James Cracknell OBE, an inspiring sportsman, athlete and adventurer.  He is one of the nation’s most fearless, inspiring and adventurous sportsmen.

Since retiring from competitive rowing, James has continued to be a household name, carrying out dangerous and gruelling challenges for the BBC and Discovery. He has also used his passion for adventure and fitness to front successful campaigns to get the nation moving. And, has provided commentary for several high-profile sporting events.

James has completed several demanding challenges since his retirement that have been documented both on screen and in his written accounts. James and his friend, Ben Fogle, completed ‘The Race Across the Atlantic’ with the experience documented in the BBC show ‘Through Hell and High Water’, the pair wrote a book about the race, titled ‘The Crossing: Conquering the Atlantic in the World’s Toughest Rowing Race’.

Only two years later, James paired up with Ben Fogle and Dr Ed Coats, to take part in the formidable ‘Amundsen Omega3 South Pole Race’. This adventure was also broadcast on the BBC in 5 1 hour, prime-time Sunday night programmes, titled ‘On Thin Ice’. James wrote about this experience in his book, ‘Race to the Pole’.
In 2010 he completed the Marathon des Sables, which consists of the completing the equivalent of six marathons in six days. He then went on to complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra, cycling over 430 miles in the race across the frozen Alaskan countryside.

In 2010, James attempted to cross America by cycling, running, rowing and swimming from LA to New York in record time. It was during this trip that James suffered a near fatal accident after being struck from behind by a truck while cycling through Arizona. After a difficult six-month recovery period, James went to the Canadian Yukon, completing The Coldest Race on Earth. These stunning adventures transmitted as Unstoppable: The James Cracknell Trilogy on Discovery.

Additionally, James is the BBC’s commentator for Rowing, and was heavily involved in the coverage for the Rio Olympics. James has held ambassadorial roles for brands across a wide range of industries. He’s partnered with American Express, JML as the ambassador for Nutriblitzer and Awesome Gym, worked on the Dove Men + Care Father’s Day campaign and faced campaigns for Karrimor and Biosynergy.

James was announced as the long-term ambassador for Renault, supporting Renault-featured events throughout the UK, including Men’s Health magazine’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ races.

James is leading the Policy Exchange’s work on obesity and physical activity and has been heavily involved in their report calling for sugary drinks to be taxed as part of a series of measures to combat rising levels of obesity. Following this, James appeared in The Secret Plan to Save Fat Britain: Channel 4 Dispatches.

In 2018 James began studying for a Masters in Philosophy from Cambridge University.  In 2019 James made history when he became the oldest competitor in the Boat Race, winning alongside his Cambridge teammates.

James’ outstanding sporting achievements, intelligence and good sense of humour have also made him popular choice of corporate speaker, and a great sporting after dinner speaker. With the ability to tailor his experiences to captivate and motivate a variety of audiences, James has inspired and entertained blue chip clients including BT, GlaxoSmithKline, Hewlett-Packard and McDonald’s. Feedback includes:

“James presentation was very well received by the Kelloggs sales conference. I have had excellent feedback from a lot of people. He came across as an articulate but very down to earth guy with a good level of humility. I found him very approachable, relaxed and flexible to fit in with our agenda. His presentation was strong in message but subtle, and being able to tell two different extraordinary stories gave him real credibility as an inspirational speaker. He certainly inspired our team.” Dave Wain Sales Operations Manager, Kellogg’s

“James went down very well indeed. His speech was excellent, he passed his medals round and he took time after his speech to chat and sign autographs. Feedback so far from those that attended felt it was the most successful Dinner to date. Please pass on our thanks to James for making the 10th Anniversary of the Ambassadors Dinner such a triumph!” Dawn Briers HR & Office Manager Opportunity Peterborough

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