MAINSTREAM
LAST FIRST

“Pulling together against
Climate Change”

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Presentation

Thanks to everyone who came out to the presentation last night at the Centennial Theatre. We had a full house. We were delighted. It really means a lot to us. We really enjoyed ourselves and hope you all did too!

Presentation on Nov. 26th – 7:30pm

Panorama Cape Lyon1

 

We are doing a presentation at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver on Nov 26th (Tuesday) at 7.30pm. We’ll be sharing stories from our expedition in the Arctic as well as showing images and video footage of what we encountered. We’ll also have the boat on display, there’ll be some live music, a few pints as well as loads of raffle prizes from our sponsors so we’d love to see you there if you can make it. Please do spread the word, tickets can be bought via the Centennial website (link below).

Cheers

Centennial Theatre booking link

MEDIA

Welcome to our Media Room

Writing a story on us? We’d love to help you. We’re working on filling this section with press releases, images, HD video, background info and facts for your use. If you’d like to setup an interview, the rowers are available by satellite phone throughout their journey.

To make arrangements, please contact maria@epicpr.ca or holmes.tori@gmail.com



Video / B-Roll

The team will be uploading new b-roll footage throughout the expedition. Please contact maria@epicpr.ca or holmes.tori@gmail.com if you would like to be notified of new footage or if you have a b-roll request.


MAINSTREAM LAST FIRST 2013

What We Are Trying To Achieve

On July 1st, 2013 four modern-day explorers hope to become the first people to traverse the Northwest Passage solely under human power in a single season – one of the Earth’s last great firsts.

 

It wasn’t long ago that the Northwest Passage was sole domain of steel-hulled ice-breakers. We hope by making this traverse completely under human power in a row boat, without sail or motor, in a single season we will be able to demonstrate first-hand the profound affects climate change is having on our world.

An adventure with meaning

There’s such a rich history to the story of the Northwest Passage rooted in iconic geographical names such as Baffin, Franklin, Ross and Hudson all inextricably linked with the quest for the Passage. Mix into this the reality of climate change and the profound affects it’s having on the wildlife, culture and future of the arctic region and the pressing reality of arctic sovereignty and it becomes clear that we have a deeply important story here. And all this conveyed through a truly epic adventure, played out in one of the most incredible landscapes on earth – the Northwest Passage. The expedition begins July 1st, 2013.

Check out our latest video blogs

A word from our title sponsor

A word from our title sponsor Eddie O’Connor, the CEO and co-founder of Mainstream Renewable Power and a champion in the battle against climate change. Mainstream Renewable Power is a global leader in the renewable energy sector and proves through their operation that energy resources can be secured in a clean and economically effective manner.

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Proudly Sponsored by Mainstream Renewable Power

ROUTE

The Northwest Passage

Mainstream Last First Route 2013

The Northwest Passage

On July 1st, 2013 we will embark on a traverse across the Northwest Passage, a route through the various islands of the Canadian archipelago that represented the crux to the mariners of yore attempting to navigate a sea route across the top of the world. Our route takes us from Inuvik, NWT through Tuktoyaktuk, NWT to Pond Inlet, Nunavut. We’re very specific on these two locations as, in our mind, they represent the start and finishing points of the ice maze that confounded mariners looking for a northern sea route from Europe to the Orient.

The explorers of past would round the southern tip of Greenland and head north looking for an entry west. Henry Hudson thought it was at the southern end of Baffin Island. He was wrong and stumbled upon the enormous inland sea that would later bear his name. Others would find countless dead-ends until finally the mouth of Lancaster Sound was revealed as the entry to the Passage.

When Roald Amundsen made the first successful crossing of the Northwest Passage from East to West in 1903-06 he finished by anchoring near Herschel Island at the mouth of the Mackenzie River (a short distance from Inuvik, NWT today) and skied 800 kilometres to the city of Eagle, Alaska, to send a telegram announcing his success at making it through the Northwest Passage.

Our route takes us through 3000kms of the infamous ice strewn Northwest Passage. We hope to make this traverse solely under human power in a row boat, without sail or motor, in a single season all to bring awareness to the profound changes climate change is having on the arctic.

HISTORY

And a ridiculous amount of them

Recent Expeditions

In recent years there have been several notable expeditions that have traversed the Northwest Passage over several seasons. We’ve taken great inspiration from them.

