Manley Hopkinson - Team Leader

Adventure and making things happen for the benefit of others is never far away from what Manley does best. He has skippered a yacht in “the world’s toughest yacht race”, the BT Global Challenge, co-founded Impala Adventures running 4x4 safaris in Africa, Europe and Russia, and above set the record time in winning the “Polar Race”, the first ever race to the Magnetic North Pole.

Having tasted the unique pleasure of Polar travel going North, there is a natural balance to striving to conquer the South. I have read all there is on the humbling exploits of those that went before me. I am under no illusions as to have tough this is going to be, but I am hugely excited to think that we will be standing on the same spot as Shackleton, Scott and their men, look up the Beardmore Glacier and see it as they saw it. I have enormous respect for what they achieved”.

But this is no replica trip, this is a full-on record attempt. I am fed up with the heroic failure tag that Britain gets stuck with. Scott and Shackleton were both great men and brave pioneers. I also do not agree with the commonly held myth that Scott was not a great leader and somehow wallowed in the arrogant belief of a supposed English tradition of "toughing it out" under extreme circumstances - “Man could manage Nature”. I believe his story has been poorly told by many. I want to remind people how great a leader he was.

We intend to smash the current record from the edge of continent into the pole. Our route is more technical and tougher than the traditional route from Hercules Inlet, but I believe it is faster. We are targeting 21 days. When we reach the South Pole, every member of my team will know that they could not have given more. We will be both physically and mentally exhausted, but elated at our achievements. On the race to the Magnetic North pole, we covered 45 miles in one 24 hour period man-hauling our sledges of 90kg across badly broken sea-ice. They don’t even do that much with dog sled teams; we were determined to win.

“Any fool can be uncomfortable” is a maxim I have always kept close to me. With a little extra effort do it in style. On arrival at the South Pole, we will be welcomed by a Fortnum & Mason Hamper - renowned the world over for British quality and taste. Fortnum & Mason supplied Scott and Shackleton; it is fitting they supply us too. The last few days of an expedition can be the toughest, but, for us, the thought of the Fortnum & Mason hamper will spur us on; the quicker we get there the quicker we can toast our success with champagne and truffles! To find out more about Manley’s inspiring talks and leadership development programs and about his role as Director of Leadership and High Performance at Georgia Group, visit www.georgia-group.com