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Ranking in 7summits list, either CP or K | : | 62 |
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Ranking in Carstensz Pyramid list | : | 47 |
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Ranking in Kosciuszko list | : | 44 |
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First name | : | Neil |
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Family name | : | Laughton |
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Gender | : | male |
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Country of origin | : | UK |
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Date of Birth | : | 1963-10-31 |
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Name of first summit | : | Aconcagua |
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Date of climbing the first summit | : | 1993-01-05 |
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Name of final summit in Carstensz list | : | Carstensz |
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Date of final summit in Carstensz list | : | 1999-02-14 |
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Name of final summit in Kosciuszko list | : | Kosciuszko |
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Date of final summit in Kosciuszko list | : | 1999-12-22 |
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Date of climbing Kilimanjaro | : | 1993-11-07 |
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Date of climbing Elbrus | : | 1995-01-05 |
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Date of climbing Aconcagua | : | 1993-01-05 |
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Date of climbing Denali | : | 1994-05-24 |
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Date of climbing Vinson | : | 1997-01-21 |
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Date of climbing Everest | : | 1998-05-26 |
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Date of climbing Carstensz Pyramid | : | 1999-02-14 |
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Date of climbing Kosciuszko | : | 1999-12-22 |
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Climbed Carstensz Pyramid? | : | Yes |
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Climbed Kosciuszko? | : | Yes |
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Total time including Carstensz Pyramid | : | 06y,040d |
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Total time including Kosciuszko | : | 06y,351d |
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Age when finished with CP | : | 35y,107d |
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Age when finished with K | : | 36y,052d |
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Website | : | http://www.neillaughton.com (much info, also for booking or lectures) http://www.office-projects.co.uk (one of his companies) |
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Additional Info | : | Neil Laughton is an adventurer who seems to enjoy life; besides climbing the 7 summits he also golfed the '8 courses' and Jetskied around Britain, both to raise money for charity.
The following is reproduced from his website with permission:
"Profile: Biography
Neil's family motto, Frangas non Flectes ('you may break but you cannot bend'), is appropriate as he is a classic example of how success can be achieved through adversity. His many traumatic experiences as a businessman, soldier and adventurer have been tackled using his own formula for success:
1L x C/E + 3Ps = SUCCESS!
One Life x Challenges/Experiences + Preparation, Positivity & Persistence = Success!
Neil spent five years as a commission only door-to-door salesman during which he experienced management suicides, job redundancies, company fraud, liquidations and every form of rejection in the book. Despite this, he now operates a boat charter business, is the founding director of Office Projects and is a commercial property landlord.
Since the age of 12, Neil dreamt of joining the Royal Marines as an officer. He passed the Commando Course at 19 but when his father died from cancer, his concentration and confidence left him and he was discharged. Despite this failure he volunteered and was selected to serve with UK Special Forces.
With a passion for adventure, Neil has spent the last 15 years planning, organising and leading teams on expeditions around the world. These include two expeditions to Mt. Everest (Lecture #1: Death Zone), the "7 Summits" - the highest mountain on each continent (Lecture #2: Seven Summits) and a re-creation of Sir Ernest Shackleton's escape from Antarctica (Lecture #3: The Boss). Other adventures include a sledge hauling expedition to the North Pole and the first circumnavigation of the UK by JetSki.
Whilst climbing Mt. Everest in May 1996, Neil found himself in the "Death Zone" (Lecture #1: Death Zone) above 8,000m during the worst storm in the mountain's history. He spent 48 hours in the storm, which claimed the lives of 9 climbers and assisted those that were injured. Two years later he led a four man British team to the summit including the youngest Briton, 23 year old "Bear" Grylls.
Profile: Interesting Facts
Some information about Neil that does not appear on his CV!
- When asked to sign a visitor's book in Antarctica, Neil had his Polaroid taken in minus 30°c and wrote the caption below: "The first solo, unsupported, British crossing of Antarctica, pulling a light aircraft - naked."
- As quoted in Geographical Magazine:
"What essentials do you always pack (on expeditions)?"
"A wad of £20 notes."
- Neil was in the team that holds the World 24 hour pram pushing record.
- Despite being an exceptionally talented driver, and passing his test aged 17, it was only on his fourth attempt!
- Neil's longest non-stop endurance running race was the SDW 80 miler, which he completed (painfully) in 19½ hours.
- Forced to abandon Hang Gliding due to a nasty tendency of crash landing, he took up Bicycle Polo and went on to captain the England Team.
- Neil entered the World Tin Tray Racing Championships on the Olympic Bobsleigh track in Igls, Austria and won a Bronze medal, much to his surprise.