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Historical Expeditions

As a result of their westward explorations and their settlement of Greenland, the Vikings sailed as far north and west as Ellesmere Island, Skraeling Island and Ruin Island for hunting expeditions and trading with Inuit groups. The subsequent arrival of the Little Ice Age is thought to have been one of the reasons that further European seafaring into the Northwest Passage ceased until the late 15th century.

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Cook and Vancouver

In 1776 Captain James Cook was dispatched by the Admiralty in Great Britain under orders driven by a 1745 act which, when extended in 1775, promised a £20,000 prize for whoever discovered the passage. Initially the Admiralty had wanted Charles Clerke to lead the expedition, with Cook (in retirement following his exploits in the Pacific) acting as a consultant. However Cook had researched Bering’s expeditions, and the Admiralty ultimately placed their faith in the veteran explorer to lead with Clerke accompanying him.

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19th century

In the first half of the 19th century, some parts of the actual Northwest Passage (north of the Bering Strait) were explored separately by many expeditions, including those by John Ross, William Edward Parry, and James Clark Ross; overland expeditions were also led by John Franklin, George Back, Peter Warren Dease, Thomas Simpson, and John Rae. In 1826 Frederick William Beechey explored the north coast of Alaska, discovering Point Barrow.

Sir Robert McClure was credited with the discovery of the real Northwest Passage in 1851 when he looked across McClure Strait from Banks Island and viewed Melville Island. However, this strait was not navigable to ships at that time, and the only usable route linking the entrances of Lancaster Sound and Dolphin and Union Strait was discovered by John Rae in 1854.


Franklin Expedition

In 1845 a lavishly equipped two-ship expedition led by Sir John Franklin sailed to the Canadian Arctic to chart the last unknown swaths of the Northwest Passage. Confidence was high, given there was less than 500 km (310 mi) of unexplored Arctic mainland coast by then.

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McClure Expedition

During the search for Franklin, Commander Robert McClure and his crew in HMS Investigator traversed the Northwest Passage from west to east in the years 1850 to 1854, partly by ship and partly by sledge. McClure started out from England in December 1849, sailed the Atlantic Ocean south to Cape Horn and entered the Pacific Ocean. He sailed the Pacific north and passed through the Bering Strait, turning east at that point and reaching Banks Island.

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John Rae

The expeditions by Franklin and McClure were in the tradition of British exploration: well-funded ship-borne expeditions using modern technology, and usually including British Naval personnel. By contrast, John Rae was an employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company, which was the major driving force behind exploration of the Canadian North. They adopted a pragmatic approach and tended to be land-based. While Franklin and McClure attempted to explore the passage by sea, Rae explored by land, using dog sleds and employing techniques he learned from the native Inuit. The Franklin and McClure expeditions each employed hundreds of personnel and multiple ships. John Rae’s expeditions included fewer than ten people and succeeded. Rae was also the explorer with the best safety record, having lost only one man in years of traversing Arctic lands. In 1854, Rae returned with information about the outcome of the ill-fated Franklin expedition.


Amundsen Expedition

The first explorer to conquer the Northwest Passage was the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. In a three-year journey between 1903 and 1906, Amundsen explored the passage with a crew of no more than six. Amundsen, who had sailed just in time to escape creditors seeking to stop the expedition, completed the voyage in the converted 47-ton herring boat Gjøa.

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The Rowing Team

Kevin Vallely

Kevin Vallely

Crew

In 2003 Kevin Vallely was named one of Canada’s leading adventurers by the Globe and Mail. His adventuring resume is stacked with compelling expeditions to all parts of the world including skiing Alaska’s 1,860 km Iditarod Trail; scampering over Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail in record time, attempting to bike and climb the island of Java’s 13 -10,000-foot volcanoes (a trip cut short when post-9/11 Indonesia became too dangerous); competing on the only Canadian team to finish the last and most difficult Eco-Challenge adventure race held in Fiji in 2002; retracing a 2,000 km Klondike-era ice-bike route through the dead of an Alaskan winter, and most recently, with teammates Ray Zahab and Richard Weber, breaking the world record for the fastest unsupported trek from Hercules Inlet to the geographic South Pole.

