Topic: Achieving the Impossible

Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards

Michael Edwards, better known as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, is a British skier who was the first competitor since 1928 to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping in 1988.  Despite finishing last in both the 70m and 90m events, he won the hearts of millions and became one of the best loved athletes of the games.

A former downhill skier who narrowly missed out on being selected for the British team at the 1984 Games, Edwards decided to switch to ski jumping as there were no other British competitors to battle with for a place. He trained in Lake Placid, New York, but the odds of achieving success were not in his favour: he was significantly heavier than the other competitors; he lacked financial support and his glasses were prone to misting up! However, he went on to represent Great Britain in 1987 at the World Championships, and was ranked 55th in the world. This performance resulted in him achieving his Olympic dream - it qualified him as the only British applicant for the ski jumping competition at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

His lack of success at the Olympics endeared him to audiences around the globe - the public simply loved his spirit and attitude. He quickly became a celebrity and, as a result, became a talking point on many talk shows and other media outlets. He even received a special mention at the closing ceremony from the president of the organizing committee. This widespread attention was something of an embarrassment for the ski jumping establishment and shortly after the games finished the entry requirements were tightened up.

Following the 1988 Olympics Eddie continued to train and made considerable advances in his performance, but unfortunately did not qualify for the 1992, 1994 or 1998 Olympics. Following retirement from ski jumping he became a keen amateur speed skier, becoming the ninth fastest in the world.

Eddie's massive popularity means that, even years after Calgary, he is still greatly in demand at events in the UK and abroad. He was a torch bearer for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, has appeared in numerous advertising campaigns, and has even released a book: On the Piste. In 2013 he won the first series of the celebrity diving show Splash, and in 2014 he commentated and worked on Channel 4's show The Jump, which followed celebrities as they attempted to master a number of different winter sport disciplines.

In 2015 the biographical comedy-drama film about his journey to the 1988 Calgary Olympics was released starring Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton.

Lewis Pugh

The only person to have completed a long-distance swim in every ocean, extreme adventurer and record-breaking swimmer Lewis Pugh talks about pushing yourself beyond 'the possible' into new realms of achievement.

Most recently during 2018's summer, Lewis swam the 530km length of the English Channel in just 49 days, starting at Land's End and finishing in Dover.

In 2016 he helped negotiate the creation of the biggest protected area in the world in the Ross Sea off Antarctica. The negotiations required consensus among 25 countries, a number of which had long standing disputes with one another. The media dubbed his efforts as "Speedo diplomacy" after Lewis took on the challenge of swimming 5 swims in freezing Antarctic waters, wearing just speedos and a swim hat.

As a motivational and keynote speaker, he puts businesses at every level worldwide through their paces with vital messages and strategies for surviving and thriving in a fragile economic climate.

To be the first human to  swim  across the Arctic waters (a mean minus 1.7°C!) requires a shift in mind-set when dealing with a dramatic drop in body temperature and the dangers of killer sea-animals: one must conjure up and maintain a constant focus and flexibility—crucial elements of business management.

Lewis has lived through the repercussions of change and their contributing factors and, a passionate voice for conservation, has been busy honing his front crawl technique in vulnerable ecosystems to raise awareness about their plight.

For example, in 2010, he completed a swim across a glacial lake on Mount Everest to draw attention to the melting glaciers in the Himalayas and the impact the reduced water supply will have on peace in the region. He has now pioneered more swims around famous landmarks than any other swimmer in history!

Teamwork is also vital to the success of his exploits. Lauded as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Lewis’ influence and endurance was enabled by those around him. His crack teams are always made of those completely committed to excellence and leaders in their field.

Through his adventures, he dreams of making a significant difference. In 2015, Lewis undertook five swims in Antarctica to campaign for a large Marine Protected Area in the Ross Sea - one of the most incredible and diverse areas left on earth – which is now threatened by overfishing and climate change. The media have dubbed his efforts as ‘Speedo diplomacy’.

One of Lewis’ keynote speeches on leadership was voted one of the ‘7 Most Inspiring Videos on the Web’, and TED have described him as a ‘master story-teller’. He has also appeared on various international TV news channels, and his autobiography ‘Achieving the Impossible’ was selected for Oprah’s Exclusive Book List.

Along with the Freedom of the City of London, Lewis has been bestowed with South Africa and France’s highest honours.

Lewis addresses audiences on; Business management and teamwork, surviving and thriving in challenging times, achieving the impossible, change and its repercussions and the plight of vulnerable ecosystems. Lewis has been invited to speak at both the Conservative and Labour Party 2018 conferences, and co-hosting the Panda Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars of the wildlife and environmental film and TV awards.