Jason Ribbink

First South African invitee to Quicksilver Eddie Aikau Big Wave Contest
For the first time ever, a South African surfer – Jason Ribbink – cracked an invite into the prestigious Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In Memory of Eddie Aikau surfing event, held at Hawaii’s infamous big wave surfing spot, Waimea Bay. Jason’s recent explorations of new big waves spots around the globe, and ground-breaking performances in big surf, gave him the chance to be selected among a core group of international big wave surfers, including defending champion Bruce Irons, and eight-time world champion Kelly Slater. The event is held in memory of legendary big wave surfer and waterman, Hawaiin Eddie Aikau, and only goes ahead when the open-ocean swells breaking in the bay reach a minimum of 20 feet – translating to wave face heights of more than 30 feet. Given the strict wave height requirement, the event has only been held a total of seven times in 21 years.

Bill Godfrey and Peter van Kets: Rowing the Gquma Challenger across the Atlantic Ocean the fastest

On 2nd December 2007 South African rowers Bill Godfrey and Peter van Kets left the Canary Islands with their compass bearings set on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Fifty-one days later, they rowed their 7.1 metre boat, the Gquma Challenger (a Xhosa word meaning ‘roar of the ocean’) into Antigua Bay in the Caribbean, having completed a journey of just on 5 350km’s. The feat won them the pairs division of the Atlantic Rowing Race 2007 – the toughest endurance rowing race in the world. First held in 1997, the biannual Atlantic Rowing Race sees teams of four, pairs and solo rowers brave the tumultuous and unpredictable waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Teams have to propel themselves across the ocean, and are required to be self sufficient, carrying all their own food and supplies. According to the team’s website, Godfrey’s reason for taking on this challenge is much like the reason mountaineers tackle Mount Everest, ‘it’s there and it has to be done’. Indeed it did!

Lewis Gordon Pugh: Swimming to the North Pole through the freezing Arctic waters

The ‘icebear’ continues to defy imagination! Late last year, Lewis pushed human boundaries even further by swimming to the North Pole – and in so doing highlighting the effect of global warming. To quote Lewis ‘Through twenty years of record-breaking swims in the world's five oceans, I have witnessed climate change from a front row position. Today, I use my swims, and my love for the environment to raise awareness about these life-threatening changes. My mission is to inspire people to make a difference. In your world and our world.’ But then, Lewis is no stranger to accolades. He was short listed as one of OutThere Adventurer’s of the Year for 2004, for setting the record for the most northerly distance swim in the world (a 1070m swim at 80° North – just 1 100km from the North Pole), and then was also OutThere Adventurer of the Year 2005 runner-up for becoming the first person to complete a long-distance swim in all five of the worlds oceans (the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern).

Alex Harris and Sibusiso Vilane:polar trek to the Geographic south pole

From mid November 2007, the Team Extreme partnership of Alex Harris and Sibusiso Vilane did an unsupported polar trek from Hercules Inlet, on the edge of Antarctica, to the Geographic south pole. They covered just on 1200km, and both pulled 130kg sleds behind them filled with expedition gear and supplies – a style of that is considered the purest form of polar exploration. Several weeks later, after battling some of the most hostile terrain and weather conditions on the planet – where temperatures ranged from an ambient of about -8C to about -40C, and strong winds were a constant menace – the two South African explorers arrived at their destination on 17th January 2008. Alex and Sibu are no strangers to extreme feats: Amongst a host of other achievements, Alex was the second South African to conquer the Seven Summits in 2005 and Sibu was the first black South African to climb Mount Everest in 2003.