Kevin graduated from the McGill University School of Architecture in 1988 where he was awarded the Royal architectural Institute of Canada medal as top graduating student. He’s a recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship to Cambridge University. He works as a designer focusing on single-family residential projects. Visit www.kevinvallely.com

Paul Gleeson

Paul Gleeson

Crew

Paul comes from Limerick in Ireland and has lived in Vancouver since 2008. Growing up, sport was always a huge part of his life with rugby being his main passion for many years. In 2003 Paul cycled across Australia from Perth to Sydney. This 5,000km cycle which took 60 days to complete, might have been a bit quicker if it wasn’t for getting knocked down not once but twice by cars – luck of the Irish, don’t think so!

Paul’s next expedition took him from land to ocean. On November 30, 2005 Paul rowed out of a small marina in the Canary Islands and after enduring the tail end of a hurricane and 2 tropical storms that dished up some of the worst weather ever recorded for that time of year, Paul arrived into the Caribbean Island of Antigua to complete an 85 day rowing voyage. Paul and his rowing partner Tori wrote a book about their Atlantic exploits which was published in Ireland in November 2006 and in Canada in 2009 – the book is entitled “Crossing the Swell”.

When on dry land, Paul is a self employed personal advisor. Visit www.paulgleeson.com

Frank Wolf

Frank Wolf

Crew

Frank is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker and writer specializing in adventure and environmental documentary film. As director and host he has covered stories from around the globe using a unique shooting style and humorous approach in order to make the often esoteric outdoor world appeal to a broad audience.

Frank’s exploration resume is packed with some amazing adventures that include retracing the Sandakan Death March in Borneo, cycling 2,200km along the frozen Yukon to the Northern Coast of Alaska retracing the Nome Gold Rush of 1900 and more recently completing a 2,400km journey by bicycle, foot, pack raft and sea kayak during a ground-level investigation of the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline project which would cross over 1,000 watercourses and bring oil supertanker traffic up the B.C. coast for the first time ever. Frank’s documentary of this last trip “On the line” has been featured in film festivals all over Canada. Frank will be making a documentary on the team’s North West Passage expedition. Visit www.frank-wolf.net

Denis Barnett

Denis Barnett

Crew

Denis also comes from Ireland, Dublin to be exact and was born to Frank and Valerie Barnett in late August 1980. His early years were spent playing Rugby and Sailing before his hunger for a little more excitement took hold. Rally driving was first up, followed by water skiing and sky diving and when time allowed a career in Financial Services. When considering rowing the Atlantic Ocean in 2006 Denis made enquiries with some Irish people who had completed the row. A move to Canada soon followed and the idea was put on “ice”.

His love of machines and curiosity of the ocean drew him to reinvent himself with a successful career in the Shipping Industry based in Vancouver. A chance meeting with Paul Gleeson in a bar in Vancouver occurred and they realised that Paul was the guy Denis had been pestering on the phone (but never actually met) the previous year in Ireland. When the idea of rowing the North West Passage came up a couple of years later the chance was never going to be passed up and the whole rowing on “ice” came full circle. He doesn’t believe in fate, but if he did…

The Vessel

The boat in which we trust

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Ocean rowing boats are specifically designed to deal with the harsh conditions that an unpredictable ocean swell can dish up. They need to be tough, fully self contained with the ability to self right in the event of a capsize. However our boat needs to be designed with slightly different considerations in mind. Ultimately we are not rowing an ocean but rather rowing through the very challenging North West Passage where stiff winds, choppy swell and obstructive ice conditions will play a huge part in our progress through the passage. Accordingly, our boat needs to be designed with these considerations in mind. Therefore our hull shape will differ from many traditional ocean rowing boats and the boat will need to be reinforced with Kevlar to potentially withstand encounters with ice.

Our boat (which will be 25ft in length) is complete. We were very fortunate to have Robin Thacker on board as our chief boat designer and builder. Robin brings not only a wealth of experience to our team but also an infectious passion that is going to result in a truly one of a kind boat which we know will be more than capable of withstanding the harsh elements of the Canadian Arctic. Capsize testing of the boat will take place in Nanaimo, BC during the second week of May, 2013.


The Builder

shapeimage_9Robin ThackerRobin’s adventure started when he was 4 years old and he decided to jump off the 2nd floor balcony with an umbrella as a parachute. It almost all ended when he spent 4 minutes in an underwater hydraulic after going over a waterfall on a canoe trip down Riviere Ouareau. He could have used the umbrella. Since then, he has always had a need for adventure. So, he got married and now has three wonderful daughters.
He wrote the software that the Canadian Civil Air Search and Rescue Association uses in searching for missing persons. He holds multi-national patents on guitar bodies and fibre reinforced ceramics. He has countless copyrights on things from snowboard chord calculation software to 1/16th scale flight simulator models. Currently, he designs the world’s finest kayaks for Atlantis Kayaks on Vancouver Island. When he’s not doing that, you will find him with his wife Karen filming and traveling this wonderful world of ours.

