Trophee Peter Bird

Trophée
Peter Bird -SPB

In 1997 during Dijon International Festival of Adventure Film, to commemorate Peter Bird's loss at sea in 1996, Executive Director of the Ocean Rowing Society and then member of the jury of the festival Kenneth F. Crutchlow introduced to the organizers of the festival the idea of 'Peter Bird Trophy' - an award to recognize exceptional tenacity and perseverance, as had been displayed by Peter Bird . The idea was eagerly accepted, as Peter himself had worked for the Guilde de Raid (organizers of the film festival).

The trophy itself was created by famous Ukrainian sculptor Michael Reva out of titanium, which perfectly fits the name of the sculpture - "The Stairs of Titans". Every stair holds the name of the winner of the trophy starting with 1997 and all in all there are 84 stairs.

The first seven stairs has been engraved on them the names of the seven oceanrowers lost at sea.

	Since 2002 SPB (France) have endowed the trophy with a 8000 euro prize that goes to the winner of the trophy each year.

WINNERS OF THE 'TROPHÉE PETER BIRD - SPB '

1997. Børge Ousland (Norway) was announced the winner of 'Trophée Peter Bird' for becoming the first to reach two poles and to cross the Antarctica solo and unassisted.

1998. 'Trophée Peter Bird' was presented to Bertrand Piccard (Switzerland) for his several attempts to fly round-the-world non-stop in a hot-air balloon . Next year, in 1999 Bertrand in team with Brian Jones (UK) achieved his goal and became the first non stop to go around the world in a balloon.

1999. 'Trophée Peter Bird' was presented to Dany Cleyet Marrel, (France) a passionate aeronaut involved in numerous expeditions with hot-air balloons (the first flight over Mont Blanc, crossing the Sahara, Spitzberg and Australia), designer of the first Canopy Raft, inventor of the Ciné-bubble - a motorised, dirigible hot air balloon that enables him to accompany cameramen on sites that are difficult to access.(he lands on the top of trees in the jungle)

2000. 'Trophée Peter Bird' was presented to Victoria (Tori) Murden, USA, for becoming the first woman to row any ocean solo. After she had to abandon her first attempt in 1998, when Tori was hit by hurricane Danielle and capsized 11 times, in 1999 she repeated her attempt and successfully rowed the Atlantic from East to West, land to land...

2001. 'Trophée Peter Bird' has been presented to Patrice Franceschi (France) - adventurer and explorer of more than twenty-five years' experience, who on average spends three quarters of the year to survey the corners of the most isolated places of the planet, and the remainder of time to write books and make films.

2002. 'Trophée Peter Bird -SPB' was presented to Jamie Andrew (UK) In January 1989 two mountaineers were recovered on top of the Mount Blanc glacier: one died of cold, the other - Jamie Andrew had very severe frostbite, both his hands and feet had to be amputated. Two years after the accident, in homage to his friend, Jamie, in company of his rescuers, ascended the Mount Blanc, provided with prostheses of legs and a prosthesis with ice axe.

2003. 'Trophée Peter Bird -SPB' was awarded to Eric Brossier and France Pinczon du Sel, for their passages North-East and North-West done for the first time by a yacht, carrying out the first polar circumnavigation of Russian and Canadian North onboard Vagabond

2004. 'Trophée Peter Bird - SPB' was presented to Sonia & Alexandre Poussin for Africa Trek, the first successful attempt to cross the African Continent on foot, unassisted - a walk of 13 774 kms through Africa, along the Great Rift Valley, the Cape of Good Hope to the Lake Tibériade. 3 years of discoveries and meetings, thirty-nine month walk from one end to the other...

2005. 'Trophée Peter Bird - SPB' was presented to Gilles Elkaim for his expedition of 3 years across the Arctic - from North Cape to Bering Strait, alone by kayak and sledges.

2006. 'Trophée Peter Bird - SPB' was presented to Oliver Hicks, the youngest solo oceanrower , for his solo row across the North Atlantic from New York, USA to the Isles of Scilly, UK

2007. 'Trophée Peter Bird - SPB' was awarded to the late Jean-Christophe Lafaille, one of the most gifted mountaineers of his generation. "Small, strong and fearless, he ascended the world's highest peaks without oxygen or back-up; climbing alone because no one else could match his supernatural speed" (Read an article >>>). Vanished in 2006 while attempting the first ever winter ascent on Makalu. The prize was presented to his widow Katia Lafaille.