Fearless

Jade Hameister is the definition of a trailblazing teenager; switched on, adventurous, courageous, and empowered by the idea of, “what if we shift the focus for young women born into the ‘selfie’ generation from how they appear, to the possibilities of what they can achieve”. Wise beyond her years, in talking with Jade it’s easy to forget this young woman is actually a Melbourne schoolgirl gearing up for her final years in high school. The recipient of this year's InStyle and Audi Women of Style ‘Fearless Spirit’ Award, Jade in January this year, completed her Polar Quest, and in doing so, conquered life goals many adults could only dare to dream of.

Raised in an adventurous family, by six years of age Jade had trekked to the summit of Mount Kosciusko alongside her parents and four year old brother; and by 12 she had completed the trek to Mount Everest Base Camp. But it was her latest quest – which saw the Polar explorer cover around 1300km over three expeditions in 75 days on the ice, on skis, dragging a sled that weighed more than her body weight across some of the most extreme environments on the planet – that launched Jade into the international limelight, and she credits her father for her instinctual enthusiasm. 

“Dad did the Seven Summits, and I think that instilled something in my mind to want to get outside and do something myself. I was definitely born into the right family for these sorts of challenges. Dad also taught me the difference between rational and irrational fear…irrational fear is something your imagination creates and it’s what stops us from reaching our true potential. By understanding that concept I’ve been able to do a lot more than I thought I could do previously,” says Jade.

Clearly not one to shy away from a challenge, the year before setting out on the first leg of the Polar Hat-Trick, Jade had never skied before. Accompanied by her father, she ventured to New Zealand for a skiing intensive where she spent four days on the Tasman glacier because it simulated what the actual expedition would feel like.

The mission took part in three phases; Expedition One to the North Pole was completed in April 2016, Expedition Two was the Greenland Crossing which Jade finished in June 2017, while Expedition Three to the South Pole was a gruelling 600km across 37 days, which rounded out Jade’s trifecta. Naturally, she cites that the mental extremes were just as tough as the physical challenge, explaining, “With the Polar Plateau in Antarctica, we had days where it was minus 50 with wind chill and 40 knot head winds, it was brutal; and it might sound clichéd but I had to shift my focus from home and what I might be missing out on; warmth, showers and food, and focus on where I was and how much work I’d put in to be in that position.”

On completion of the final South Pole expedition, Jade cemented her name in the record books as the youngest person (male or female) to ski from the coast of Antarctica to South Pole unsupported and unassisted; the first Australian woman in history to ski coast to Pole unsupported and unassisted; the first women in history to set a new route to the South Pole unsupported and unassisted; the youngest to ski to both Poles; and the youngest to complete the Polar Hat Trick. 

Despite her accomplishments, Jade remains grounded, “Yes, the awards are nice to have but it wasn’t really about getting records. Trying to empower young women was one of my key motives from the start,” but as a representative of a generation that will inherit the consequences of climate change, Jade also feels she has a responsibility to learn as much as she can about global warming and raise awareness of the impact of climate change in years to come. 

“After seeing the environment it’s become about experiencing places that I can share with other young people; to inspire them to care more for the environment, and I guess make a difference in the future.”

Jade has spoken publicly at TEDx Talks, she’s appeared on the US Today’s Teen Titans series and while she’s enjoying the opportunities presented as the result of her trips, it’s in the trekking where she’s most content. 

“I don’t want to sound selfish but the trips are definitely the best part! Also receiving messages from young girls saying that they feel like I’ve inspired them in a certain way is incredible. Even if it was just one, it makes me feel pretty good.”

The InStyle and Audi Women Of Style Awards judging panel were certainly inspired by Jade’s work, awarding her The Fearless Spirit Award for 2018. “When I first heard InStyle, I thought about style, fashion, models; and then I thought well actually style doesn’t have to be that, and I think it’s really special to be recognised for something that is different to the traditional meaning of style.”

In terms of next steps, the sky is literally the limit for Jade Hameister. She says, “If I can make a difference in the lives of others that would be the ultimate but in terms of adventure my ultimate goal would be to get to space.”