OUR SPONSORS

Without the help of our sponsors and team this journey would be impossible.

Title Sponsor:

mainstream logo CMYK

Mainstream Renewable Power is a company driven by a unique mission to lead the transition to a world where electricity is made from renewable sources. The world is undergoing a once-off transition to sustainability. Wind and solar will overtake coal, oil and other fossils as the world’s primary fuels for electricity generation. Mainstream was set up to lead and accelerate this transition.

Contributing Sponsor:

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ADAIA

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Premium rugged dustproof, waterproof and hack-proof Android smartphones for adventurers, extreme and outdoor sports enthusiasts. Works anywhere on earth
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Spot

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The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger provides a vital line of communication with friends and family when you want it, and emergency assistance when you need it. Using 100% satellite technology, SPOT works virtually anywhere in the world, even where cell phones don’t – all with the push of a button.
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Mustang Survival

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Established in 1967, Mustang Survival has been designing and manufacturing lifesaving solutions for more than 45 years. Through constant innovation and application of new technologies, Mustang Survival is the leading supplier of quality flotation and personal protective equipment to the most demanding maritime and aviation customers including the Coast Guard, Law Enforcement, Water Rescue Teams, Fighter Pilots, Commercial Mariners and Recreational boaters.
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MEC

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We inspire and enable everyone to lead active outdoor lifestyles. We do that by selling outdoor gear, clothing, and services. We match our members with gear that suits their needs. But we offer more than products. We offer passion. We love to share our expertise, experience, and enthusiasm.
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Ocean Rodeo

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Our home, located on Vancouver Island, Canada, is NOT a tropical paradise. During winter, our rocky log strewn beaches are smashed by intense North Pacific storms.The water is cold. Very cold. The ocean conditions are not always ideal, however this is our home and playground... the testing grounds for OCEAN RODEO. With our rugged conditions, quality and innovation is a necessity, not an option.Our first product was the PYRO drysuit, designed in 1999 to allow us more R&D time during the cold winter months. Our kites followed a similar path, developed to withstand a beating; we incorporated the toughest materials and construction techniques imaginable, while delivering the power and performance to exceed our expectations.We design, build, test, redesign, re-test, re-think every product we offer to ensure you the safest, most performance oriented wind and water experience.
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Restore Physiotherapy

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At Restore Physiotherapy you will get the undivided attention of your physiotherapist for the entire duration of your treatment session. You can choose to book either a 30 or 60- minute appointment. This focused, one-to-one approach facilitates the development of a more comprehensive treatment plan and allows for more productive treatment sessions with more time for patient education, manual techniques, and supervised exercise.Our aim is to identify and correct the dysfunctional movement patterns that are often at the root of pain and injury. This facilitates a more complete rehab process, and empowers the patient with the knowledge of what to do to prevent, minimize, or self-manage reoccurrences.We offer intervention across the spectrum of wellness and function -- from preventative screenings to injury rehabilitation, to peak sports performance -- and will create an individualized plan to help you reach your goals.
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Synergy Physiotherapy

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At Synergy Physio we’re committed to helping you move better, feel better and be better. By combining current research with clinical expertise, LJ Lee and her team will help you find ways to change movement patterns that are causing you pain and help you get back to doing the things you love.Whenever you see a Synergy Physiotherapist, you will be assessed and treated as a WHOLE person, rather than as a particular body part. The Thoracic Ring Approach (LJ Lee) and the Integrated Systems Model (LJ Lee, Diane Lee) provide common frameworks that are used by the entire Synergy Team.
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Vancouver Aquarium

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The Vancouver Aquarium supports the Mainstream Last First expedition's mission to bring greater awareness to the general public about the Arctic and the changes it is experiencing.
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Helsport

