Biography

Dave Cornthwaite is a British adventurer, author and motivational speaker. He has broken five world records, written three books and completed more expeditions than you have fingers since he gave up a graphic design job in 2005.

Shaped by a passion for combining sport and travel to encourage people to look after their own little corner of the planet by thinking big, staying healthy and smiling as much as possible, Dave's take on adventure is unique.

He's best known for his Expedition1000 project, an ambitious series of twenty five journeys of at least 1000 miles in length, each one using a different method of non-motorised transport. He aims to raise £1,000,000 for his selected charities by the end of the project.

Dave Cornthwaite is the most tenacious adventurer in the world right now.
He is constantly pushing forwards.
Tim Moss, Author of How to Get To The North Pole

Dave's first adventure was in April 2006, when he became the first person to skate the length of Britain. This was just a warm-up. On January 22nd 2007 Dave completed his second journey, a five-month world-record 5823km skate between Perth, in Western Australia, and Brisbane on Australia's east coast. Soon after that, his first book, BoardFree, was published.

In 2007 Dave completed his second big expedition, a two and a half month, 2476km expedition along Australia's largest river, the Murray.

In April 2011 he completed the 3rd journey of Expedition1000 by pedalling a tandem bicycle 1400 miles in 14 days from Vancouver, BC to Las Vegas.

Later that Summer Dave became the first person to Stand Up Paddleboard the length of the Mississippi without motorised assistance, breaking two world records along the way. The longest distance paddled by SUP in one day, and the longest distance paddled by SUP in one journey, 2404 miles.

In quick succession in early 2012 Dave complete the 5th and 6th journeys of Expedition1000. He sailed 3156 miles across the Pacific on the scientific research yacht, Sea Dragon, before pedalling a 4-wheeled Bikecar 1000.3 miles from Memphis, Tennessee to Miami, Florida.

Dave's second book, DATE, the tale of a man trying to find a girlfriend by dating 1000 women in 100 days, was released in January 2012. On the way are his next three; Up The Creek, about his Murray River expedition, Stand Up Huck, about Dave's record-breaking Mississippi River descent, and Blogs on Life, a compilation of diaries, articles and blogs from the first five years of his adventure career.

Dave is an established motivational speaker who has addressed audiences on six continents, including two nationwide tours of Australia.

In October 2012 Dave completed his 7th expedition, a 1000-mile swim down the Lower Missouri, towing and pushing his gear on a carbon fibre raft between Chamberlain, South Dakota and St Louis, Missouri. It was the hardest thing he's ever done, hands down.

In May and June 2013 Dave begins his 8th big journey. Alongside his friend Squash Falconer he's riding 3000 miles around Europe on an ElliptiGO elliptical bicycle. As you do.

If you still have one remaining question, Why? Then read Dave's Philosophy of Adventure.

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