James Cracknell OBE

A double Olympic gold medallist and six-time World Champion rower, James survived a life-threatening brain injury in 2010 that left him with epilepsy and profound sensory loss, yet returned to make history in 2019 as the oldest competitor to win the Boat Race. Now Men's Head Coach at Vesta Rowing Club and first patron of Riverside Counselling Service, he combines elite sporting insight with hard-won understanding of recovery and mental health. His keynote sessions deliver candid, motivational storytelling that equips audiences with practical strategies for overcoming adversity, building high-performing teams and prioritising wellbeing in demanding environments.

Sustaining peak performance after competitive sport ends is one of the greatest challenges elite athletes face. James Cracknell OBE, double Olympic gold medallist and six-time World Champion rower, has built a remarkable second career that extends far beyond his legendary rowing achievements. Since his iconic victories in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, James has become one of Britain's most recognised endurance adventurers, broadcasters, coaches, and advocates for mental health and wellbeing, using his platform to inspire audiences to push beyond perceived limits and build resilience in both professional and personal life.

James's credibility stems from an extraordinary combination of athletic excellence and personal resilience. After retiring from competitive rowing in 2006, he completed some of the world's most gruelling challenges, including rowing across the Atlantic, racing to the South Pole with Ben Fogle, and finishing the Marathon des Sables and Yukon Arctic Ultra. His life changed dramatically in 2010 when he was struck by a truck whilst cycling across America, suffering a traumatic brain injury that left him with epilepsy and the loss of smell and taste. His remarkable recovery, documented in Discovery's "Unstoppable: The James Cracknell Trilogy", demonstrated the mental fortitude that has defined his career. James later made history in 2019 as the oldest competitor in the Boat Race, leading Cambridge to victory before coaching the team. He holds a Master's degree in Philosophy from Cambridge University and has worked extensively as a BBC commentator for rowing and Olympic events, whilst leading Policy Exchange's work on obesity and physical activity. His advocacy has reached national audiences through Channel 4's "The Secret Plan to Save Fat Britain" and partnerships with brands including American Express, Renault, and Hydrow.

Today, as Men's Head Coach at Vesta Rowing Club and the first patron of Riverside Counselling Service in Henley-on-Thames, James brings his experience of overcoming adversity directly to those seeking to improve performance and wellbeing. He speaks candidly about the importance of mental health support, having benefited from counselling himself following his injury, and works to break down the stigma around seeking help. As a vice president of Headway and longstanding supporter of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, James combines technical sporting knowledge with deeply personal insights about resilience, recovery, and redefining success. Audiences leave his presentations with practical strategies for building mental toughness, maintaining wellbeing under pressure, and finding purpose beyond their comfort zones, delivered with the authenticity that comes from truly living these principles.