About Richard Parks

Richard is a world-leading extreme environment athlete, award winning author and ambassador to Visit Wales. His pioneering expeditions and projects push the boundaries of human performance whilst adding value to our world – through cutting edge scientific research, education or charitable objectives.

Richard first made history in 2011, becoming the first ever person to climb the highest mountain on each of the world’s 7 continents and stand on all 3 poles (The North Pole, The South Pole and the summit of Everest) within the same calendar year, completing his world first expedition named The 737 Challenge in under 7 months.

In 2014, Richard then became the fastest Briton in history to ski solo, unsupported and unassisted from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole, taking 9 days off the previous British record and becoming the first Welshman to complete this iconic feat.
Richard’s first and critically acclaimed book Beyond the Horizon follows the captivating journey from the shattering injury that ended his rugby career through to his pioneering and world first expeditions in the most extreme environments on earth.