Academee's Three Peaks Challenge
On Friday 4 July 2008, an intrepid Academee team of eight from Oliver Wyman's European learning business, which includes Academee and the Executive Learning Center (ELC), set off on the Three Peaks Challenge, attempting to climb Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales within a 24 hour period.
Following a long minibus journey (including an extensive search for a chip shop) and a night's sleep in Fort William, the team set off at 7.11 am on Saturday. Ben Nevis was busy with walkers, the weather was dry, and the team got off to a strong start. However, PA Debbie Wilson injured her leg shortly into the journey and after struggling on for an hour, had to admit that it was too painful to go on.
"I really wanted the team to hit the 24 hour target," said Debbie. "It was difficult watching the team carry on without me and having to come back down Ben Nevis on my own."
Following another long minibus journey, the team began their ascent of Scafell Pike at 8.00 pm on Saturday evening, reaching the summit in the dark. Brave Debbie soldiered on to reach the top with the support of her colleagues.
Consultant Phil Whitehurst began the descent knowing that he was only four miles away from his Lake District home: "I hadn't slept for 22 hours and knew that I had to travel all the way to Snowdon in Wales, climb it and then catch the train home before I'd get any sleep in my own bed."
However, Phil heroically helped the injured Debbie to scale Scafell Pike: "I really couldn't have done it without Phil's help, he was amazing and if it wasn't for him I really wouldn't have made it!"
It was headlamps on for the downhill trek in the rain, and back to the minibus for another long drive through the night.
At 7.00 am on Sunday, it was time to scale the final peak – Snowdon in Wales. Sunshine and the sound of skylarks helped the team on their way and they completed their challenge at 11:11 am, some 28 hours after they began. As well as driving hundreds of miles, they had completed 16 hours of walking and climbed some 3,300 metres.
"It was worth the training, running half marathons and hill walking in preparation," said head of finance, Stephen Sanders. "We also had a great support team."
Stephen provided one of the high points of the challenge when he unfurled a Welsh flag at the top of Snowdon.
The entire team, which also included head of development Stephen Killilea (whose wife provided valuable support), client services support Emma Meekison (whose partner was one of two expert guides), programme co-ordinator Mark Brameld and CEO Simon Hayward, felt a tremendous sense of achievement.
"It was fun bumping into the same people at various times of the day and night on all three mountains," said Phil Whitehurst, who thought that the overall high point was getting to the coffee shop at the bottom of Snowdon on Sunday morning, having completed all three peaks.
Well done to Academee's inspirational Three Peaks heroes – what will their next challenge be...?
The team at the top of Scafell Pike
The team at the end of their challenge
Rain, cold, injury and lack of sleep did not prevent an intrepid Academee and ELC team from climbing three mountains in three different countries.
