Since the age of 13, after reading about 2 fishermen rowing the Atlantic, Olly’s dream has been to row the oceans.

Born in 1981, Olly grew up between London and the family farm in Derbyshire where he developed his love of the
outdoors. Spending summer holidays on the Suffolk coast tinkering with boats instilled a love of the sea.

When it comes to world firsts – they are remembered and live in history. Hillary and Tenzing were the first to summit
Everest, Sir Robin Knox Johnson was the first to sail around the world non stop, Chay Blyth and John Ridgeway were the
first to row the Atlantic. While speed records continue to be broken, no one can take away the achievement of a world
first.

When it comes to ocean-going feats, there are few records left unbroken – circumnavigating the globe, solo and unaided
in a rowing boat, is one of them. And it is one that is due to be undertaken in October 2012 by Olly Hicks.

In 2005 Olly completed a lifelong ambition to row across the Atlantic, becoming not only the first person to do so from the
USA to the UK, but also the youngest to row any ocean solo.

It was during this voyage that Olly decided that the ultimate challenge lay in rowing around the world.

In January 2009 Olly Hicks departed Tasmania on the Virgin Global Row. After 96 days Olly landed in New Zealand – he
was the first person to make this crossing but due to a fundamental design flaw with the boat the full voyage had to be
suspended.

Olly speaks on self motivation, achieving seemingly impossible goals, and the rewards of perseverance in order to follow
dreams. Olly particularly enjoys speaking to young audiences – inspiring the minds of the future to fulfil their potential.
It was at school that Olly found his calling to row the oceans.

A brief biography
2003: Marathon Des Sables (160 miles across the Sahara desert)
2004: Yukon River Quest (450 mile nonstop kayak race)
2005: First and youngest to row solo from USA- UK
2006: Virgin Row documentary screened at the Royal Geographical Society
2007: Sails across south Atlantic from Cape Horn – Cape Town
2008: Environmental research on board expedition yacht in Antarctic Peninsula, Global Row research
2009: First row of the Tasman Sea, from Tasmania to New Zealand
2010: Circumnavigates the Falklands by yacht
2011: Fastnet race

Awards
2006: Peter Bird Trophy – awarded at the Dijon Film Festival for tenacity and perseverance
Moscow Film Festival – first prize in adventure category
2007: Highly commended as a young philanthropist by the Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust
2011: Nominated for Dijon Film Festival adventure category, for Tenacity on the Tasman
Nominated for Banff Adventure Film Festival award

Olly has now raised over £160,000 for charity, and for his longstanding work with Hope and Homes for Children won a
young philanthropists commendation from The Beacon Fellowship charitable trust.
The Beacon Fellowship acknowledges and rewards exceptional philanthropic acts by individuals for their giving of time,
leadership, money, skills and ideas, and works to highlight motivating role models to to inspire and educate the next
generation of philanthropists.

In 2006 Olly was awarded the Peter Bird Trophy – an award to recognise exceptional tenacity and perseverance, as
displayed by Peter Bird, and to commemorate his loss at sea in 1996.

The award was made to Olly, the youngest solo ocean rower, for his solo row across the North Atlantic fom New York,
USA, to the Isles of Scilly, UK.