Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and fellow mountain enthusiasts,
Welcome to the Kendal Mountain Festival, a gathering that celebrates the unyielding human spirit and our profound connection with awe-inspiring mountain environments.
I am Terry Stephenson, and I’m here representing Mountain Equipment; we are proud to haveworked with Pete and Joe and are honoured to be a long-time supporter of this Award.
The Boardman Tasker Award, named in memory of the legendary mountaineers Pete Boardman and Joe Tasker, pays tribute to their enduring legacy and celebrates the enduring impact of mountain literature.
Today, we mark the 40th anniversary of the Award and four decades of honouring exceptional literary works inspired by the mountains.
For the past 40 years, this award has been recognising authors for their ability to take us on adventurous journeys around the world through their accounts and stories. They have shown us the beauty of the mountains, the calmness of the wilderness, and the strength of the human spirit.
These stories serve as a bridge between the realms of adventure and literature, reminding us of the importance of preserving our natural wonders, fostering bonds of camaraderie, and embracing the challenges that come our way.
As we applaud the nominees and recipients of this year's Award, let us also take a moment to reflect on how great mountain literature has enriched our lives over the past 40 years.
These stories have ignited our imagination, instilled a sense of wonder, and reminded us of the extraordinary heights to which the human spirit can ascend.
So, let us celebrate the authors, the adventurers, and the dreamers whose words have carried us to the summits of the world's highest peaks and into the depths of our souls.
Let us honour their dedication, passion, and courage, for they have not only enriched our literary landscape but have also kindled the flames of exploration within each of us.
And now, I am delighted to introduce tonight’s master of ceremonies: a British mountaineer, a man whose courage, skill, and determination have left an indelible mark on the world of mountain exploration and literature. It is an honour to welcome Stephen Venables, a name synonymous with the spirit of adventure.
Stephen's mountaineering achievements read like a gripping novel, each climb a chapter in an epic tale of courage and determination. His notable ascents include the first British ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, the first ascent of Panch Chuli V in the Indian Himalayas and a variety of new routes and summits in Peru, Bolivia, Patagonia and South Georgia.
These climbs are not just records in the annals of mountaineering; they are testaments to skill, endurance, and passion for the mountains.
In addition to his remarkable climbs, Stephen is also an acclaimed author, capturing the essence of his adventures in words that transport readers to the heart of the world's most challenging and awe-inspiring peaks.
In fact, it is worth noting that Stephen received the Boardman Tasker Award in 1986, for his book Painted Mountains about the highs and lows of first ascents in the Indian Himalaya.
Thank you, Stephen, for your extraordinary climbs, your literary contributions, and your irresistible spirit of adventure. May your legacy continue to inspire generations of mountaineers and readers alike.
But before we welcome Stephen to the stage, I’d like to invite you all to raise your glasses in memory and celebration of Pete and Joe and their enduring legacy, which is the Boardman Tasker Award…
To Pete and Joe…
