Although Noel Hanna has virtually no sailing experience, this renowned Co Down adventurer from Dromara is an endurance athlete of the highest order. His illustrated talk about his career to date drew a large crowd to Royal Ulster Yacht Club for a Club Night last week. "I have never been sailing, but during an adventure race in the British Virgin Islands, we sailed at night between different islands – we only slept on the boat", he confessed.
Noel talked about summiting Everest ten times, twice with Lynne, who joined him for the presentation. They planned to summit Everest and get married in 2005. Unfortunately, Noel became ill on the mountain, and that ascent was abandoned. They subsequently had their first summit [from the north side] and then the second time [from the south side]. A rewarding challenge they overcame together.
Lynne is CEO of Clarins South Africa. Among her mountaineering achievements is being the first female from Ireland to summit an 8000+ mountain without oxygen.
In 2018, Noel was the first person from Ireland to climb and descend "The Savage Mountain", K2. Co Limerick-born Ger McDonnell succeeded in 2008 but sadly died on the descent.
Noel is a Spartan Race founder, a race around a course with different obstacles, but he is no longer involved. Noel and Lynn ran the Comrades 89km race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in South Africa when the temperature was over 30 degrees and winds were gale.
Rear Commodore Johnny Ritchie thanked Noel and Lynne; "The turnout tonight is an obvious tribute to the quality of this presentation, and the response from the audience speaks for itself. A special thanks to Bob Torrens for sourcing Noel and Lynne through a former work connection."
