Our Team

Tony Martin CEO

Tony is a former Royal Engineer, Army Commando, EOD (bomb disposal) serviceman who spent 12 years in the service. He is an experienced Arctic survival trainer and has taken part in expeditions in the Sahara, Outer Mongolia, depths of the jungles of Belize, the Aturi Rain Forests in the Congo Basin and many other expeditions to the Worlds remotest locations.

 With Tony's combined military and commercial background he is now the CEO of Extreme World Races Ltd. Now holding the leading platform for long survival endurance races. Over the years success stories like "Polar challenge the series" , “Top Gear”  and “On Thin Ice”  for the BBC have been huge achievements’ for the Group

He has organized, designed and implemented a series of races around the World a pioneer in survival, endurance races. the successful 2004 (BBC) Fujitsu Polar Challenge, and the 2005/6/7/8/10 (TWS) Scott Dunn Polar challenge and many more has driven the company to new boundaries. His drive and entrepreneurial outlook, combined with a dedicated team, lead by an exceptional executive team, look to bring many more exciting events in the coming years.

David Martin

Dave is formerly a Warrant officer with the Royal Logistics Corps and has spent numerous years operating in some of the world’s harshest environments from the Arctic Regions to the jungles of Central America.

His vast experience with leading operations and  logistical support solutions in remote and hostile countries, like Iraq and Afghanistan provides EWR with a very experienced Executive Operations Director. Dave has previously worked as a consultant to the UN providing logistical infrastructure supply routes in remote parts of Afghanistan to assist with the Afghan elections.

Dave has been part of EWR since its creation and provided the logistical infrastructure and support team for the inaugural race to the Magnetic North Pole (Polar Challenge) and has since been involved in all EWR Races and Activities.

Felicity Aston

Felicity is EWR’s most senior female instructor who has vast polar experience and led the Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, the largest and most international women’s team ever to ski to the South Pole. The team included women from Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK in the 38-day, 900km journey at the end of 2009. Felicity was responsible for selecting and training this diverse, multicultural team of ‘ordinary’ women for one of the most arduous journeys on Earth. Her book about the expedition, ‘Call of the White: Taking the World to the South Pole’ was published in March 2011.

Previously, Felicity has led several other notable expeditions including the first British women’s crossing of Greenland, a 700km winter crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia and an adventurous expedition in Iceland for young people with a brain injury. She was also part of the first, ever, all-female team to complete EWR’s Polar Challenge, a 360-mile endurance race to the magnetic north pole.

Trained as a Physicist and Meteorologist, Felicity’s first polar experience was as a scientist with the British Antarctic Survey. Based for three years on a remote research station on the Antarctic Peninsula, her job was to monitor climate and ozone. Felicity has instructed on many of EWR’s projects and has been instrumental in setting up the EWR Foundation, which aims to assist young scientists in carrying out polar research.

Kenny Wonnacott

Having had the benefits of a distinguished military career of 25 years Kenny is no stranger to operating in the world’s extreme and hazardous environments. Adventurous by nature, Kenny always enjoys and relishes a challenge.  These and many other attributes is why he is a valuable member of the team.

Having been involved with EWR since 2007, Kenny was the Arctic Advisor/Guide for the highly successful and publicised expedition “Top Gear Polar Challenge 2007” where he led the Top Gear team to the magnetic North Pole.

More recently he was amongst the forbearers of EWR who staged the first ever South Pole Race in 2008/9 televised on BBC’s “On Thin Ice”.

Gary Bullen

Gary is EWRs lead instructor, formerly a Royal Marine Physical Training Instructor, Gary has successfully competed in both the Polar Challenge and the South pole race 2008. No one knows more about our races.

Gary lives in Cornwall and holds top instructor qualifications in Sea kayaking, mountain biking, sailing, kite surfing and cross country skiing and is an experienced Arctic warfare instructor.

Alongside Conrad, Gary's patience and legendary Cornish sense of humour makes for a world class training team.

Steve Yardley

Steve is a former Royal Marine and an experienced instructor in cross country skiing and cold weather survival, learned after many foundation years spent deep inside the Arctic circle. He is also proficient in off road driving and practised in trauma and cold weather injuries after further years spent working in extreme conditions around the World with the Foreign and Commonwealth office. 

He IS coming to the South Pole with us, honestly, he's not making it up!

Leo Brandtner

Leo is a 44 year old teacher with a long history of traveling and expeditions over the past 25 years. His favorite season is the winter as he lives in the Austrian Alps. Most of his time is spent skiing, ice-climbing and ski-mountaineering.

He has been a member of the Austrian Mountain Rescue Team for the last 14 years. The training for the rescue team includes medical training, specialised cold weather injuries and first aid for avalanche victims.

Leo has been involved with EWR’s projects for many years and was the lead instructor for the ZDF/ORF Wettlauf Zum Sudpol TV Production 

Anna Scott

Anna is the head of the financial team and is the youngest member at EWR. Anna has travelled extensively over the past 3 years with the company and has gained a full understanding of the requirements of the teams on the ground.

Anna is a keen equestrian and hopes to complete one of the companies’ races in the future.  During the various races/expeditions Anna is an integral part of the team ensuring that flights, transportation and administration is completely on track.

