Tori is sponsored by Investec Asset Management, an entrepreneurial investment firm with a vibrant and energetic atmosphere.
Age: 25
Lives in: London, UK
Nationality: British (Welsh)
Occupation: Expedition Consultant & Motivational Speaker
Additional sponsors:
Ambassador for
Geography BA, University of London
In 2005, as a member of the Pink Lady® PoleCats team, Tori became the youngest ever female to complete The Scott Dunn Polar Challenge, a gruelling 360-mile race to the Magnetic North Pole. Visit www.pinkladypolecats.com Tori has taken part in a number of UK and overseas expeditions; to the Vatnajokull Glacier in Iceland, the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Kenya and Svalbard.
On 2nd October 2005 Tori became the "highest Welsh woman ever" having summited the world's sixth highest mountain, Cho Oyu (8,201m).Other outdoor interests involve snowboarding, mountain biking, climbing and running.
Tori holds her professional off-road driving certificate and in November 2005 competed in the Land Rover G4 Challenge national selections. Tori is also an accredited assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and can frequently be found out and about in the Welsh hills.
Probably because at barely 5"2, to look at me you would think that "she could never do that"! I thrive on the doubting skepticism that I am given and I want to show people what's possible. I also want to maximize this opportunity and raise funds for the Prince's Trust – please please join the team's Base Camp Club. The opportunity to be both the first Welsh woman and the youngest British female gives me an enormous sense of pride and this is a motivating factor both in my training and on the mountain.
The female touch! And of course cold weather experience and essential expedition logistics and communications experience having worked for the British Schools Exploring Society for three years.
People achieving things against the odds.
The altitude: it gives you a hacking cough, excessive mucus, headaches, nausea, loss of appetite and insomnia. I will be relying on my MP3 player to lift my spirits when I'm feeling awful – Amy Winehouse's 'Tears dry on their own' is sure to cheer me up!!
Chatting on the phone with my sister. Also, before I went to Cho Oyu I said I would miss a hot shower, but more than that it's being able to spend an hour on my hair and make up, put on a pair of tight jeans and a pretty top, grab a pair of heals and head out with my friends for a fun night out.
Climbing the world's highest mountain requires a lot more than just the technical skills and the right clothing. For Tori James it was an 18 month challenge which tested her to the limit both physically and mentally. Her experience has relevance to all of us whether at work or at home. Not only will you gain an insight into life in the 'death zone' but Tori shares her passion for achieving things against the odds, she explains exactly how she turned a goal into reality, overcame numerous setbacks and used a variety of mental techniques to retain the positivity and self-belief that ultimately lead to her success.
If you are organizing an event and would like to enquire about Tori's availability to speak at your event, please email . Special rates are available for youth groups and charities.
"Tori speaks of her own courage, joie de vivre, and sheer grit and determination in a way that is inspiring, and utterly compelling to listen to. She presents with a sincerity that can only come from a huge sense of personal achievement, and her passionate delivery taps into something in all of us". Laura Greene, Senior Training and Development Officer, Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Page last updated: December 19, 2006, 11:29 pm (BST)