Kiwi toasts her ski trip to the South Pole

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RECORD FEAT: Kylie Wakelin is the first New Zealand woman to trek to the South Pole.

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Twizel adventurer Kylie Wakelin slept just 50 metres from the South Pole after taking 38 days to become the first Kiwi woman to reach the site.

After ending her 900-kilometre expedition, Wakelin, 36, and the other six members of the Commonwealth women's expedition were on the phone to their families to relay their achievement.

The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition also includes women from Cyprus and Brunei Darussalam who are the first people from their nations to reach the Pole.

Expedition leader Felicity Aston, from Britain, said in a statement she was "incredibly proud" of the team.

"I think the feeling that we're all feeling right now is, that if we can do this then you can do anything that you like," she said.

"That's the message that we really want to send to everyone.

"We can't wait to get home and share all our stories with you all and we're going to be doing that over the next couple of weeks, but first of all we're all off to get a good sleep and to have something really good to eat. Love to everyone at home.

"We're all incredibly happy and we're standing here, seven women at the bottom of the planet with the biggest smiles on our faces right now.

"Thanks to everybody out there for supporting us and getting us here."

Wakelin said her Christmas wishes had all come true and she was looking forward to indulging in some treats and creature comforts.

Each woman towed an 80-kilogram sled loaded with food, fuel and equipment.

Skiing for six to 10 hours a day, they travelled 900 kilometres to reach the pole and mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth.

They spent months sourcing funding and put in hundreds of hours of training and planning.

The women expect to fly to Chile on January 4, and will then travel to London for a media conference at the Commonwealth Club in London on January 11. Expedition members are expected to appear on BBC television on January 12.

- © Fairfax NZ News