Around-n-Over - about Erden Eruc

About Erden Eruç

For Seattle-based Erden Eruç, the Six Summits project is the culmination of years of dreaming and wondering if such a feat were possible. A technical consultant with graduate degrees in engineering and an MBA, at the age of 41, Erden decided to leave the money, the pace, and an unfulfilling career behind for the adventure that he had been dreaming of for years. He is now focused full-time on tending to his responsibilities as the founder and President of Around-n-Over. You can read more about the Around-n-Over Team by using the link on the left margin...

For his efforts to reach children through Around-n-Over, Erden was included in the top ten list in which Hooked (on the Outdoors) Magazine acknowledged "the Outdoor Person of the Year nominees who live for the outdoors - and give something back." The December 2003 issue of the Hooked includes Erden in the runner up "five more" individuals for the 2003 Outdoor Person of the Year Award.

Erden is an experienced athlete and a climber. His first climb was with his father at the age of 11 on the 3,896 meters high east summit of Mt. Erciyes, an extinct volcano in south central Turkey. Since then, he has climbed technical rock, alpine routes, big walls, water ice and enjoyed many other challenges in the outdoors. Starting in his university years, he has participated in outdoor clubs serving in trainer and in leadership roles. He has completed marathons with a best time of 2 hours and 49 minutes, wrestled competitively through college and followed that with judo until the year 2000 obtaining a nikkyu rank (2nd degree brown belt).

Erden reached the summit of Denali, the highest point in North America, by human power on May 29, 2003 his first installment toward the Six Summits Project. He left Seattle by bicycle on February 1st, towing all that he needed to survive the Alaska Highway in winter along with his climbing gear - the entire rig weighed about 175 lbs. On May 1st, he met his friends; together they walked in 67 miles to Kahiltna Base Camp over glaciers, and then climbed the mountain. He returned to Seattle on August 24th after having pedaled 5,546 miles.

Erden successfully achieved a solo crossing of the Atlantic in a specially designed ocean rowing boat from the Canary Islands to the island of Guadeloupe in early 2006, becoming the 33rd person to cross Atlantic east to west solo.

The Turkish National Olympic Committee recognized Erden with a Fair Play Award for his solo achievement on the Atlantic and for the socially conscious goals set for Around-n-Over. This award was announced on April 30, 2007 for 19 individuals who were selected among 1,300 nominees for their achievements in 2006.

Between July 10, 2007 and May 17, 2008, Erden rowed singlehandedly from Bodega Bay on the California shores to the waters of Papua New Guinea. Stage 2 of the Six Summits Project required reaching Kosciuszko in Australia. During those 312 days, he had traveled 5,514 nm as the crow flies. He had connected with primary school level boarding students in rural Turkey using a satellite phone numerous times and had raised almost $50,000 for their benefit toward İLKYAR Foundation. He had also documented a Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) a record 3,000nm away from the Mexican shores where they breed. The 312 days became the new Guinness World Record for the longest time spent at sea by a solo ocean rower.

Erden has made Seattle home since 1999. He enjoys outdoors activities in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and primary supporter, Nancy Board. They were married in Homer, Alaska in June 2003 following Erden's successful Denali ascent with his partners.

For a better feel for Erden's earlier career and the qualifications that he brings to this project, you can see his resumé . Erden Eruc