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The beginningHelsport is a family company established in 1951. Shortly after we developed our own sleeping bags and tent range. Helsport is proud to be seen as pioneer among developers, and for having products of highest quality. GoalOur goal is to develop functional and high quality equipment for protection and comfort for varying weather conditions. If you choose Helsport, we want it to contribute to more enjoyment and pleasure for you in the nature. To reach this goal, we set tough standards for ourselves to create new and improved products through continuously product development and quality improvements.Product developmentProduct development has always been a highty prioritied area for us. To develop functional products of the highest quality, adjusted to the customer needs, we continue to work on the following;* close contact and consultation with normal and extreme users* co-operation with test and scientific institutes * product testing under extreme conditions * to have our own expertise in production and product development

 

 

Contributing Supplier:

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7Systems

Endurance Sport Supplements
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Used by high performance athletes including runners, triathletes and cyclists, 7SYSTEMS endurance sport supplement helps them recover from the demands of training while boosting resistance to the infections that international travel and competitions expose their bodies to. That’s because their bodies get the nutrients they need for Basic Body Health and Critical System Support, including ingredients like Ginseng and a powerful anti-oxidant blend to help strengthen the Immune System.
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Pacific Bioenergy

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Pacific BioEnergy is a private company established in 1994 with corporate offices located in Vancouver, BC and operations in the heart of British Columbia’s forest region. We are a leader in wood pellet fuel in North America and are committed to meeting growing worldwide demand for this clean energy source.
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Tidal Transport

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Tidal Transport & Trading is a diversified Marine Services Company based in Port Moody, Vancouver, British Columbia. In order to provide enhanced service to our principals, Tidal Transport & Trading USA Ltd, based in Long Beach, California was established in 2005.Through the combined experience of company personnel having detailed knowledge of port logistics and regulatory requirements in British Columbia and the United States West Coast, Tidal companies are positioned to provide a unique level of personal service to the international and coastal marine transportation industry.
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Imtech Marine

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Imtech Marine is a leading company in the global marine market, operating as a full-service provider and system integrator of tailor-made, innovative and sustainable technology solutions covering the whole ship.
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ISL Custom Brokers

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ISL Customs Brokers, a division of Island Shipping, continues to be the innovative leader in providing customs brokerage and international trade solutions to business.
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Powerbar

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To excel in your sport or fitness endeavour, you have to set goals and be driven. You push hard. You strengthen your commitment.We play by the same rules. Commitment. Passion. And the push to help you succeed.We’re passionate about sports and fitness, health and wellness. That’s why we started POWERBAR — to help athletes like you reach your goals by providing convenient nutritional products. All of our products are backed by decades of sports nutrition science and must live up to our high standards to meet the nutrition and energy needs of all athletes — from world-class champions and dedicated amateurs to beginners.
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DBC

Marine Safety Systems
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DBC Marine Safety Systems Ltd., a division of "Survitec SOLAS Liferaft Business", is now owned by the Survitec Group. The company will continue to manufacture highly engineered and quality marine Lifesaving equipment, Survival Clothes and equipment, and Fire Safety Systems for both Marine and Commercial applicationsDBC was incorporated in 1977 and is one of the largest and most experienced marine lifesaving equipment manufacturers. Since its inception, DBC has developed and continues to manufacture a comprehensive range of yachting and commercially approved liferafts, platforms and passenger evacuation systems.
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Native Eyewear

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London Drugs

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London Drugs supports the Mainstream Last First Expedition’s mission to bring greater awareness of climate change and the Canadian Arctic. The team is capturing this important story using a high performance Nikon camera and lenses. Photographic gear was provided by London Drugs with support from Nikon Canada and the Vancouver Aquarium.
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Nikon

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London Drugs supports the Mainstream Last First Expedition’s mission to bring greater awareness of climate change and the Canadian Arctic. The team is capturing this important story using a high performance Nikon camera and lenses. Photographic gear was provided by London Drugs with support from Nikon Canada and the Vancouver Aquarium.
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Buntain

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For over 40 years, our agents have been partnering with clients to simplify risk management. Our agents are like no other. Our extensive experience and training means one agent can usually manage all your insurance options. You get the convenience of personalized service with the reassurance of knowing our entire team is here for you.
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Kinesys

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KINeSYS Performance Spray Sunscreen Protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays with a complete range of performance sunscreens for athletes and the entire family. Paraben, PABA, preservative, alcohol and oil FREE formulas in a convenient, fully recyclable, Microspray™ bottle.

