Andy Kirkpatrick - Big Wall Climber and Motivational Speaker
Andy Kirkpatrick is one of the UK’s most accomplished big wall climbers – a skill which involves pitting oneself against a vertical climb of a over 1000 metres - scaling Yosemite’s El Capitan, the hardest wall in America, over ten times. One of these ascents was a 12 day solo of the Reticent Wall, viewed at the time as perhaps the hardest climb of its type in the world.
The U.S. magazine Climbing once described Andy Kirkpatrick as:
"a climber with a strange penchant for the long, the cold and the difficult and with a reputation for seeking out routes where the danger is real, and the return is questionable, pushing himself on some of the hardest walls and faces in the Alps and beyond, sometimes with partners and sometimes alone.”
In 2002 Andy Kirkpatrick made a 15 day ascent, in winter, of the Dru, a 1000 metre pillar considered by many to be the hardest climb of its type in Europe, a climb that pushed him and his partner to their limits, and was featured in the award wining film Cold Haul.
Andy Kirkpatrick is also well known for his expeditions to mystical Patagonia, all of which have taken place in its fearsome winter season, a season in which very few have ever ventured. The stories from these expeditions have become some of the classic modern climbing tales, often redefining the words ‘epic’ and ‘cold’!
These climbs have allowed Andy to make a career out of climbing, something a little unexpected when you consider his background, growing up in a council flat in the extremely flat city of Hull. It is perhaps this journey, overcoming many hurdles – including a poor education – that are of the most interest to his audiences, as they discover it was his love of climbing that eventually taught him to write and take photographs good enough to earn him a living.
One of Andy’s biggest strengths is his ability to talk about his life and climbs in a style that is totally accessible to the non climber, translating even the most technical of ascents into a form that has even the non-climber’s hands sweating.
Motivational Speaking:
Andy Kirkpatrick is one of the UK’s best adventure speakers, with a style that connects with all audiences, whether they comprise of managers of billion dollar companies, fighter pilots, or primary school children. Andy’s premise is simple:
“we all face the seemingly unscalable in our lives, and how he’s how he overcome his own personal obstacles, both in and out of the mountains”
Andy’s talks can a broad spectrum of important areas, including:
- Personal Motivation
- Goal Setting
- Leadership
- Team Work
- Overcoming Failure
It’s guaranteed that one of Andy’s presentations will be a talking point long after his images have faded from memory.
Speech Titles:
If You’re Not Failing, You’re Not Trying Hard Enough!
A highly motivational presentation focusing on past climbs where it was necessary to overcome the past failures in order to succeed. The presentation includes many valuable skills that can help young people cope with the hurdles they will face both in school and beyond.
A Chocolate River Runs Through It
Standing next to the actor Johnny Depp in a river of Chocolate Andy looks back in order to ask the question ‘how did I get here’. This highly amusing show takes you on a ride from a Hull council estate, to the Alps, the US and Patagonia, and finishes up on the set of a Hollywood movie.
Hard Work Kills Horses
The story of Andy’s ground breaking twelve day solo ascent of the Reticent wall, the hardest climb in the world, and the hardest solo ascent ever achieved by a British climber.
When Hell Freezes Over
Minus 30 Celsius, 120 mph winds, mile high granite walls, this is Patagonia in winter, one of the cruellest climbing destinations on the planet. Andy talks about his three expeditions to Argentina, talking about not only his successes and failures but about his partnerships, overcoming fear, and what it takes to just climb in such a hostile environment.
Testimonials:
Andy Kirkpatrick is one of the funniest of Britain’s top climbers, and represents what is best in modern British climbing; boldness, innovation, sense of humour, irreverence, commitment and an appetite for risk
Sir Chris Bonington CBE
Andy Kirkpatrick gave a jocular and colourful presentation that left us all highly entertained. Delivered in the best spirit of climbing and mountaineering and under pinned with some serious messages on life. Well worth listening to
RAF Sqn Ldr Andy Vaughton - ‘Training for war fighting’ symposium
Andy began by telling us “the first step towards failure is trying,” - proving from the start that this was going to be no ordinary motivational speaker. Andy went on to jump, shout, and narrate without seeming to breathe; his audience responding with belly laughs and uncontrollable tears
Christian Beckwith, Alpinist magazine party, Colorado, USA
Quite simply, Andy’s a natural showman and - despite some glitches with his cunning twin-carousel slide show arrangement - his combination of relaxed, curiously wired, brilliantly-timed cracks, phenomenally dramatic shots of Patagonian winter climbing epics and terrifyingly realistic wind impressions, effortlessly beguiled the audience
Royal Geographical Society - MH Lecture
Andy Kirkpatrick doesn’t just take the stage, he somehow manages to grab hold of the entire auditorium and pull it into a different, weirdly-hued world where tents explode in 200 mph winds and shivering through Patagonian winter nights is quite normal and almost fun
Komi systems, Leeds
I just wanted to drop you a line to say that we had a fantastic day yesterday and Andy went down a storm. He was interesting, funny, moving and everyone thoroughly enjoyed his presentation.
PA to Chief of Staff - Barclaycard - 2007
Fee Group: £1k - £3k
