SIR RANULPH FIENNES O.B.E.
"Finding the spirit within"
RANULPH TWISLETON-WYKEHAM-FIENNES served with the Royal Scots Greys for a time before joining the SAS. In 1968 he joined the Army of the Sultan of Oman and in 1970 was awarded the Sultan's Bravery Medal.
Described as the "World's Greatest Living Explorer" by the Guinness Book of Records, his expeditions around the world include;
Transglobe, (the first surface journey around the world's polar axis) during which he and Charles Burton became the first explorers to reach both Poles by surface travel
North Polar Unsupported Expedition (furthest north unsupported record)
Anglo Soviet North Pole Expedition co-leader of the Ubar Expedition (which in 1991 discovered Ptolemy's long-lost Atlantis of the Sands, the frankincense centre of the world)
Leader of the Pentland South Pole Expedition (which achieved the first unsupported crossing of the Antarctic Continent and the longest unsupported polar journey in history) 1992/93.
Successfully climbed Mount Everest at the age of 65 during the historic expedition in 2009
Sir Ranulph's expeditions have raised over £4.2m for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, (which has enabled the building of Europe's first MS research centre in Cambridge) and £1.9m for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. In 1993 he was awarded an OBE for 'human endeavour and charitable services'.
His first book was published in 1970 and since then he has written 12 further works including his autobiography Living Dangerously 1987, The Feather Men (UK Number One Bestseller 1991), Atlantis of the Sands 1992, Mind Over Matter (a harrowing account of his Antarctic expedition 1993), The Sett 1996, Fit For Life 1998, Beyond the Limits 2000, The Secret Hunters 2001 and Captain Scott (best-selling biography of 2003).
In 2003 Sir Ranulph, with Dr Mike Stroud, ran 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents. This, despite his having suffered a major heart attack and double bypass operation in June of that year.
In 1995 Her Majesty the Queen was graciously pleased to award Sir Ranulph a second clasp to the Polar Medal that he already has, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in Polar exploration and in particular, his attempts to reach the North Pole between 1988 and 1990 and his successful trek across Antarctica in 1992/93. (No-one else has a double clasp medal each of which acknowledges both Arctic and Antarctic achievements.)
Now as one of the world's leading motivational speakers Sir Ranulph is in much demand to share his unique experiences and we are delighted that he will be joining us at talkperformance 2010.