DAVID HEMPLEMAN-ADAMS MBE OBE
Motivational speaker
David Hempleman-Adams
has done 29 major expeditions around the world and
in September 2003 became the first person to cross the Atlantic solo in an open
wicker basket balloon after enduring more than 84 hours of cold and surviving
sleep deprivation, hail, snow and a Concorde's sonic boom.
He is an accomplished mountaineer, having climbed some of the highest mountains in the world, including Everest (Nepal), Mount Vinson (Antarctica), Aconcagua (Argentina), Carstenz Pyramid (Indonesia), Elbrus (Russia), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania).
He was a member of the team which, in 1981, achieved one of the fastest ascents of Mount McKinley (Alaska).
In 1983 he attempted a solo expedition to the Geographical North Pole, the attempt failed when, after 230 miles, he cracked several ribs and had to watch his food supplies dwindle whilst sitting out a severe ten-day storm.
In 1984 he was the first person to successfully complete a solo expedition to Magnetic North Pole without the support of dogs, snowmobiles or air supplies.
In 1992 he lead the first team to walk unsupported to the North Geomagnetic Pole. (The story of these journeys is in his book "A Race Against Time").
In all he has led some seven Arctic expeditions and is only the third Briton to have climbed all the seven continental summits. On January 5th 1996 he became the first Briton to walk solo and unsupported to the South Pole.
In February of that year he sailed to the South Magnetic Pole, becoming the first person to do so in the same year.
On May 15th he led The Ultimate Challenge, a team of novices, to ski to the Magnetic North Pole, gaining some notable firsts. Again becoming the only person to ever reach both North and South Magnetic Poles in one year.
He received the Gold Star Award in 1984, the RADAR Person of the Year in 1992, in 1994 he was awarded the M.B.E. in the Queen's Honours List for Services to Polar Exploration and in 1996 he was voted 'Pertex' Outdoor Person of the Year.
Honoured by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society with the prestigious 'Liverpool Medal' for distinguished contribution to the advancement of geography and after his expedition to the North Pole in March 1997, The Royal Humane Society have awarded his the Bronze Award for bravery.
On 29th April 1998 David reached the North Geographic Pole and in so doing completed the Adventures' Grand Slam: he has climbed the highest mountain on each continent and reached the North and South Geographic and Magnetic Poles.