Ben Saunders is a pioneer in one of the most challenging fields on earth. A record-breaking polar explorer with four North Pole expeditions under his belt, he is the third in history to ski solo to the North Pole, the youngest to do so by more than ten years, and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton.
Since 2001, Ben has skied more than 2,500km (1,500 miles) in the high Arctic, spending two percent of his entire life living in a tent inside the Arctic Circle.
His most recent expedition, in spring 2008, was an attempt to set a new world speed record to the Geographic North Pole. The current record was set in 2005 by a guided team using dog sleds and five re-supplies in a time of 36 days 22 hours. Ben’s expedition was solo, unsupported and on foot. After nine days battling through the worst ice conditions ever recorded, the expedition was forced to a halt through equipment failure.
In spring 2004 Ben skied solo to the North Geographic Pole from the Russian side of the Arctic Ocean, a challenge described by Reinhold Messner as “ten times as dangerous as Everest”. Four solo expeditions set out that year. Within 24 hours, one was dead and another had been rescued with frostbite in every finger and toe. Six weeks later, the third was airlifted out with a fractured ankle. Ben was the only one of the four to reach the Pole.
He spent 72 days alone and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton. On May 11th 2004, he became the youngest person ever (at 26) to reach the North Pole on foot. After experiencing first hand conditions described by NASA and Environment Canada as ‘the worst since records began’, Ben has raised international awareness of the extent to which climate change is affecting the Arctic. He noticed conditions up to 15c. warmer than in 2000, and had to negotiate vast areas of thin ice and open water.
In 2005, Ben spoke at the prestigious TED conference in California, where he was consequently described as “a master storyteller”. Out of 40 speakers (including U2’s Bono and Noble Laureate James Watson) Ben’s presentation was chosen to pilot a televised series of TED talks in the US. He is an Ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, Honorary Vice President of the Geographical Association, an Ambassador for Global Angels and a Patron of the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES).
Ben is a figurehead for a new generation of adventurers and an ourstanding motivational speaker.