 Lucas Bateman
I'm a house-husband and stay-at-home Dad to 2 fantastic boys: Freddie (5) and Edward (9 months). I used to be a lawyer and I still teach a bit. Every so often I go off and run an ultre-marathon for a bit of a rest, or even several as at the Marathon des Sables. The Polar Race is a unique opportunity to compete in one of the world's most extraordinary environments and to learn from and work with extraordinary people. |
 Ed Crowe
I am 30 years old and live and work just outside of Doncaster. I have a wonderful wife called Justine and a Labradoodle called Cooper. I am not from Doncaster originally, I spent much of my childhood in Malawi and on returning to the UK, Kings Lynn, Northampton and Nottingham, including 18 months as a painter and decorator in San Diego. I enjoy most sports, in particular Rugby. I play for my local club - Doncaster Phoenix. I have never come up against a Polar Bear, but I have seen quite a few scary looking sights in Doncaster on a Saturday night... |
 Roger Davies
I am a sportsman, passionate fly fisherman, entrepreneur, mild eccentric and family man. Successful business,am in various fields; whose natural enthusiasm and humour is infectious. I tend to try and lead by example; attempt to provide the support and consistency that helps everybody arrive at good decisions. |
 J-P Downes
I was born in Warwickshire in 1974 where my family have run a business for 4 generations. After boarding school in Warwick and De Montfort University, I attended Sandhurst and commissioned into The Royal Anglian Regiment. Apart from the obvious overseas deployments to hot and sandy places, my career has allowed me to pursue my passion for travel and adventure. I have led expeditions on 5 different continents; the highlight so far has been leading an 8 man team to climb Mt Aconcagua in Argentina (we managed to get 4 to the summit). After 2 years stuck at a desk, the Polar Race is going to be a great opportunity to blow off the cobwebs and raise some money for a charity that’s very close to my heart, The Breast Cancer Campaign. |
 Julian Evans
Married 36 year old Chartered Surveyor, working for Knight Frank. I enjoy all sport, and increasingly, endurance/ultra events. The Polar Race is a fabulous opportunity to participate in an event that might well have a finite existence, due to global warming. Courtesy of my generous sponsors, I'm privileged to be following historic "arctic footsteps" and hope to raise money for my chosen charity. |
 Julie Jones
Waterbaby by nature, I love being on or in the water. A keen amateur sailor, I enjoy racing both classic and modern boats - a hobby that has taken me all over the world. I love travelling and the great outdoors, skiing included. So this is a natural progression from ice-sailing, perhaps? Whilst I have no major achievements in terms of adventure of challenges - there's no time like the present. Life is for living - who knows what will follow this challenge of a lifetime! |
 John MacPherson
I enjoy experiencing new places, people and challenges. Having completed the Marathon des Sables in 2007 I was looking for a challenge at the other end of the spectrum. I already have a great title for a book after this! |
 Claire Shouksmith
I grew up in York in a very active family always out doing adventurous activities, climbing, hiking, messing in boats. Finished GCSEs and went to tech college and studied childcare. Since leaving the last 10 years have been a mixture of nannying with special needs children and backpacking always looking for adventure along the way. |
 Arabella Slinger
Having always followed a conventional path - school, university, a career in the City - the travel bug came upon me, somewhat inconveniently, as I started work. Since then, it has become increasingly remote and far flung places - the more so the better. Hence the North Pole. I am a firm believer that life does not put hurdles in front of you that you cannot overcome and I thrilled about having the opportunity to prove it! |
 David Stanton
Born in Melbourne, AUstralia, in 1985 my father was ex-army 1938-1954 serving in North Africa, Italy and Korea. My mother was a farmers daughter. Gowring up in Australia, I spent most of my formative years out of doors playing a range of sports (Australian Foorball, Soccer, Golf, Cricket, Athletics) and camping with Scouts and Venturers. By good luck I married into a family of Antarctic explorers with my father in law spending 2 years in the Antarctic and my wife's uncle spending a year there as well. Every year we spend our holidays with a two tour veteran of the Antartic. His stories and those of my father in law are my inspiration for this trip. Between 9-5 (if only) I am the treasurer of an Australian bank in the UK, having achieved a Batchelor of Economics from Adelaide University. I am married with 3 children and have lived an the UK since 1997. |
 James Trotman
James is actually our Race Medic, however due to a racer dropping out at short notice James agreed to join Roger Davies and become part of the race itself! Not content with just walking to the North Pole, James wants the responsibility of also being the Race Medic as well. Good Luck! |
 Adrian Wells
I am a really competitive 31 year old guy who loves new challenges and being pushed to new limits. I've recently climbed Mt. Blanc, completed my first triathlon and run the London Marathon. I've worked in marketing for P&G for the last 8 years, from the glitz of toilet paper to the glamour of shampoo. I am currently working on building up some puppy fat to keep me warm by eating tons of Pringles - the brand I manage. The thought of a pint and a warm fire will keep me focused when up in the Pole! |
 Iain Whiteley
I am 42, married with 3 wicked children. Although Scottish, I spend most of my formative years in Northumberland. After University in London. I spent 10 years in the Army with the King's own Scottish Borderers and have now civilianised myself working for an Investment Bank in the city. I used to play Rugby at a reasonable level and turn my hand to most sports. I have always enjoyed 'tabbing' and the Polar Race offers me the chance to catch up whilst getting an unbroken nights kip! I now live in Hertfordshire. |
2009 Racers
Nabs Al-Busaidi