A former British soldier who swam, biked and trekked from the UK to Mount Everest said the challenge was life-changing, and that he now hopes to launch a career as a motivational speaker in Dubai.
Mitch Hutchcraft completed the 13,000km journey on May 11 after 240 days of adventure. He was accompanied part of the way by his dog Buddy, who joined him in France and travelled with him, towed behind his bike in a trailer, for 2,000km, to Budapest.
He has now recovered from the ultra-endurance challenge and hopes to inspire business leaders and charitable fundraisers to pursue their own dreams and goals.
“I left the Royal Marines in 2021, and then instantly got roped into rowing across the Atlantic – that’s where I had the idea for this trip,” he told The National. “I always wanted to climb Everest from sea level, to go from zero to the top of the world is something I always wanted to do. I had always wanted to swim the Channel as well, so it's been a big dream.”
The route led him through the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE and Kuwait – where a kind-hearted friend provided a vehicle from which a film crew could record his exploits.
“I remember having like a lightbulb moment while I was rowing across the Atlantic, thinking, if I just link the middle bit, it becomes a triathlon, as I've always wanted to cycle across the world too,” he said.
“I thought if I swim the Channel, then I can cycle across the world, two continents, 18 countries, all the way to India, and then I can run and hike 1,200km from India to Everest, and then if I try and climb it I could achieve my dream.”
Mr Hutchcraft set off from Dover on September 14 to undertake the first leg of his trip, a 34km open-water sea swim across the English Channel.
Gulf leg
On arrival at the beaches of northern France a few hours later, he allowed himself time to refuel and rest before jumping on his bike to begin a gruelling cycle from France to India, which took in the UAE.
“I cycled through the entire Middle East – Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi, UAE, Oman – and spent time in Dubai,” he said. “I’ve got a really strong connection with the Middle East and the UAE.
“My friend from Kuwait gave me his truck for the entire way for the TV crew from the Kuwait-Iraq border all the way to Oman, so we had it through Saudi all the way through to the UAE.”
When that 11,929km leg was done and dusted, it was time to run the 900km journey from India to Nepal, and the foothills of the Himalayas.
That leg alone would have tested many, but then it was time for a 365km trek towards Everest base camp, which he reached on April 16. After a few weeks of acclimatisation he began his climb to the summit towards the world’s highest peak, reaching the 8,849m summit at around 7.20am local time on Sunday, May 11.
The 32-year-old joined the military after the death of his father 13 years ago, and was inspired to take on the longest climb to Everest in history to raise money for his military colleagues.
Motivation and inspiration for others
Mr Hutchcraft hopes to raise more than Dh2.5 million for SavSim, a UK wildlife conservation charity that uses animals to support military veterans with their mental health.
“I was doing this because of the love for adventure and always wanting to push myself further,” said Mr Hutchcraft. “My dad died when I was 19, so making him proud, and making my family proud, has always been a big one for me.
“I’ve had so many positive messages from people, and it’s become an opportunity to prove that you haven't got to be superman or superwoman to achieve your wildest dreams. I'm a very bad cyclist, I'm a very bad runner. I've had two knee surgeries.
“I wasn't even meant to be able to join the Royal Marines, which I was in for six years, so it's proof that these challenges are 99 per cent mindset. The only person that knows the definition of possible is yourself. And if you believe anything is possible you can do anything.”
