Rab - For the most extreme conditions in the world | Richard Parks

Richard Parks

As a back row forward,he made a name for himself as a hard, prolific tackler and support player. However, he was recently forced to retire from the game due to a career ending shoulder injury. Richard was an integral part of both the Principality Cup winning Pontypridd side and the Powergen Cup winning Leeds Tykes.

After a spell playing for the French club USA Perpignan, he returned to Wales with the Gwent Dragons, passionate to represent his country again. Despite putting himself back into contention for International selection with his performances for the region, sadly injury prevented his return to the International stage and ultimately forced his early retirement from what was a highly successful 13 year career in professional rugby.

Lying in a hospital bed after a second operation to repair his shoudler Richard was forced to come to terms with the realities of life without professional rugby.

He read Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ book ‘Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know’, which somehow became intertwined with a phrase from his Nana’s funeral ‘The horizon is only the limit of our sight’. These two sources of inspiration snowballed into the 737 Challenge - a challenge to climb the 7 Summits and visit both the South and North Poles and all within 7 months.

Richard has come a long way from that hospital bed - having never set foot on a mountain he undertook an intensive 12 month 'baptism of fire' learning the skills and honing his fitness to cope with this epic expedition. This included climbing Denali in May 2010 and Cho Oyu in September 2010, in between Richard climbed steep ice in Italy, mixed routes in Scotland and undertook specialist altitude training at the University of Glamorgan.

Richard has selflessly funded the expedition himself and all monies raised from the expedition will be donated to the Charity partner -Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Rab are proud to sponsor Richard and his team in this world-first undertaking and have worked closely with him to ensure he has the best equipment and clothing for each leg of his journey.

Rab recently caught up with Richard after the Carstenz Pyramid leg of his challenge to ask a few questions . . .

5 things you would never camp without?
Sense of Humour, head torch, hip flask, pee bottle and any one of my Rab sleeping bags.

What do you owe your parents?
Everything, I am who I am because of who they are.

What is your earliest memory of adventure?
I started motorcross racing when I was 6, spending every weekend living on the side of a track, in all kinds of weather, so I guess I sort of grew up in a tent and out the back of a car. Good times!

Who would play you in the story of your life?
The question is who’d bother watching it!? (Rich had previously joked that he thought Jamie Foxx would be good - he was just to modest to say it here - so we did it for him . . .  sorry Rich!)

Where has been the strangest place you’ve been naked in the last year?
Madrid Airport...

Mountains or Sea?
Mountains! But mountains by the sea rock!

What is your greatest fear?
Not living fully because of fear.

What motivates you?
Leaving the world a better place than I found it.

What trait do you most deplore in someone?
Rudeness.

Whom do you most admire?
Anyone who walks their own path in life and follows their dreams.

What is the most fun you’ve had while working?
Renovating my parents house. It was just me, my mate Scott, my parents and on weekends friends would pop round with overalls on! Ben my dog was promoted to site foreman - running the show! Good times, and the windows are still watertight! Ha!

A moment which stays with you?
My time in Antarctica will always have a place in my heart.

A moment you wish didn’t happen?
An ex-girlfriend springs to mind! Ha!

What makes you smile?
Packing for an expedition.

Who makes you laugh?
My dog Ben, he rocks! and Will Ferrell.

What makes you blush?
Compliments.

When did you last cry and why?
I genuinely can’t remember. When I get down I tend to vent through training or climbing harder!

Do you enjoy being alone?
Yeah, in fact I need it from time to time, but life is better shared.

What would you eat at your last supper and which 5 people would be there – dead or alive?
Wow, that’s a tough question! I’d cook a Welsh Lamb Sunday dinner with loads of Yorkshire puddings and gravy! My dog, my folks and my close mates! That’s more than 5, but it is my last supper!!!

Cheers guys. RP