User:Sonia/Mike Horn

Mike Horn (born 6 July 1966 in Johannesberg, South Africa) is an explorer of South African descent who currently resides in Switzerland.

Personal life
Horn's parents are both teachers; his mother teaches economics and his father sport.

Horn was a lieutenant in the South African special forces between 1984 and 1986. After returning to civilian life, he graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a diploma in human movement science. He then worked in the import and export of fruit and vegetables.

In 1990, Horn left South Africa, which was still under embargo at the time. Having Switzerland, England and Israel as possible destinations, he set off for Switzerland without a work permit. He spent his first months there in Zurich, where he took on several small jobs to get by. It was at this time that he began participating in water sports, such as rafting, riverboarding, and canyoning. After his time in Zurich, Horn moved to Château-d'Œx, where he managed a youth hostel. He met his wife Cathy while working as a guide for a rafting company. They have two children, Annika and Jessica.

After living in Switzerland for 22 years, the Horn family was granted Swiss citizenship in June of 2011.

Major achievements

 * 1991: Paragliding in the Andes in Peru.
 * 1995: Set a world record for riverboarding down the highest waterfall (22m) on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica.
 * 1997: Amazon Expedition - Made a solo, un-motorized traverse of the South American continent. [Leaving from the west coast of South America on foot, climbing from the Pacific Ocean to the summit of Mt. Mismi, then following the length of the Amazon River, hunting and living alone on river banks, until he eventually swam into the Atlantic Ocean six months later.
 * 1999: Latitude Zero Expedition - Completed circumvolution of the world around the Equator by foot, bicycle, canoe and trimaran over 18 months.
 * 2001: Named the Laureus Alternative Sportsperson of the Year
 * 2004: The Arktos Expedition - Completed a 2-year, 3-month solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle by foot, boat, kayak and ski-kite to become the first and only person to complete the 20,000 km journey (12,427 miles). During this journey he also set a world record for crossing Greenland in 15 days. [
 * 2005: Laureus World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year nomination
 * 2006: With Børge Ousland became the first man to travel without dog or motorized transport to the North Pole during the permanent darkness of the Arctic months, reaching his goal after 60 days and five hours.
 * 2007: Climbed Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II in the Himalayas.
 * 2008-2012: Began Pangaea, a four-year expedition of the globe over every continent and ocean raising eco-awareness and urging environmental conservation in conjunction with his Young Explorers Program.

Filmography

 * Latitude Zero (1999-2000)
 * Arktos: The Internal Journey of Mike Horn
 * Four Eight Thousands

Books

 * Latitude Zero (2001)
 * Conquering the Impossible (2005)
 * Schooled by the Far North (2005)
 * Objective: The North Pole by Night (2007)