Direct from the UK, the world’s greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes is coming to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in May 2020. In this fascinating evening we will hear tales from his expeditions over the last 50 years – the meticulous planning, the highs and the lows and just what it takes for someone to cut their own fingers off when frostbite sets in – and so much more.
“I’m thrilled to be visiting in May. I look forward to sharing stories from my many adventures over the years. From my young days in the British Army, through to climbing Mount Everest in my 60s, it will be a fun evening reminiscing about some good times”
Now in his 70s, Sir Ranulph has packed more adventures in one lifetime than most people can ever dream of. Named by the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘world’s greatest living explorer’, Sir Ranulph Fiennes has spent his life in pursuit of extreme adventure, risking life and limb in some of the most ambitious private expeditions ever undertaken. Some of his lifetime highlights include:
- The first and only person to circumnavigate both North and South Pole
- the first to cross the Antarctic and Arctic Ocean
- the first to circumnavigate the world along its polar axis
- He discovered the lost city of Iram in Oman
- In 1993 he was the first man to walk across Antarctica, unsupported. He accomplished it in 93 days
- He cut his own fingers on his left hand after suffering frostbite when attempting to walk the North Pole
- He has run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days 4 months after suffering a heart attack. He was in his 60s
Sir Ranulph offers a personal journey through his life, from his early years to the present day. Both light-hearted and strikingly poignant, the live show spans Sir Ranulph’s childhood and school misdemeanours, his army life and early expeditions, right through the Transglobe Expedition to his current Global Reach Challenge – his goal to become the first person in the world to cross both polar ice caps and climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ many endeavours have pushed his endurance levels to the very limits, inspiring generations and making him a pioneer of exploration with an unparalleled story to tell. He is truly a living legend who understands just how precious our world is and the importance to keep it that way.
Fri 22 May – Town Hall, AUCKLAND / www.ticketmaster.co.nz
Sat 23 May – Aurora Theatre, CHRISTCHURCH / www.ticketek.co.nz
Mon 25 May – Michael Fowler Centre, WELLINGTON / www.ticketmaster.co.nz
TICKETS ON SALE Thursday 27 May
ranulphfiennesliveonstage.com/
Facebook / Instagram: @RanulpfFiennesAustTour
FACTS ABOUT SIR RANULPH FIENNES:
Profile
- Born UK 1944, just after his father was killed in the war.
- Brought up in South Africa
- Back UK, Eton College
- Failed A Levels
- Joined Royal Scots Greys (Tanks). Cold War
- Joined SAS 1965/1966. Youngest Captain in the British Army
- Fought Marxist Terrorists 1968-1970 and received the Sultans Bravery Medal from HM the Queen
- 1984-1990 Vice President of PR and Adviser for Western Europe to Chairman of Occidental Petroleum Corp.
- Married childhood sweetheart Ginnie Pepper in 1970 and together they launched a series of record breaking expeditions that kept them ahead of their international rivals for three decades.
- Some of these huge challenges include:
- First to reach both Poles (with Charles Burton).
- First to cross Antarctic and Arctic Ocean (with Charles Burton).
- First to circumnavigate the world along its polar axis (with Charles Burton). ‘This 3 year, 52 000 mile odyssey took intricate planning, 1900 sponsors, a 52 person team to handle, complex communications, meticulous planning and iron determination mixed with flexibility. The circumnavigation has never been successfully repeated.
- Led the first hovercraft expedition up the longest river in the world (the Nile) in 1968/1969.
- Achieved world record for unsupported northerly polar travel in 1990.
- Led the team that discovered the lost city of Ubar on the Yemeni border in 1992 (after seven previous search expeditions over a 26 year period).
- Achieved world first in 1992/1993 by completing the first unsupported crossing of the Antarctic Continent (with Mike Stroud). This was the longest unsupported polar journey in history.
- In 2003, only 3½ months after a massive heart attack, 3 day coma and double bypass, Ranulph Fiennes (with Mike Stroud) achieved the first 7x7x7 (Seven marathons in seven consecutive days on all seven continents).
- March 2005, climbed Everest (Tibet-side) to within 300m of summit raising £2 million for the British Heart Foundations new research MRI scanner.
- March 2007, Sir Ranulph climbed the North Face of the Eiger (with Kenton Cool and Ian Parnell) and raised £1.8 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Delivering Choice Programme
- Winner of ITV Greatest Britons 2007 Sport Award (beating the 2 other main nominees Lewis Hamilton and Joe Calzaghe)
- May 2008, climbed Everest (Nepal-side) to within 400m from summit raising £2.5m for Marie Curie Cancer Care Delivering Choice Programme
- Marie Curie 2008 ‘Above and Beyond Award’ Winner
- Successfully summited Everest May 2009 with Thundu Sherpa making a total for Marie Curie of over £6.2m. The oldest Briton ever to summit.
- Becomes the oldest Briton, at the time, to complete the Marathon des Sables – the ‘toughest footrace on earth’ in aid of Marie Curie.
Awards
- French Parachute Wings 1968
- Dhofar Campaign Medal 1968
- Sultan of Oman’s Bravery Medal 1970
- Man of the Year 1982
- Livingstone Gold Medal Royal Scottish Geographical Soc 1983
- Gold Medal NY Explorers Club 1984
- Described by Guinness Book of Records as “The World’s Greatest Living Explorer” 1984
- Fndr’s Medal RGS 1984
- The Polar Medal 1984 with Bar 1995 by HM the Queen (his wife Ginnie was first female recipient)
- ITV Award for Event of the Decade 1990
- Explorers Club (Br Chapter) Millennium Award for Navigation 2000
- Oldie of the Year Award 2004
- Hon DSc Loughborough Univ
- Hon Dr: UCE 1995, Univ of Portsmouth 2000, Univ of Glasgow 2002, Univ of Sheffield 2005. Abertay University (Dundee) 2007, Plymouth University 2011
- Hon. Fellowship University of Glamorgan 2012
- Hon. Director of Science University of Chester 2014