 

 

Support Team:

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Ray Zahab

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In 2006/7, Ray and two other runners ran the entire width of the Sahara Desert-7500 kms (4600 miles) in 111 days with no rest days-and in the process learned of the seriousness of the water crisis in Africa. The run was documented in a film directed by Oscar winner James Moll and narrated by Matt Damon. One of the goals of the film is to raise awareness for the water crisis in Africa.Following the Sahara expedition, Ray decided to dedicate and volunteer his time engaging Youth in the concept that we are all capable of the extraordinary. Ray is the founder of impossible2Possible, official Athletic Ambassador for the ONEXONE organization and is a board member of the Ryan's Well Foundation. Ray has completed 12 major expeditions to date and was recently a member of the South Pole Quest, the Siberian Express teams and in early 2011 ran the length of the Atacama Desert. In summer 2011 he crossed Death Valley National Park off-road.
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Tori Holmes

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Tori was born and raised in Devon, Alberta. After graduating from high school she worked in Bangladesh with Agriteam Canada and also volunteered with UNICEF. From there, Tori travelled to Australia and it was during her travels there that she met Paul Gleeson. Tori teamed up with Paul for the cycle across Australia where she was responsible for all the fundraising and PR of the trip; these efforts resulted in her raising over $400,000 through child sponsorship prgrammes in Australia for World Vision.In 2006 Tori rowed across the Atlantic Ocean with Paul and at the age of 21, became the youngest woman ever to do this at the time. Tori co authored the book about the Atlantic Trip with Paul which was published in Canada in 2009. Tori is a sales executive at Mobify, a Vancouver based technology company that builds open mobile platforms.
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Maria Loscerbo

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Maria runs her own PR company called Epic PR. Whether it’s an IPO, product launch or protracted controversy, Maria's forte is designing PR strategies that elevate a company’s profile and help it communicate with target audiences. Before Epic Public Relations, Maria was communications manager for a large public-traded company, PR consultant for one of Western Canada’s largest public relations agencies, and communications officer with several real estate organizations. She has more than 15 years of experience and has worked closely with a range of companies including Xantrex Technology, Intrawest, A&W, CIBC, Inex Pharmaceuticals and Capers Community Markets.Maria holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from UBC. In her spare time, she can be found perfecting her yoga moves at the local gym.
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Murray Neilson

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Murray was born and raised in Vancouver and has been in the financial services industry since 1972 working with family businesses, entrepreneurs, professionals and retirees. A financial advisor with Nicola Wealth Management, Murray is not only well known within the wealth management industry but is probably one of the nicest people you will ever meet. With a keen interest in people and the highly developed skill of intuition, Murray works hard at listening to clients to make sure they are heard and understood whilst making sure the client's needs are truly taken care of. Murray is a member of many industry organisations and over the years he has been involved with many industry and community activities either as a speaker or committee member. Married for over 40 years, Murray and Patty have 3 children and 8 amazing grandchildren.
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Captian Allen Domaas

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Allen Domaas is a Partner at Nordic Star Services, a boutique consulting firm. Previously, Allen had a 35 year career with the Fraser River Port Authority holding various positions including President and Chief Executive Officer. Active in his community, Allen is a past Chair of American Association of Port Authorities and a past Director of Association of Canadian Port Authorities. He serves as a Director on the Western Transportation Advisory Council (WESTAC) and is the President of the Westminster Club. Allen studied Business Administration at Simon Fraser University and Executive Management at Queen’s University
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Sharon Domaas

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Sharon Domaas was an educator for 35 years, she taught grades K-10, worked as a Community School Coordinator and Principal for the Burnaby school district. She stayed active in her community working on the governance committee which drafted the governance model for Community Health Boards. She was the president of Association for Community Education B.C. She is keenly interested in Global Ethics and is a trained facilitator for Global Ethics. She is currently the president of Nordic Star Services and serves on the Royal Columbian Hospital Board.
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Shane Janssens

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Shane, who hails from Dublin in Ireland is founder of Belly Of Fire Publishing. An experienced marketeer, Shane published his first children’s book called Walter the wandering wave in 2010. The book was inspired by Shane’s passion for surfing. The second book in the Walter Series is due out in 2012 and in time, Shane is currently working on developing an animation series to bring Walter to the big screen. Shane lives in Vancouver with his girlfriend Elaine and is an outdoor enthusiast. Having surfed all over the world, Shane spends much of time outdoors snowboarding, mountain biking and swimming.
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David Terlicher

