Lewis Gordon Pugh
In 2006 Lewis Gordon Pugh became the first swimmer in history to complete a long distance swim in all 5 oceans of the world, a feat which many had considered to be the "holy grail" of swimming. He also became the first person to complete a long distance swim in both the Arctic and the Antarctic. In a career spanning nearly 20 years he pioneered more swims around famous landmarks than any other swimmer and is regarded by many as the greatest cold water swimmer in history.
As a boy, Lewis moved from England to South Africa, and it was there that his affair with the sea began. By the age of 17, Lewis had completed a swim from Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned) to Cape Town, and shortly thereafter he crossed the English Channel. His relentless drive pushed him to tackle longer, harder and colder swims, in the most remote and inhospitable parts of the world.
After reading law at the University of Cape Town and Cambridge University, and working as a solicitor in the City, he went on to become the first person to swim around North Cape, the most northern point in Europe in 2003. The following year, he completed an epic 204 kilometre swim down Norway's longest fjord, appropriately earning himself the nickname "The Ice Bear". Both swims were made into documentaries for the National Geographic Channel.
In 2005 Lewis made world headlines when, unperturbed by polar bears, he plunged into the frozen Arctic Ocean close to the North Pole and swam 1 kilometre to break the world record for the most northern long distance swim.
Four months later, he endured the same punishment in Antarctica, to break the record for the most southern long distance swim. His 18 minute swim was undertaken in 0 degree water! On the same expedition he also completed a 30 minute and 30 second swim in 2 degree water making it the longest polar swim in history. All of Lewis's swims were done according to English Channel Swimming Association Rules, which only allowed a swimming costume, cap and pair of goggles - no wetsuit, no drysuit.
So what drives him? For Lewis, the answer is simple - he follows his dreams:
"I never do the same swim twice. The next swim must be harder and more challenging, otherwise I am going backwards. Sometimes we set boundaries for ourselves in life, or even worse, we allow others to do so. In many cases, these boundaries are just in our mind and need to be pushed away".
Lewis's exploits have received wide-spread media attention. His swim in Antarctica was covered by over 500 TV news broadcasters around the world, including CNN, BBC, ABC News, Good Morning America and Sky News.
Lewis's remarkable story is powerful and inspirational. He talks with much experience on having a vision in life, the value of goal setting, courage, perseverance, self motivation, leadership, teamwork, overcoming failure, leaving an enduring legacy, and of course his love for the Polar Regions.
He describes what it feels like to dive into 0 degree water, which for most of us would be fatal in a matter of seconds, and how he is able to survive by using mind power techniques to raise his core body temperature to almost fever pitch. This ability (known as "anticipatory thermogenisis") has not been recorded in any other swimmer. He explains how to overcome fear, with practical examples of swimming near leopard seals, sharks and polar bears. And he talks about the lessons he learnt from leading his team through the Arctic, Southern, Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and how to choose the right team for each job. Lewis's explanations of his epic expeditions are riveting and inspirational for any audience.
"Lewis's talk was inspirational and had the entire room captivated. We couldn't have chosen a more perfect speaker with such a compelling story to tell, to put all our efforts around tackling Climate Change into renewed perspective! "
Hannah Moon, Environmental Brand & Market Manager. British Gas New Energy.
“Lewis spoke at our off site meeting. He spoke on teams and leadership. The group was absolutely inspired by him. Both his delivery and his content were extraordinarily high. I can recommend him without reservation.”
Tim Tacchi
Founding Partner - TT International
"Lewis Gordon Pugh is cut from the same mould as explorers like Amundsen, Shackleton, Scott and Hillary." - Major General Tim Toyne Sewell, former Commandant of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst
"Lewis is able to survive in water which would disable most people in seconds." - Professor Tim Noakes, Chair of Exercise and Sports Science, University of Cape Town
"Lewis has pioneered swims in some of the coldest and most hostile waters of the world." - Mike Read, Chairman, English Channel Swimming Association
"He is a polar bear!" - Sven Ole Fagern?s, Governor of Svalbard
"Lewis surrounds himself with a world-class team of scientists, coaches and seconds." - Morne du Plessis, former Captain of the South African Rugby Team