Against all odds - to the North pole in winter
"I hold that a man should strive to the uttermost for his lif's set prize"
Robert Browning
Build courage and strength - dare to reach out for your goals.

- About the preparations, motivation and lessions learned.
- Focus on your strong sides.
- Focus on solutions.
- Innovation and the ability to tolerate changes.
- How to prepare oneself for risks.
- First solo to the North Pole, first solo across Antarctica and first to the North Pole in winter. "I must have done something right..."
Børge Ousland, polar explorer and adventurer.
Banff Mountain festival. Photo: Donald Lee
Børge Ousland has stretched his limits for endurance and motivation further than most people. No one has carried through more expeditions alone in the Arctic and the Antarctic than this man. He holds records from both Poles, but was forced to turn back only few meters from the summit of Mount Everest on his last expedition this spring. New records had to give way to the security of the team. Børge is a former Seal (Norwegian Naval Special Forces) and has for many years worked as a deep sea diver in the North Sea.
With nearly twenty years of experience from expeditions, he has taught himself to swim across the freezing waters of the North Pole like a seal and to sail across the ice on the South Pole like a bird. He was the first to walk alone to the North Pole and to cross Antarctica solo and unsupported on skis.
Børge Ousland takes you to another world - let youself be inspired and motivated to reach the goals you have made for you life!
Contact Børge Ousland for more information and booking
National Geographic Speakers Bureau, Washington DC
"The challenges that legendary polar explorer Borge Ousland has faced and overcome don't get much more intense. The riveting story that he tells about his adventures--and in the face of adversity being able to redefine and achieve success--has lessons for all of us. Borge also has a wonderful sense of humor that makes his presentations not only compelling but very funny and entertaining. Even compared to some of National Geographic's other top presenters, our audience rated Borge Ousland the best speaker of the season".
Andy van Duym, Director, National Geographic Live! National Programs & National Geographic Speakers Bureau. www.nationalgeographic.com/speakers . |
Banff Mountain Film Festival, Canada
"Borge Ousland's polar accomplishments are beyond what most would think possible. The mind-bending loneliness of his solo expeditions is impossible for a normal human being to comprehend. And yet he pulled the Banff Festival audience into his experiences with incredible skill; through beautiful images, an understated style, a superb sense of humour and his passion for wild places. Ousland is that rare combination of explorer, athlete and communicator. He tells a great story!"
Bernadette McDonald , Vice President Mountain Culture, The Banff Centre. |
The JCI 50th European Conference EC2006 in Tallin, Estonia
Borge Ousland was one of the five EC2006 key-note speakers who performed for nearly 2500 young leaders and enterpreneurs across Europe. Ousland himself as well as his lecture was a living proof to the conference slogan "Everything Is Possible". Passing the audience the message about how to overcome one´s fears, how to expand the borders set by mind and how to discover the inner strength, he totally captured the audience. Breathtaking photos and videos of the Wild, Cold and yet so attractive polar caps, inspiring message about finding ones strong sides and following the goal of the life, made the audience interrupt the fascinating lecture with applauses.
In the end of the lecture the whole audience stood up and the applause was not to end. According to the feedback, Borge Ousland was the favourite lecturer of the day. The conference participants took along his message: Follow your dreams. Never stop!
Siiri Poldar, PR manager, JCI Conference 2006
Innovation Norway, London
As part of our participation in World Travel Market in London , the world's second largest trade fair for the tourism industry, Innovation Norway - Tourism engaged Mr Børge Ousland to give his lecture "Solo across the North and the South Pole" at a dinner for our trade partners and clients.
Our guests are by nature of their work extremely well-travelled and they were absolutely fascinated by the lecture. The talk lasted for about an hour and included breathtaking images from the journeys. Mr Ousland certainly held the audience captive and we received very positive feedback from the guests after the event. We were delighted with the evening and highly recommend Børge Ousland as a lecturer.
Heidi M. Dahl
Director Tourism Western Europe
Innovation Norway |
Augustana University College, Canada
Børge Ousland , Norwegian Arctic explorer, adventurer and author, visited Augustana University College ( Camrose , Alberta ) in December of 2002. He spent a day on our campus meeting with students and faculty in formal and informal settings, and this was a memorable day for all of us. Ousland's thoughtful, engaging and inspiring public lecture, in which he spoke of his solo trekking experiences to the North and South Poles, was presented to a crowd of three hundred. Børge Ousland is an articulate English speaker who is clearly passionate about his adventures and sharing his experiences with others. Through his use of stunning photographs and engrossing stories, he successfully draws his audience into his adventures, and inspires them to think about their own goals and dreams. Ousland does an excellent job of fielding questions, and he has an approachable manner. He is comfortable and confident speaking to large and small groups, and uses humour and humanizing details in his presentations. I give my highest recommendation to Børge Ousland as a speaker and presenter.
Ingrid K. Urberg
Associate Professor of Scandinavian Studies Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta
Camrose, Alberta, Canada |
Royal Geographical Society
Børge Ousland has been invited to lecture at The Royal Geographical in London several times. After his lecture, Solo across the poles, Børge received standing ovations at this honorable society. |
Reinhold Messner
"Borge Ousland is both such a good speaker and adventurer. I am a great admirer of his achievements."
Reinhold Messner, mountain climber |
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