British adventurer and Leander Club member Jock Wishart has presented the club with a blade that he used during an expedition to row to the North Pole.

In August Mr Wishart and his crew made history by successfully completing a never before attempted expedition to row to the 1996 certified position of magnetic North Pole.

The four-week adventure, which was sponsored by Old Pulteney single malt Scotch whisky, proved to be a challenge of a lifetime as the crew braved extreme Arctic conditions including an iceberg collision, close encounters with polar bears and communication problems.

The pioneering six-man crew’s 500 mile expedition into the unknown was completed in a specially designed ice boat.

The Row to the Pole blade will take pride of place in the club, hung amongst other historic blades which belonged to Olympic gold medalists such as Sir Steve Redgrave.


Mr Wishart said: “As a long- time member of Leander Club, I was determined to row with a pink blade further North than anyone had ever done before and I am honoured that that blade will now hang in my club.”

Leander Club’s president, Sir George Cox said: “Leander Club takes immense pride in the achievements of all its athletes and Jock’s efforts in reaching the magnetic North Pole with his crew rank alongside some of the great sporting endeavours of the last 200 years.

“It gives me great pleasure to accept Jock’s blade on behalf of the club, where it will hang as a reminder of the courage and endurance necessary to have achieved this feat.”

Mr Wishart, who lives in Kingston upon Thames, is established as one of the UK’s leading adventurers and explorers with a successful background in polar exploration, rowing and extreme navigational feats.

He led the team which established fifteen new world speed records for powered circumnavigation and captained the team that broke the London to Paris rowing record in 1999.

He has a lifetime interest in polar exploration and in 1992 was part of the first team to walk unsupported to the geomagnetic North Pole.

ends

AN ADVENTURER has presented Leander Club in Henley with a blade that he used to make history.

In August, Jock Wishart and his crew became the first people to row to the magnetic North Pole.

The six-man team spent four days battling the Arctic conditions, including an iceberg collision and close encounters with polar bears. The 500-mile expedition was made in a specially designed ice boat.

The Row to the Pole blade will be hung among other famous blades such as those used by five-times Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave.

Mr Wishart, a member of Leander, said: “I was determined to row with a pink blade further north than anyone had ever done before and I am honoured that blade will now hang in my club.” Club president Sir George Cox said: “Leander takes immense pride in the achievements of all its athletes and Jock’s efforts in reaching the magnetic North Pole with his crew rank alongside some of the great sporting endeavours of the last 200 years. It gives me great pleasure to accept Jock’s blade on behalf of the club, where it will hang as a reminder of the courage and endurance necessary to have achieved this feat.”

Mr Wishart, from Kingston, has a history of polar exploration, rowing and extreme navigational feats. He led the team which established 15 world speed records for powered circumnavigation and captained the team that broke the London-to-Paris rowing record in 1999. In 1992, he was part of the first team to walk unsupported to the geomagnetic North Pole.