- He holds the World Record for the coldest round of golf - minus 26°c and in two foot of snow in Alaska.
- One weekend he canoed to France - just for fun, then entered the 125 mile Devises to Westminster canoe race and came last!
- His most daring and dangerous exploits include the Pamplona Bull Run, being taught explosives in the Army and train-surfing in Burma"
- read more about the "The Awesome Eight golf courses" golf tour here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/golf/newsid_1723000/1723556.stm
- "A team of four intrepid Britons set off to 'Close the Pole', walking the last degree of latitude towards the North Geographic Pole to raise cash for Starlight. Lewis McNaught, Neil Laughton, Giles Leather and Steve Jones negotiated 111km of frozen sea - pulling sledges for 9 days. Over £15,000 has been raised to pay for Starlight Sensory Equipment for the Royal London and Guy's hospitals to help children recovering from major surgery."
read more about his "last degree walk for charity" here:
http://www.starlight.org.uk/How_You_Can_Help/Groups/groups.htm :
- And about his Shackleton Memorial Expedition 2001:
http://www.willwd.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/team.html
Currently he is director of office interiors company, Office Projects Ltd.
He is a motivational speaker, and can be booked directly through his site or through http://www.cmmol.net/neil_laughton.htm
* This is the full interview as mentioned above:
"Traveller's Truths
Neil Laughton, 36, served in the Royal Marines before setting up a commercial interiors company in London. He manages his time well enough to organise private expeditions worldwide and raise money for charities.
Recent excursions have seen him successfully tackle Mt Everest in '98, the North Pole in '99, and the 'seven summits' in 2000. He has just become the first person to jet-ski round Britain. His next adventure will be a recreation of Shackleton's epic voyage from Antarctica to South Georgia in an open boat.
?? What was the first place you visited overseas?
When I was six years old, my father was posted with NATO in Belgium and all I remember was sharing a taxi to a French school every morning with a girl in my class. I rarely saw the scenery as we would throw her school cape over us in the back seat and get naked.
?? What is your idea of heaven on earth?
Returning from a hike in the Himalaya and sitting with a chilled bottle of beer on the veranda of a well appointed tea-house overlooking the sacred mountain, Machupuchare. In heaven it would be topped off with a large yak burger with cheese and a dip in the local hot springs.
?? What about hell on earth?
The Central Line tube in London during July at approximately 6.00pm.
?? Who are your best travelling companions?
A team of Nepalese Sherpas, for their strength, courage, skill, friendliness and generosity.
?? Who are your worst travelling companions?
The 25-stone bloke with body odour wearing his running vest who squeezed himself into the seat next to me on a recent flight to Australia.
?? Who is the most memorable person you've met?
Colonel John Blashford-Snell, the soldier, explorer, author and net- worker-extraordinaire, who has been a friend and supporter since he gave me a job as a survival instructor in Scotland. When I couldn't afford a flight to Sydney he arranged a cargo ship to take me via the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
?? What has been your worst moment?
There have been quite a few. One of them was losing my father to cancer when I was 19. Also being chased by twelve half-ton bulls through the streets of Pamplona and realising too late that they could run faster than me. Another was surviving the storm on the South Col (7,800 metres) on Everest in 1996, and discovering that many climbers from other expeditions were missing, presumed dead.
?? What essentials do you always pack?
A wad of £20 notes.
?? What music do you listen to when you are travelling?
I avoid listening to Western music when I travel so that I pick up on the local sounds. I have particularly fond memories of wild jazz at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, pan pipes in Bolivia, a rock 'n' roll band in New York Square and the steel drums of the Caribbean.
?? Where is your favourite place?
Camp III, on Mt Vinson, Antarctica's highest mountain, for its sheer beauty, cleanliness, solitude and awe-inspiring vastness.
?? What is your favourite holiday read?
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. It's a moving story depicting the desperate lives of soldiers in the trenches during the First World War. It makes you realise how lucky we are.
?? What do you do when you are not travelling?
I plan future expeditions and arrange mini-excursions such as the Ben Nevis lilo race, tin tray racing on an Olympic bobsleigh track, Siberian husky dog racing, canoeing the English Channel and finishing - at a painful crawl - the SDW 128-kilometre marathon. Oh yes, and I make sure my clients move into their new offices on time.
?? What do you enjoy about the world?
The freedom to explore our planet while being blessed with good health.
?? What worries you the most?
Being paralysed or blind or worse, and letting people down through my own weaknesses or selfishness."
From http://www.geographical.co.uk/expeditions_travel/explorers/neil_laughton.html (offline now)
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