Dean Potter voted Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic

The prestigious magazine National Geographic has chosen Dean Potter as one of the 10 Adventurers of the year 2009. Potter impressed with his wingsuit flight off the Eiger in Switzerland in mid-August this year, which in two minutes and 50 seconds covered approximately 3000 vertical meters and nearly four miles. As such, the flight is believed to be the longest BASE jump ever.

Born in New Hampshire, the highly-talented 37 year old has been exploring the limits of what is humanly possible for over a decade, slacklining above immense voids in Yosemite National Park and the Moab desert and carrying out speed solo ascents in both Patagonia (Supercanaleta Fitz Roy and Compressor Route on Cerro Torre) and Yosemite (Half Dome and El Cap in a single day). Yosemite remains a favourite testing ground and Potter has also carried out audacious solos of reference routes such as Separate Reality 5.11d and Dog's Roof 5.12b. In August 2008 Potter explored his search further by climbing Deep Blue Sea (300, 7b+) on the Eiger without the safety of a rope but instead with a B.A.S.E. parachute.

The other adventurers of the year are as follows:
Khadija Bahram, Educator
Stephen Bouey + Steven Shoppman, Road Trippers
Maya Gabeira, Surfer
John Grunsfeld, Astronaut
Marc Hoffmeister, Veteran
Albert Yu-Min Lin, Explorer
Louie Psihoyos, Filmmaker
Diane Van Deren, Ultra Runner
Katey Walter Anthony, Scientist


Dean S. Potter - Sky Flier (Adventurer of the Year 2009)