Pete Goss MBE

Pete Goss MBE. Sailor, Adventurer, Entrepreneur and former Royal Marine. He has walked to the North Pole, kayaked around Tasmania, built arguably the most advanced sailing catamarans ever, in Team Phillips. He also sailed from Cornwall to Australia in a small wooden 19th Century Lugger.

For a speaker to have the ability to connect and move an audience is rare, but to be able to stretch and propel people forward to want to achieve and learn more about themselves is truly remarkable. That’s the effect Pete Goss has on people.

Pete became the fastest British sailor to sail single handed around the world in 126 days and 21 hours. For his heroic rescue of fellow yachtsman Raphael Dinelli, he was awarded France’s highest decoration, the Legion d’Honneur. This was presented to Pete by President Chirac of France. Pete was also awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen.

Pete Goss MBE is the ultimate competitor. His outstanding ‘can do’ philosophy, combined with his limitless courage to overcome all the risks and dangers became abundantly clear in the world’s toughest yacht race. This was the Vend Globe non-stop, single-handed Round the World Race. His vision and ten-year dream in the making, resulted in him setting off from France in November 1996. He was now in a race that would test him, his team and the boat to the absolute limit.

Up against bigger boats, and far better funded competitors, Pete had to risk everything just to get to the starting line. Having had to sell his house and with debts round his neck, he knew that he would have to draw upon all his experience, endurance and strength of mind just to complete the race.

Then quite unexpectedly in December the drama of the race unfolded in the notorious hostile environment of the southern ocean.

The world looked on as huge seas and winds of up to 80mph pounded Raphael Dinelli’s stricken boat. He was facing certain death. After receiving the distress call Pete immediately turned his boat around and battled for two days against hurricane force winds to reach Dinelli and rescue him. The rest is now history.

Book

Close to the Wind: An Extraordinary Story of Truiumph Over Adversity is Pete’s best selling book

Pete is a great after dinner and motivational speaker, that’s when he’s not out on the ocean in a boat. You can listen to Pete Goss MBE here on Episode 2 of the Hell Or High Water podcast