Yachtsman, motivator

Alex Thomson is an inspiration to all who hear him speak. There are many great sports men, but what sets Alex apart is his ability to articulate his experiences with incredible charisma, enthusiasm, and a healthy dose of humor. He is a natural orator.

In October 2005, Alex Thomson vowed to be the first skipper to race three gruelling round the world races in three years; the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2006-07, followed by the inaugural two-handed Barcelona World Race 2007 and culminating with the infamous Vendée Globe 2008.

Life is good for Alex. He has just embarked on the second of his 3 round the world yacht races in his new stylish 60ft Yacht. He has a long-standing sponsorship deal with top fashion house HUGO BOSS. At 33 he already has a world record under his belt, and a media profile enviable of sports men around the globe.

But life has not always been glamorous and uncomplicated for Alex. At 21, he found himself working in a factory packing plastic straws for McDonalds, probably not what one would expect of a would be world record holder.

His personal determination to succeed saw him 4 years later become the youngest skipper ever to win a round the world yacht race. This was a race for teams of amateurs, with Alex as skipper being the sole professional on board, he led them to victory aged just 25. This is testament to the natural leadership skills he possessed from such a young age.

Alex is more than just a sports man. This tenacity and drive have helped him succeed in commercial circles too and in 2004 he and his team secured a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with global fashion brand HUGO BOSS. The influence of his personal mentor and backer, Sir Keith Mills is never more evident than here.

The VELUX 5 oceans in 2006, proved to be one of the toughest challenges Alex has undertaken to date, but not in a way he could have ever anticipated. Thomson’s Yacht HUGO BOSS suffered severe Keel failure, forced him to abandon her in the southern ocean, 1000 miles from the nearest land. Alex so diligently filmed the treacherous rescue operation, that Channel 4 commissioned a one-off documentary on the dramatic ordeal.

On 11th November 2007 Alex Thomson and his co-skipper Andrew Cape left Barcelona to begin a grueling two handed, non-stop, around the world yacht race. On board the sleek, black, state of the art sailing yacht HUGO BOSS. As the only British entry in the race and with the backing of a sexy sponsor, Alex and Andrew have already grabbed the media’s attention. During the race they will be making a number of live broadcasts to the national and international media including the BBC, Sky News, Sky sports, Soccer am, CNN, Channel 4 and ITV. Using the latest satellite communications equipment. This will allow the huge audiences across the world to experience Alex and Andrew’s highs and lows and allow them to follow this extraordinary adventure, and watch how the race unfolds live on their laptops and in their living rooms.

Alex’s team will set up all the equipment which is quick and easy to do, the only requirement being that you have an ISDN line. We will provide the use of a portable video phone which can be connected to a computer or projector. This is an extremely reliable communication system, which Alex has used time and time again to communicate live on Prime time national and international news such as the BBC 6 o’clock news, CNN, ITV, in the most extreme weather and sea conditions.

Alex’s experiences and success in both the sporting and business world make him a compelling, eloquent and knowledgeable speaker on many aspects of leadership, motivation and striving to win. His story will inspire all who listen.

Follow Alex in his next around the world adventure at www.alexthomsonracing.com