wales was brilliant. It was the culmination of nearly nine years work, and to be the first to get across was incredible. I'd watched other people before me try to do it - rich people, big companies, and I thought 'how am I going to square up to these people?' But I showed them how it's done!”

Despite the achievement, Burgess's epic journey is far from over. After returning to the UK to raise more funds so he can continue the trip, he plans to drive all the way down North and South America to Cape Horn, after travelling a total of 30,000 miles.

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Press release from source