Shop online at bambooclothing . co . uk
I climbed more , filmed more , and I did more work in the mountains . In 2009 I came up with an idea that would change everything . It combined three dreams into one adventure . I would ride a motorbike to the south of France , climb Mt Blanc and paraglide from the top of a high mountain . So it was simple : get there , climb it and ( if ) I reached the summit , I would fly off !
14
Most people thought this was a crazy idea , but with the help of my partner in crime , the remarkable Irwyn Jehu , ( who taught me to paraglide ), we made a plan . It took months to source equipment such as a motorbike , a lightweight paraglider and a video camera . I didn ’ t have these things … nor any money ! I used links with the BBC to convince BMW to loan a motorbike and links with BMW to convince the BBC to loan a video camera . Consequently Ozone promised to loan me a lightweight paraglider and harness . Against the odds my ‘ creative blagging strategy ’ worked ! What happened next was the best bit – we only went and did it ! I was the first British woman to successfully fly from the summit of Mt Blanc ensuring sponsors were happy . I was thrilled not to mention relieved !
This project showed me how I could turn my adventures into stories with a value for sponsors . With an amazing portfolio of photos ( thanks to the generosity of David Spurdens Photography ) I approached Salomon , Suunto and Rab for support ( kit I loved )! Slowly these incredible brands agreed to work with me . Everest was never a mountain that was on my radar . However , after reaching the summit of Cho Oyu , an 8,201m peak things changed !
In order to afford to do the mountaineering trips I worked with the climbing company , Summit Climb who became good friends . I am not a solo mountaineer and without sherpas I could not climb the mountains I have . Despite some sponsors in place , Everest has a hefty price tag and I needed more . Having never been to university I decided this would be my personal student loan to myself coinciding with my 30th birthday . I had a huge loan to pay back . I wanted to be the first women in the world to fly from the Everest Summit . I made it to the top of the world , but weather made flying impossible ”.
Afterwards I began to do more speaking engagements , presenting work , and worked with new sponsors as an ambassador . I was slowly making money ! Fast forward and I have a brand : Squash Falconer , adventurer , speaker , presenter and just a few weeks ago , four years after Everest , I repaid my loan and things are looking good for the future .
What are your plans for 2016 ?
I filmed a television series with an American production company in South America two years ago . I presented an adventure travel documentary riding 3,000 miles on my BMW through Argentina , Chile and Peru before flying to Columbia and Brazil .
Each episode involved meeting up with an extreme sports athlete , doing a stunt or sport with them , and exploring their local region . It was an incredible trip with extraordinary people . We are finishing editing and hopefully it will be available soon .
How to focus on maintaining your goals and managing to lead an unconventional life ?
I didn ’ t deliberately set out to have an unconventional life or avoid the nine to five .
My life unfolded because of who I am , the people around me and the opportunities I decided to take . Work / life balance is a struggle because I generate my own income which is a wonderful but also a difficult blessing .
Surprisingly I like routine , so whilst I embrace change , challenge and adventure I like having structure , lists and some kind of plan . My goals are to follow my passions so consequently my work and my life all blend into one – it ’ s just what I do .
Mountains have taught me a lot ranging from amazing days , to days so hard you want to curl up in a heap and give up . You have the lows and highs and the goal is as much about the journey , the experience and the people . This perspective on the overall situation keeps me on track .
Do you train for your challenges and if so how ?
Yes . In the past I have always done endurance training ; out on the hill hiking , long slow runs , road cycling or ElliptiGo ’ ing . Recently I ’ ve turned to strength training and ‘ clean eating ’. I ’ m not a huge gym fan and like to use my own body weight and be outdoors . Intense , interval sessions have made such a difference to my overall fitness and strength .
Shop online at bambooclothing.co.uk
I climbed more, filmed more, and I did more work
in the mountains. In 2009 I came up with an idea
that would change everything. It combined three
dreams into one adventure. I would ride a
motorbike to the south of France, climb Mt Blanc
and paraglide from the top of a high mountain.
So it was simple: get there, climb it and (if) I
reached the summit, I would fly off!
Most people thought this was a crazy idea, but with the
help of my partner in crime, the remarkable Irwyn
Jehu, (who taught me to paraglide), we made a plan. It
took months to source equipment such as a
motorbike, a lightweight paraglider and a video
camera. I didn’t have these things… nor any money! I
used links with the BBC to convince BMW to loan a
motorbike and links with BMW to convince the BBC to
loan a video camera. Consequently Ozone promised to
loan me a lightweight paraglider and harness. Against
the odds my ‘creative blagging strategy’ worked! What
happened next was the best bit – we only went and did
it! I was the first British woman to successfully fly from
the summit of Mt Blanc ensuring sponsors were
happy. I was thrilled not to mention relieved!
