Ness Knight

Vanessa Leigh Knight, known as Ness Knight (born 4 June 1985) is an adventurer[1] and speaker.[2] She has done challenges and expeditions in America, England, South America and Namibia. Knight has stand up paddleboarded 1000 miles, cycled solo across America in 2012 and became the first woman to swim the Thames River from source to London[3] in 2013.

Ness Knight
Born (1985-06-04) 4 June 1985
Johannesburg, South Africa
OccupationAdventurer and motivational speaker
Websitewww.nessknight.com

In 2016, she cycled solo and self supported across the Northern Namib desert region of Namibia from the Kunene River to Swakopmund. The expedition was commissioned as a documentary for Red Bull Media House. She ran 400 mile from London to Land's End and cycled across Bolivia with no money.

Early life

Knight was born in Johannesburg, South Africa where she was educated at Bryanston Primary School. In 2000 she immigrated to the United Kingdom where she finished her education in Berkshire[4] followed by Buckinghamshire Chilterns University and Brunel University.

In 2008 Knight spent 6 months in South America, two of which were spent as a volunteer caring for a Puma and an Ocelot, both rescued from the black market, at Parque Machía run by the Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi animal sanctuary in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Career and expeditions

Knight now earns her living as an adventurer, presenter, writer and motivational speaker.[5]

United States

Knight first began a career as an adventurer in 2012 when she standup paddleboarded the Missouri River, USA[6] becoming the first female ever to paddle over 1000 consecutive miles . She continued on from St Louis to cycle 2000 miles across the USA,[7] solo, following the old Route 66 highway[8] self-filming and documenting her expedition.

United Kingdom

In August 2013 Knight attempted to swim the entire length of the Thames River, but was denied permission due to a recent by-law to swim through central London. She set off from the official source, the Thames Head, running 13 miles till the water was deep enough to wade through. She completed the swim at Putney Bridge after 155 miles, to become the first female in history to swim the Thames River from its source to London.[9] Knight suffered debilitating cramps, known as ‘Thames Tummy’, from ingesting river water and was forced to take 2 days off.

Knight swapped her wetsuit for trainers and continued her expedition running from Big Ben in London to Land’s End, completing 15 marathons in 15 days.[10] The route took Knight through the South Downs National Park and the New Forest to Bournemouth where she tracked west through the Jurassic Coast following the South West Coast Path National Trail.

Bolivia

In March 2016 Knight joined British adventurer Laura Bingham’s South America expedition for a section, cycling across Bolivia with no money.[11] The pair relied on resourcefulness to find food and shelter every day for free, camping under bridges, behind cemeteries and in gas stations, foraging for discarded food on the roadsides, and begging from people along the way.

Namibia

In June 2016 Knight flew to Namibia to document her expedition as the first person to cycle through the Namib Desert to the north of the country.[12]

References
  1. "Explorer Ness Knight attempt to become the first woman to row the Pacific solo, non-stop and unassisted". openPR. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. "TEDxHull - Speakers". TEDxHull. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  3. "Ness Knight Record Breaking Female Explorer". London Speaker Bureau. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  4. "Wokingham woman wants to be first to row Pacific Ocean solo". Get Reading. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  5. "Ness Knight - Record Breaking Explorer - Motivational Speaker". Gordon Poole. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  6. "Q&A interview with adventurer Ness Knight". Going Solo Adventures. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  7. "A 2000 MILE CYCLE ACROSS THE USA". Berghaus. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  8. "Ness Knight". Tease and Totes. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  9. "NESS KNIGHT COMPLETES FIRST LEG OF 1,500 MILE TRIATHLON ACROSS BRITAIN]". Endeavour360. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  10. "Ness Knight - Record Breaking Explorer - Motivational Speaker". Gordon Poole. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  11. "This woman cycled South America with NO money". Red Bull. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  12. "REMARKABLE WOMEN WHO RIDE: NESS KNIGHT". Evans cycles. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
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