Andy Harvey

Ex professional sportsman and keen mountaineer, mountain biker, kayaker and Gorge walker, Andy has worked for EWR for just under a year having moved from an Outdoor Pursuits Instructor background.  Employed initially as an Operation Manager with EWR, his role has since evolved to within the softer sales of EWR services and customer and client relations.

Andy enjoys the varying daily challenges that this industry generates and relishes to work on the races in the world’s harshest environments amongst the best instructors and support staff in the industry. His previous experience is a real asset to the team as he provides valuable support to the logistical infrastructure behind all the races.

Mike Tully

Mikey has been involved with EWR in a freelance capacity for over 7 years in the field providing logistical and safety support until appointed as a full time Operations Manager in early 2010 which is a key role for the company.

His main role is as the company quartermaster ensuring that all equipment is in the right location at the right time and that procurement of equipment is always ahead of schedule. The role is quite diverse and includes sourcing, procuring and upkeep of equipment, logistics, writing training programmes and working alongside instructors in the field providing safety cover and race/training support.

Mikey works very closely with Andy, Anna and Emily and also assists in liaising with clients to provide a smooth customer journey.

Emily Waddell

Emily is the newest, and welcome addition to the operations team

Emily participated in EWRs pioneering schools exchange programme in 2005 where pupils from the UK exchanged with pupils from Quarmatalik School, Resolute Bay in the Canadian Arctic, the World's most Northerly settlement.

Inspired by her experience, Emily has fitted working for the company around successfully completing a law degree and is now onboard in the Cirencester office as a Project Manager and dealing with database and operations administration as well as events management, full time. 

Dr Deidre Galbraith

Following a medical training in Glasgow Dr Galbraith has worked in a variety of remote hospital jobs and is now employed as a full time expedition doctor. Most recently she has been involved in trips to South Georgia Island and the Antarctic followed by training in northern New Mexico.

 She is very experienced in high altitude and Antarctic medical emergency work and has been responsible for heading the medical team for four years for Polar Challenge. Deirdre was also on the medical team for the South Pole Race in 2008/9

Dr Ian Davis

Dr Davis has been actively involved in the field of polar medicine for the last seven years. He has been responsible for the medical logistics for the Polar Challenge (a foot race from northern Canada to the magnetic north pole - 360miles) every year since its conception.

He has been the doctor responsible for polar medical safety on two trips to the magnetic north pole for the BBC (once for Dr Mike Stroud and once for the program Top Gear). He has also been the polar advisor to the Discovery channel presenter Bear Grylls.

Dr Davis is one of the contributing authors to the polar medicine chapter in "Wilderness Medicine" regarded by many as the definitive text book for practicing medicine in extreme environments and also edited the polar medicine chapter in the "Oxford Handbook of Wilderness Medicine".

His medical CV extends back over 13 years, gaining extensive experience in all aspects of trauma medicine both "in hospital" and at the "road side" in his role as a mobile car accident doctor. He is also a fully qualified GP.

John Bamber

John has worked for EWR since being the technical advisor on the 2004 Fujitsu Polar Challenge. John has worked on every Polar challenge since (bar 2007 when his daughter, Kirsty completed the race!)

John is an expert caver, mountaineer, folk singer, story teller and photographer with many firsts to his name 

Usually first on the Ice and last off and invaluable on any expedition, Johns ability to fix pretty much anything and easy going manner makes him a valued team member.

Gisli

Gisli is the Chief Designer for all the vehicles introduced in Antarctica for EWR. He is extremely talented and very competent with regards to maintaining and fixing these vehicles and has the ability to create solutions and fix most problems anywhere EWR operates. A valued member of the team and an employee of Arctic Trucks Iceland he is an absolute credit to the organization and a great man to have on these expeditionary projects.

Hyltai

Hyltai was and is the Chief Mechanic in charge of all the vehicle support elements. Born in Iceland and an employee of Arctic Trucks, he has been working with these vehicles since the original design and concept.

His ability to overcome obstacles and provide mechanical/engineering solutions with limited resources in extreme conditions is truly commendable and an invaluable asset to the team. He is a very pleasant and humorous individual with many talents and a great member of the team.

Guðmundur Guðjónsson (Gummi)

Gummi is an important member of the team who is multi skilled as a paramedic, mechanic and experienced glacier driver from Iceland. His vast experience is gained from working for the Capital Fire and Rescue Services in Iceland for over 17 years as a firefighter, instructor, guide and mountain rescue team member. He also works as a part time glacier guide and super truck driver.

Gummi has been an active member of volunteer rescue team for 20 years and taken part in many rescue operations on land, ice and sea and is fully qualified as a Paramedic, Mountaineering Leader, Lead Instructor and Advanced Life Support Instructor.

Very much a family man, he spends his free time outdoors, skiing, biking, trekking and fishing.

Elaine

Probably our most important team member, Elaine has worked in finance for some 20 years plus, is qualified to AAT standard, and has worked for the company since the summer of 2003. She is responsible for making all payments, maintaining staff Contracts and Payroll, and producing the Accounts for all the companies under the EWR banner.