Abstract

On Good Friday 2009, 19-year old IB student Nathan Allen reached the geographic North Pole, after an epic 275km trek over the frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean, battling what NASA described as “the thinnest ice in history”, as well as frostbite, hypothermia, and polar bears. Hauling all his food, supplies, and equipment in a sledge, Nathan used pioneering satellite technology to send back live updates every single day of his expedition: the fist ever to use Facebook & MySpace – directly inspiring young people all over the world. His daily dispatches were followed by thousands worldwide, serialised in The Independent, and Nathan even received encouragement from Her Majesty the Queen. The credit crunch and collapse of his major sponsor forced Nathan to run the expedition on a shoestring budget, mounting a huge debt, and forcing him and his team to develop a radical new approach. Nathan’s acclaimed presentation, “Cold Feat” runs through the highs and lows of oa polar expedition, with a unique perspective on personal challenge.