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Dave has since built his practice in the areas of orthopaedics and sports injury rehabilitation. He has worked with athletes of all levels in numerous sports from the Pro Rodeo Circuit to community beach soccer. He has been team therapist for the Canadian men’s Alpine Ski team and Vancouver Whitecaps men’s soccer team. He was the Canada Ski Cross team therapist for two seasons which included working with the team through the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He now travels with the Ski Cross team occasionally, which allows him to spend more time at home with his young family.David is a former collegiate and national-level track and field athlete and former track & field coach, both of which have fuelled his interest in working with running athletes. In his free time, David is an avid snowboarder, kite boarder and basketball player.
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Linda-Joy (LJ) Lee

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A trailblazer in her field, Linda-Joy Lee (LJ Lee) is an internationally recognized physiotherapist, author, educator and presenter. She mentors and leads her team at Synergy Physiotherapy (link to www.synergyphysio.ca in North Vancouver, and is co-founder of Discover Physio www.discoverphysio.ca and co-developer of “The Integrated Systems Model” (LJ Lee, Diane Lee), a new paradigm to assess and treat the whole person.LJ has also developed innovative methods to assess and treat the thoracic spine and ribcage, known as “The Thoracic Ring Approach”, which she teaches around the world. She has recently completed a research PhD at The University of Queensland in this area. Inspired by connectedness throughout the body, LJ is known for her unique way of looking at total body function. Her aim is to help people move more optimally and efficiently in their bodies to experience less pain and freedom of movement, and be able to train to their performance potential. She treats people from all walks of life, and consults with elite athletes from a variety of sports.LJ is passionate about helping people reach their potential, and believes a healthy environment supports health and movement. In 2009 she taught at a ship-based conference in the Arctic and saw first hand the changes happening in this special part of the world. She is extremely excited and honoured to be involved in this inspiring endeavor with The Last First team.
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Gillian McCormick

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Gillian is an innovative physiotherapist who combines her knowledge of orthopedic, neurologic, and visceral assessment and treatment to help her patients through times when their bodies are not performing to their potential. In her 15 year career, she has worked with athletes young and not so young, amateurs and professionals, obsessively active people and couch potatoes to get the most out of their bodies. She believes good rehabilitation is inspiring her patients to see beyond their potential for movement. Trained in the Integrated Systems Model (ISM) by Discover Physio (link to www.discoverphysio.ca approach co-developed by Linda-Joy (LJ) Lee and Diane Lee enables Gillian to discover the root cause, or driver, of a patient’s complaint or impairment. Could pelvic pain be eliminated by treating the thoracic rings? Working at Synergy Physio www.synergyphysio.ca, Gillian receives invaluable mentorship from LJ Lee, clinic owner and developer of the Thoracic Ring Approach, as well as opportunities to be an assistant on Discover Physio courses.This project with The Last First expedition is a natural expression of the things Gillian cares for including the possibilities of the human body, the Canadian North and the environment.
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Chris Napier

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Chris has worked with a variety of athletes from high school to professional level, including the 2004 National Champion UBC Women’s Basketball team, the 2006 USL Champion Vancouver Whitecaps, and the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Field Hockey teams at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. He was the physiotherapist with the Canadian Alpine Ski team (2006-08) and the Canadian Ski Cross team (2008-10), and was part of the Canadian Medical team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.Chris has also competed at the national level as a successful middle-distance runner, earning a silver medal at the Canadian Junior Track & Field Championships in 1996 and a bronze medal at the CIAU (CIS) Track & Field Championships in 1997. He is now the distance running coach at St. George’s School in Vancouver, and in his spare time is an avid skier, kayaker, and marathon runner. Chris is actively involved in several research projects with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UBC. His practice philosophy is focused on manual therapy with movement retraining.
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Jacquie McCarnan

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Jacquie McCarnan has joined our team as our Director of Social Media and Online Community Outreach. Jacquie has a long history of engaging like-minded individuals in worthy causes.Working primarily with non-profit organizations, Jacquie has built her company, Social Media Canada to become a voice for the environment, women's leadership, eco-tourism in British Columbia and education across Canada. She is very excited to be working with the Mainstream Last First expedition and is looking forward to the impact the project will have on our understanding of climate change and other environmental issues.

 

 

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For all inquiries in regards to the The Mainstream Last First Expedition please contact Kevin, Paul, Frank or Denis. You can find all our personal contact details in the team section here.

Or if you prefer you can fill in the contact form here and we will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible, Thank You

  • , Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • @ thelastfirst2013@gmail.com

Link here