This project showed me how I could turn my
adve ���ɕ́��Ѽ��ѽɥ�́ݥѠ���م�Ք���ȁ����ͽ�̸)]�Ѡ�������饹�����љ�����������ѽ̀�ѡ���́Ѽ�ѡ�)����ɽͥ�䁽���٥��M��ɑ��́A��ѽ�Ʌ��䤁$)���ɽ������M��������M�չѼ�����I�����ȁ������Ѐ����)$���ٕ����M��ݱ�ѡ�͔����ɕ�������Ʌ��́��ɕ���Ѽ)ݽɬ�ݥѠ�����ٕɕ�Ё݅́��ٕȁ����չх���ѡ�Ё݅�)�����Ʌ��ȸ�!�ݕٕȰ���ѕȁɕ�������ѡ���յ��Ё��)
���=��������Ŵ������ѡ���́��������)%���ɑ�ȁѼ�����ɐ�Ѽ����ѡ����չх����ɥ����ɥ�́$)ݽɭ���ݥѠ�ѡ�����������������䰁Mյ��Ё
����)ݡ���������������ɥ���̸�$������Ё��ͽ��)��չх����ȁ����ݥѡ��Ё͡����́$���ձ����Ё�����)ѡ����չх��́$���ٔ������є�ͽ�������ͽ�́��)�������ٕɕ�Ё��́��������ɥ���х������$�������)��ɔ��!�٥�����ٕȁ�����Ѽ�չ�ٕ�ͥ��$���������ѡ��)ݽձ����������ͽ������Ց��Ё�����Ѽ���͕��)�����������ݥѠ�����Ѡ����ѡ��丁$��������՝������)Ѽ���䁉�����$�݅�ѕ��Ѽ����ѡ������Ёݽ�������ѡ�)ݽɱ��Ѽ���䁙ɽ��ѡ��ٕɕ�ЁMյ��и�$�������ЁѼ)ѡ��ѽ�����ѡ��ݽɱ�����Ёݕ�ѡ�ȁ�������她�)�����ͥ����t�)�ѕ�݅ɑ́$�������Ѽ������ɔ���������)����������̰��ɕ͕�ѥ���ݽɬ������ݽɭ���ݥѠ����)����ͽ�́�́��������ͅ��ȸ�$�݅́ͱ�ݱ䁵�����)����䄁��Ё���݅ɐ�����$���ٔ����Ʌ���M�Յ͠)������Ȱ���ٕ���ɕȰ�������Ȱ��ɕ͕�ѕȁ�������Ё�)��܁ݕ��́��������ȁ啅�́��ѕȁٕɕ�а�$�ɕ�������)���������ѡ���́�ɔ����������������ȁѡ������ɔ�()]��Ё�ɔ���ȁ����́��Ȁ�����)$����������ѕ��٥ͥ���͕ɥ�́ݥѠ������ɥ���)�ɽ�Սѥ���������䁥��M��Ѡ���ɥ����ݼ�啅��)�����$��ɕ͕�ѕ�������ٕ���ɔ��Ʌٕ�����յ��х��((��()ɥ�����̰��������́����� 5\�ѡɽ՝��ɝ��ѥ���)
���������A��ԁ����ɔ���她��Ѽ�
��յ�������� Ʌ饰�)�������ͽ�����ٽ�ٕ�����ѥ������ݥѠ�������ɕ��)�����́�ѡ��є������������չЁ�ȁ����ЁݥѠ�ѡ�������)�����ɥ���ѡ��ȁ������ɕ������%Ё݅́������ɕ�������ɥ�)ݥѠ����Ʌ�ɑ�������������]���ɔ�����͡�������ѥ��)���������ձ�䁥Ёݥ�������م�������ͽ���()!�܁Ѽ�����́�������х���������)����́�������������Ѽ��������)չ���ٕ�ѥ����������)$������eЁ������Ʌѕ��͕Ё��ЁѼ���ٔ���)չ���ٕ�ѥ�����������ȁ�ٽ���ѡ�������Ѽ���ٔ�)5䁱����չ������������͔����ݡ��$�����ѡ��������)�ɽչ���������ѡ��������չ�ѥ�́$���������Ѽ�х���)]�ɬ���������������́�����՝���������͔�$�����Ʌє)�䁽ݸ��������ݡ�����́��ݽ���əհ���Ё��ͼ��)������ձЁ����ͥ���)M���ɥͥ����$������ɽ�ѥ����ͼ�ݡ���Ё$����Ʌ��)������������������������ٕ���ɔ�$��������٥��)���Ս��ɔ������́����ͽ�����������������5䁝���́�ɔ)Ѽ������܁�����ͥ��́ͼ����͕�Օ�ѱ䁵�ݽɬ����)�䁱����������������Ѽ������L��ӊé���Ёݡ�Ё$����)5�չх��́��ٔ�х՝�Ё�������ЁɅ�������ɽ�)���饹�����̰�Ѽ����́ͼ���ɐ��ԁ݅�ЁѼ���ɰ���)����������������ٔ�����e�ԁ��ٔ�ѡ�����́���������)����ѡ��������́�́�Ս������Ёѡ�����ɹ�䰁ѡ�)����ɥ���������ѡ����������Q��́�������ѥٔ����ѡ�)�ٕɅ���ͥ�Յѥ�������́�������Ʌ���()���ԁ�Ʌ�����ȁ��ȁ���������́���)���ͼ�����)e�̸�%��ѡ�����Ё$���ٔ���݅�́���������Ʌ���)�Ʌ�����쁽�Ё���ѡ��������������������ͱ�܁�չ̰�ɽ��)�危�����ȁ����ѥ��e�����I����ѱ�'�eٔ���ɹ���Ѽ)��ɕ��Ѡ��Ʌ�����������a��������ѥ���d��'�e����Ё���՝�)�崁�������������Ѽ��͔��䁽ݸ�����ݕ���Ё������)��ё���̸�%�ѕ�͔����ѕ�م��͕�ͥ��́��ٔ�������Ս�)�������ɕ����Ѽ��䁽ٕɅ�����ѹ��́������ɕ��Ѡ�((0