Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE - Max Adventure Patron
Sir Ranulph Fiennes is represented for public speaking by Max Adventure. If you would like Ran to:
- present one of his inspiring and motivational talks
- interview him for screen or press
- have him take part in a television documentary
Ranulph Fiennes Biography
Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE
17th January 01
Ranulph Fiennes according to the Guinness Book of World Records is 'The greatest living adventurer'.
Ran was born in Windsor, Berkshire shortly after the death of his father, who was killed in action in the Second World War. Ran inherited his father's baronetcy, becoming the 3rd Baronet at his birth and is the third cousin of Hollywood film actors Joseph and Ralph Fiennes.
After the war his mother moved the family to South Africa where he remained until he was 12. Ran then returned to be educated at Eton, after which he joined the British Army where he served eight years with the Royal Scots Greys, and later the Special Air Service.
He spent the last two years of his service seconded to the army of the Sultan of Oman, where he commanded the Reconnaissance Platoon of the Muscat Regiment, seeing extensive active service in the Dhofar Rebellion. He led several raids deep into rebel-held territory on the Djebel Dhofar and was decorated for bravery by the Sultanate.
After his military career, Ran embarked on a life of adventure, leading expeditions up the White Nile on a hovercraft in 1969 and on Norway's Jostedalsbreen Glacier in 1970. His most famous trek was the Transglobe Expedition which he undertook from 1979 until 1982. Ran and two fellow members of 21 SAS, Oliver Shepard and Charles Burton journeyed around the world on its polar axis using surface transport only, covering 52,000 miles and becoming the first people to have visited both poles by land.
In 1992 he led an expedition that discovered the lost city of Ubar in Oman. The following year he joined Dr. Mike Stroud in an attempt to become the first to cross Antarctica unaided. Having crossed the continent in 90 days, they were forced to call for a pick-up on the Ross Ice Shelf, frostbitten and starving, on day 95. A further attempt in 1996 to walk to the South Pole solo, in aid of Breast Cancer charity, unfortunately ended in failure and he had to be rescued from the operation by his crew.
Despite suffering from a heart attack and undergoing a double heart bypass operation just four months before, Ran joined Mike Stroud again in 2003 to carry out the extraordinary feat of completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents in the Land Rover 7x7x7 Challenge for the British Heart Foundation.
Ran reached 28,500ft in a 2005 attempt to climb Everest and joined the Victoria Falls Expedition, celebrating the 150th Anniversary of David Livingstone's discovery.
In March 2007, despite a morbid, lifelong fear of heights, Ran successfully climbed the North Face of the Eiger, where he raised £1.5 million for Marie Curie. On 24 May 2008, he had to abandon an attempt to be the oldest Briton to climb Mount Everest, being forced to turn back from exhaustion after reaching the final stopping point in a climb for charity.
On 20 May 2009 though, Ran successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the oldest British person to achieve this.
London to Cape Town Patron
Sir Stirling Moss OBE
Sir Stirling Moss OBE has kindly agreed to honour the Max Adventure team with his patronage for the London to Cape Town record attempt.
Max Adventure & Ranulph Fiennes
February 2000Mac Mackenney was appointed Sir Ranulph Fiennes 'Right-Hand Man' on his attempt at the North Pole.
March 1998Max Adventure were chosen to undertake the Logistics and Reconnaissance work for an expedition led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
